Movie review
August 3, 2016 · 122 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
A 2016 DC Comics action film follows a black-ops team of incarcerated supervillains—including Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and others—forced by the U.S. government to battle a supernatural threat in exchange for reduced sentences. The core narrative centers on personal redemption, family motives, loyalty under pressure, and reluctant anti-hero teamwork in a gritty urban setting. The most audience-visible element is the casting of Will Smith as the traditionally white comic character Deadshot, paired with director comments on diverse casting for real-world reflection and role models, though these stay background and do not shape dialogue, arcs, or messaging.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Suicide Squad.
Woke representation / casting
Clear race change of lead Deadshot from white comics canon to Black actor Will Smith is audience-visible to fans; diverse ensemble otherwise fits the modern criminal/government setting without narrative identity signaling or unearned competence emphasis.
Woke political dialogue
Sparse government skepticism and one minor passing comment; no activist monologues, identity-focused talk, or political messaging.
Identity-driven story themes
Centers on personal redemption, family bonds, and team loyalty among criminals; zero race, gender, sexuality, or social-justice-driven arcs or messaging.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Depicts shady government black-ops and prison conditions as premise setup with a generic anti-authority tone; remains standard thriller fare without modern activist framing of systemic issues, patriarchy, or identity politics.
Woke character or canon changes
Deadshot recast as Black from traditional white DC Comics portrayal; visible to source-aware viewers though primarily star-driven.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Little to no prominent backlash claiming “too woke,” forced diversity, or left-wing messaging at release or since; complaints stayed on quality and character execution. Any modern notes are weak or fringe.
Creator track record context
Ayer voiced support for diverse casting as natural world reflection and role-model importance in 2016 interviews; no history of activist or identity-politics-focused work.
Production
