Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay 4K/Blu Ray Review (Warner Bros)
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is a 2018 animated film directed by Sam Liu (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, Batman and Harley Quinn, Batman: The Killing Joke, & Justice League: Gods and Monsters). When it comes to comic book adaptations turned into a full length animation film Sam Liu is one of the best. Besides the films I mentioned above he also worked on Batman: Year One, All-Star Superman, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, & Justice League vs. Teen Titans. He directed various animated TV shows before those films which include Beware the Batman, Green Lantern, The Batman, Godzilla: The Series, & Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles. This film was announced at San Diego Comic-Con International in 2017. The world premier was at Wonder Con on March 2018. It’s the 4th animated DC Comics film to be rated R, It’s the last film that writer & co-producer Alan Burnett worked on before his retirement.
It’s batter up at Belle Reve & that can only mean that the penitentiary’s ambitious warden Amanda Waller (played by: Vanessa Williams from Eraser, Shaft, & Hoodlum) after finding out some bad news has a mission that only the worst type of villains can handle. She unleashes the dangerous Task Force X again which includes evil veterans like Deadshot (played by: Christian Slater from True Romance, Mr. Robot, Heathers, & Pump Up the Volume), Captain Boomerang (played by: Liam McIntyre from The Flash, Spartacus: War of the Damned, & The Legend of Hercules) & Harley Quinn (played by: Tara Strong from DC Super Hero Girls, Batman Ninja, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, & Batman: The Killing Joke). They know their way around difficult & deadly situations. They are joined by newcomers Copperhead (played by: Gideon Emery from Scream: The TV Series, DC Super Friends, & Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Killer Frost (played by: Kristin Bauer van Straten from Justice League TV series, True Blood, & Glory Daze), & the martial art master Bronze Tiger (played by: Billy Brown from Sons of Anarchy, Dexter, & Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation)!
They are trying to locate Steel Maxum (played by: Greg Grunberg from Heroes, Star Trek: Beyond, & Star Wars: The Force Awakens). They are ready to carry out their plan to snatch up a mystical object that’s so powerful that they are willing to put their lives & future on the line to steal it! They are not the only villains looking for the prized possession. Vandal Savage (played by: Jim Pirri from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman & Injustice 2), Professor Zoom (played by: C. Thomas Howell from The Outsiders, The Hitcher, E.T., & Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox), Silver Banshee (played by: Julie Nathanson from Batman Beyond), & Blockbuster (played by: Dave Fennoy from Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Batman: Dark Flight , & Star Wars: The Clone Wars) are on the hunt for the same item. It’s about to get darker than your usual DC comics feature because it’s nothing but destruction, bullets, & bad attitudes with no hesitation on this unforgettable road trip with the Suicide Squad!
The live action version of Suicide Squad got mixed reviews but this new animated release Hell to Pay is a clear winner! I’ve seen DC Comics go dark a few times with these direct to video films but this one pushes it further than before! The body count is pretty high on this & the kills were brutal. This feature shows you what Suicide Squad should have been when it was made into a big movie a few years ago. It’s filled with violence, gore, & uncensored dialog. Nothing felt forced & Warner Bros let the characters be themselves this time. I know it will never happen but I would love to see a live action version of something like this in the future. I was very impressed with everything from the animation, voice talent, & the overall entertainment from this production. It’s one of my favorite things that DC comics has ever produced & that’s a bold statement because I am a big fan of their work. This comes highly recommended from me, you need to check this out ASAP!
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay looks amazing in 4K & the DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track makes you feel like your in this crazy universe. You also get a variety of audio options which include French & Spanish for the UHD disc. Plus English SDH, French, & Spanish subtitles. The standard blu ray that’s included in this set features more audio options like German & Portuguese. Same goes for the subtitles on the release. No special features are on the 4K disc, they are all located on the blu ray. Let’s talk about them, Audio Commentary with Executive producer James Tucker & writer/co-producer Alan Burnett, They discuss the history of the characters & their connections to the DC universe. They talk about this project being rated R & how it fit the personalities of all the villains in this.
“A Sneak Peak at DC Universe’s Next Animated Feature: The Death of Superman” is a 7 minute look into the film. It’s enough to get you interested & want more. “Outback Rogue: Captain Boomerang” is a 5 minute featurette on the crazy Australian. I really like this character & I hope to see more of him in future DC projects. “Nice Shot, Floyd! The Greatest Marksman in the DCU” is a 5 minute featurette on Deadshot. I really enjoyed Christian Slater’s take on the role in this film. “The Power of Plot Devices: MacGuffins and Red Herrings” is a 10 minute into various things concerning the plot. “A Sneak Peak at DCU Batman: Assault on Arkham” is a 7 minute tease to the feature. I own this & I definitely recommend it if you haven’t seen this. “A Sneak Peak at Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” is an almost 8 minute look at the animated feature. I still haven’t seen this one but after that preview I need to check it out soon. The 22 minute “From the DC Comics Vault: Beware the Batman: Instinct” is episode 11 from season 1. Last nut not least, you get the 22 minute “From the DC Comics Vault: Young Justice: Terrors” is episode 11 from season 1. It also comes with a digital copy of the film.
