David Ayer’s Suicide Squad is as greatly mocked as it is worshipped, and has been one of those movies that are either loved or hated at first sight and rarely refuses to grow beyond those feelings as time passes. The contentious debate about face tattoos makes up for an interesting anecdote in this love-and-hate saga of the film’s major namedrop, the Joker. If Jared Leto didn’t already fascinate/disappoint, then his face tattoos and gaudy makeup did the job of mesmerizing/disgusting the audience.
However, neither the tattoos nor Leto himself has had an adverse effect on the DCEU film in general and despite the unacceptably low RT ratings, Suicide Squad’s grim and moody tone has become reminiscent (and a guilty pleasure) for many who miss the era of Snyderian drama.
Also read: Suicide Squad: Why Releasing the Ayer Cut is a Bad Idea
The Significance of the “Damaged” Tattoo on the Joker
For reasons unknown, there has been a macabre magnitude of hatred for a single tattoo – the one that explicitly says “Damaged” in a beautiful cursive right on the Joker’s forehead. The word, as self-explanatory as it is, isn’t as self-contained in its meaning. It is supposed to be a mockery of the DC villain’s archnemesis, the Dark Knight, and serves as a reminder of the one time when even the Bat lost control.
The 2016 film picks up the narrative at a point when the DC canon’s arc is famously at its darkest. Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League serves to remind us: 1. Batman is no longer the savior he once used to be; 2. He has gone morally bankrupt; 3. Bruce has already lost Robin and Alfred.
Among the pair, the former’s death especially stands out due to the significance it had on turning Batman into the dark, cynical, and cruel creature that he became in BvS. He always was capable of complete and pure violence, but it was the Joker who ultimately dragged him to the finish line and became his undoing.
The mocking taunt – “The joke’s on you Batman” – painted on the Robin suit enshrined in the Batcave stands just as much as a reminder of what was taken from Batman as the “Damaged” tattoo on Joker’s forehead acts to remind him of how he lost control in the aftermath.
David Ayer Addresses Joker’s Tattoos in Suicide Squad
David Ayer’s Suicide Squad aimed high and fell short of its own expectations. And in the years since, the director has laid a strong claim of how the Ayer Cut is much more representative of his vision for the film than what was released theatrically in 2016. The fans have as such advocated for the release of the Ayer Cut almost as much as they did with ZSJL, however, the desired result was not found for Suicide Squad.
Flooding discussions, on the other hand, have raged on with respect to the Joker’s representation in the film. The creative liberty that Ayer had executed on his character then finds an answer after all this time in a single tweet by the filmmaker.
It was Joker trolling Batman after getting his teeth punched in by him. It’s the one aesthetic choice I wish I hadn’t made. Caught a lot of smoke for it obviously. https://t.co/T7T3XS6oDQ
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) March 10, 2023
Suicide Squad now falls among the lot of unfavorably received projects that collectively constitute the black sheep of the family for DC. James Gunn’s new establishment seeks to right a lot of those wrongs by amputating the entire section of the cinematic arc known as DCEU. The DC Cinematic Universe that now rises in its place will be as colorfully diverse, fearsome, and bold in its execution as Harley Quinn in a red dress gracefully killing her way out of a building in The Suicide Squad.
Suicide Squad is now available for streaming on HBO Max.
Source: Twitter | David Ayer
