We've all heard about "Suicide Squad." We all know it failed miserably serving horrific editing, shallow character development, and not a single semblance of coherent dialogue. Yet, the biggest fail has been severely overlooked. Let me preface: I like Batman. I like DC. Although I can't name copious amounts of tertiary villains and volume numbers, I track well enough...my biggest issue with "Suicide Squad," ironically, has nothing to do with the movie itself, but with society.
The Joker and Harley Quinn: Power couple? How many times have I overheard the best part about "Suicide Squad" was the dynamic psycho's relationship? Don't get me wrong, Jared Leto killed the role of Joker and Margot Robbie (although not given any adequate dialogue) thrived. It is when both single and taken girls ooh and ahh at the Joker's "love" that I get sick. You may be asking "Why so serious? This isn't that big of a deal." I beg to differ.
Not only is society and my generation idolizing a highly abusive and, frankly, disturbing relationship; we are now hash tagging it #goals. "I want someone to look at me the way the Joker looks at Harley Quinn," actual words spoken from the mouth of one of my friends (after that statement it might be ex). Forgive me, but I don't want anyone to look at me with a deadly cocktail of murderous lust. I get it, Jared Leto is oddly sexy with green hair...yet, the core concept of aspiring to recreate the dysfunctional (to say the least) partnerhood is concerning.
I have seen quite a few articles endorsing the Joker/Harley relationship, essentially stating yeah they're crazy but crazy for each other...awww? The bigger picture is this, whether half joking (lol...joke...joker) or not, is that young women are looking up to a couple that does not possess one redeeming iota of a healthy relationship. Sure no one actual wants to go terrorize a city with their boo, but somehow society has been duped into thinking that a psychotic relationship is someone how sexy. Actors playing the duo, sure sexy. However, the makeup of the relationship rooted in control and massive amounts of obsession is creepy.
I don't want anyone to be obsessed me with me, especially my boyfriend. He has enough on his plate that he doesn't need to have 24 hours lock down on me, reviewing every little thing I've ever said. I don't some weird "Silence of the Lambs" shit where he wants to cut off my skin and wear it to his birthday party. I want an independent, strong willed, borderline arrogant individual. What's #goals for me is seeing an elderly couple hold hands down the street; it's seeing my dad still tell my mother she's his best friend and it's a marriage that lasts longer than the Super Bowl.
I really worry about the young, very impressionable, girls of society as they are constantly being spooned unhealthy versions of relationships. Although I doubt any will internalize the whole murder aspect, residual ideas linger. Between celebrities cheating and failed marriages and cinematic stories, very few authentic relationship models are presented. I'm not saying boycott "Suicide Squad" (if you do, do it because it's trash not because of the Joker). I'm saying #goals is a very different concept than the crap we are watching in the movies.
