Review – SUICIDE SQUAD: HELL TO PAY

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay finds Amanda Waller’s top secret “Task Force X” – Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, Killer Frost, Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn and Copperhead – on a mission to retrieve a mystical object so powerful that they’re willing to risk their own lives to steal it. But the Suicide Squad isn’t the only group of villains seeking to possess the object. The race is on for the golden prize … and, to stay alive, second place isn’t an option.

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is another DC Animated Original Movie that is superior to its live action counter part. While not a sequel to 2013’s Batman: Assault on Arkham, Hell to Pay brings together some of our favorite DC villains for a bloody violent adventure.  Popular and minuscule villains alike all shine with a few cameos that will make you grin ear to ear or make your jaw drop.

Hell to Pay is centered on Amana Waller trying to cheat death, using any and all of her resources to obtain her goal.  Waller has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and she is using the Suicide Squad to obtain a magical “Get Out of Hell Free” card.   Waller and Task Force-X are in a three-way battle between Zoom and Vandal Savage for possession of the card.

READ ALSO: SUICIDE SQUAD: HELL TO PAY Now On Digital

This film is just as fun as the previous animated film with great introductions and mini bio’s to our new members, Killer Frost, Copperhead and Bronze Tiger.  Christian Slater, Liam McIntyre and Tara Strong portray Deadshot, Boomerang and Harley wonderfully and respectively; while it is C. Thomas Howell that steals the show as Zoom.  The dynamics of the team blends well together with the right about of humor and hostility.  Harley’s off brand jokes, Killer Frost’s attitude, Deadshot and Bronze Tiger’s rivalry all really brought out the best in each character at the right time.  Character powers and abilities come into play in practical ways in the film especially for Killer Frost and Cooperhead.  Director Sam Lui and writer Alan Burnett really know these characters and it pays off big time as the film progresses.  They are in the characters heads, know their motives, their actions and know the lore of the DCU.

At one point in the film I almost feared that we were heading toward a Batman and Harley Quinn-esque moment. Fortunately Lui and Brunett pulled it off effortlessly.  Adding more than one big pay off after the introduction of Maxum Steel.  I want to give the creative team a lot of credit for not using the Joker at all in this film.  While I love the character and it’s great to see that Harley truly can stand on her own while the filmmakers didn’t feel the need or the pressure to insert him just because.

The twists and turns that ensue while you watch the film keep you on the edge of your seat.  The cameos are not forced and are a joy to see; anytime you can flawlessly get Black Manta, Professor Pyg and Two-Face in one film you know you got a good DC Universe adventure.  This might be the most violent and bloody DC animated film yet and is totally meant for mature audiences.  The film perfectly toes the line of action and mystical chaos while not going to far over the top.

I highly recommend you adding this to your DC animated library. The more I watch this film the more I enjoy it. – Peter Verra

GRADE: A