The Sixth Annual James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 21

Compared to the largely coherent Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe has always seemed a bit shambolic and rushed. Which isn’t to say there haven’t been some good movies to come out of the project. My Christmas Eve entry for the 2019 iteration my advent calendar was the rather excellent Shazam, which is technically part of the DCEU, even if it mostly seems like an entirely standalone movie.

But there have also been some very bad movies within the DCEU, and few worse than 2016’s Suicide Squad.

Which really is, on every objective level, a terrible film.

Although I do quite like it.

If you’re prepared to switch your brain off from the outset and don’t really need the plot to make even the slightest bit of sense, then there are bits of the movie that are quite enjoyable. And to be fair to the cast, they do the best with what they’re given. Will Smith and particularly Margot Robbie almost do enough to save it from being completely terrible.

Score for Christmasishness

Though not a Christmas movie in any respect, a number of the characters have flashback scenes, and Will Smith’s Deadshot has one which is set around Christmas time, as he is visibly out Christmas shopping with his daughter. And it all seems quite festive before Batman rudely drops in to ruin his day and, presumably, his daughter’s Christmas.