The Suicide Squad Star Joel Kinnaman Explains Why This Is James Gunn’s Best Movie

We’re gradually getting closer to the release of The Suicide Squad, and it’s becoming abundantly clear that the DC Comics film isn’t pulling any punches. The film is set to showcase James Gunn‘s take on the iconic team of antiheroes and villains, with a cast of characters that traverses comic canon. Among them is Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman), who will be returning after appearing in 2016’s Suicide Squad. In a recent interview with Variety, Kinnaman revealed that he has already seen the finished film, and also offered some very high praise.

“We saw it a couple days ago,” Kinnaman revealed. “It’s insane. It’s by far James Gunn’s best movie.”

“It just takes it to another level,” Kinnaman continued. “It’s an insane film. At the same time, it was very much the movie that I thought it was going to be because the vision was so clear from the beginning. While we were shooting it, it was so clear what we were doing. It’s so entertaining. I’m of course hopelessly biased, but I found it to be one of the most entertaining films I’ve ever seen. From A to Z, it’s so well-paced, it has such a drive and such comedic timing. It’s funny along the way the whole time, effortlessly. But then I think what really surprised me was I was struck by was how well it flowed, but also how he was able to create these little bubbles, these little moments of emotional depth, and visual and emotional poetry. And I felt like it really transcended the genre, and it became something bigger. And then it’s also very silly, and ridiculous in many ways, and super violent. Just gory almost at times. And it has shocking moments, but they are very comedic. At the end of the movie, it’s completely normal seeing this giant shark just standing gnawing on a person’s head, and some of the people just having a conversation next to it… When you’re one hour and 50 minutes into Suicide Squad, that’s going to feel completely normal. It’s so irreverent.”

Kinnaman also addressed the mixed response to the first Suicide Squad film, arguing that the finished product went into directions the cast and crew weren’t expecting.

“I thought the first 40 minutes of the film was fucking great, and then there were conflicting visions and it just didn’t end up being what we all hoped it was. It didn’t feel like the movie that we hoped we were going to make, and this is something very different. …It’s just a different universe. It’s a James Gunn universe. It’s a very hilarious and depraved place.

In The Suicide Squad, welcome to hell — a.k.a. Bell Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out — even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and everyone’s favorite pyscho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

The Suicide Squad is expected to be released in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6th.