Comparing ‘Suicide Squad’ To Animated Adventure ‘Assault On Arkham’

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The final point I wish to make when comparing these two films revolves around one of my biggest problems with Ayer’s movie. In Assault on Arkham, pretty much the entire squad ends up dying. Deadshot and Harley definitely survive, and possibly so does Captain Boomerang, but we see every other member of the squad bite the dust. You really believe that this is a suicide mission where Task Force X was necessary, and that any member of the squad could die at any time (except maybe Deadshot and Harley). This means there is a constant level of threat at play, and with the emotional connection we have to the characters we are always worried about who might die next (who ever would have thought I’d be said at the death of a walking talking cannibal shark?).

Suicide Squad just doesn’t have this level of threat. Slipknot gets blown up early on, big surprise, and El Diablo sacrifices himself at the end of the film, but that’s it. In Ayer’s movie, I just wasn’t as worried about the characters, and even wondered why Waller felt it necessary to send in Task Force X in the first place (I guess Wonder Woman and Batman were busy recruiting the Justice League?).

Have you seen Suicide Squad and Assault on Arkham? Which of the films did you prefer? How much inspiration do you think David Ayer took from his animated counterpart? What similarities/differences that I left out do you feel are important? Let’s discuss them in the comments below.

Suicide Squad is out in theatres everywhere now, and Batman: Assault on Arkham is available to rent or buy as a hardcopy or via digital download.

Sam Easton

Sam Easton

Young, aspiring screenwriter. Part time student, full time geek. Based in the UK.