REVIEW: ‘Suicide Squad ISEKAI’ — Episode 7

The clock is ticking for the Suicide Squad as they try to reset the bombs inside their heads. Suicide Squad ISEKAI Episode 7 sees their quest continue as they balance their mission with their desire to simply stay alive.

Suicide Squad ISEKAI Episode 7 starts similarly to most episodes where we get a flashback between Joker and Harley Quinn. The two of them are facing a challenge where Joker teaches Harley how to overcome it followed by a flash-forward where Harley is facing a similar challenge with the Suicide Squad. It is a neat little way to keep Joker involved in the series, but it does start to feel stale when it follows the same basic track each time.

The challenge for the Suicide Squad this time is penetrating an impenetrable fortress in order to reset the bombs in their heads. It has the feeling of a classic heist movie, with the Suicide Squad mapping out the area and coming up with a plan. The team dynamics have been evolving throughout the series and, for the most part, they are starting to operate as a real team.

What does start to suffer here a little bit is the tendency to break up tense moments with over-the-top comedy. Most of the comedic bits are short-lived but they miss more often than they hit. It is always some variation of either someone in the Suicide Squad flashing their bravado or, in the case of King Shark, just being dumb. At times these attempted funny moments feel reductive, but occasionally they land with the intended effect.

Once the Suicide Squad formulates its plan, thanks to Harley’s experience, the heist itself is very enjoyable. Everything is well thought out and planned to the last detail. It is a very serious plan given the stakes, but that does not stop things from going completely off the rails. King Shark’s overeating earlier in the episode causes him to burp so loud it makes the others think it is time to jump into action which causes things to unravel much sooner than planned.

The plan itself is not half bad. It mostly involves lots of disguises, which surely can’t go wrong. Clayface has to pretend to be The Thinker, though his sketchy acting skills make it fairly unconvincing from the start. But the best disguise is Peacemaker attempting to look like an elf. The big reveal about his looks is hilarious, a moment where comedy is used brilliantly to further the plot.

Once they realize that a buff Peacemaker won’t fool the elves at all, it is time to start improvising. The Suicide Squad is seemingly always at its best when it has to change plans on the fly. Rick Flag and Deadshot in particular are very good at this and they take the reigns once things start to fall apart. Deadshot makes a comment about things going smoothly when they are most definitely not, which leads to the pure chaotic fun fans are expecting.

With an army of hive-mind elves charging at them, the Suicide Squad gets to fight its way into the fortress. It is another moment where some more extended action would have been nice, but what we get is still fairly fun. Wit Studio does an incredible job of showcasing Harley’s moves as she zips through the elvish army and into the heart of the compound. She confronts The Thinker and, as it turns out, he isn’t smart enough to see their plan coming.

The fight scene between Harley and The Thinker is the highlight of Suicide Squad ISEKAI Episode 7. Harley’s moves are acrobatic and quick, but The Thinker is always two steps ahead. That is until Harley realizes that being dumb is the only way to confuse him. He can predict smart moves, but even he can’t comprehend an idiotic and spontaneous mind.

It is fun to watch the Suicide Squad somehow always stumble its way to victory. They are all talented and, at least at times, smart, but that isn’t what helps them. Pure dumb luck and absurd actions are what constantly end up leading them to their goal. The Thinker dives into the deepest part of Harley’s mind only to realize she is so messed up that it actually gives her an advantage. These changes to expectations keep viewers and characters on their toes, making the development so much more interesting.

When all is said and done, however, we just end up back at square one. The Suicide Squad reset the timers on their bombs and eliminated The Thinker, but there is a new villain taking his place and they are still no closer to achieving what Amanda Waller sent them to do. The subplot with Princess Fione is absent until the last possible second, which is a bummer because it is one of the more interesting parts of the series. With only one episode left, it is hard to see how these loose ends can be tied up in a meaningful way, but at least the journey along the way is exciting.

Suicide Squad ISEKAI Episode 7 has plenty of fast, fluid action but does very little to progress the plot forward in any meaningful way. It is still enjoyable at times, but without any major story beats it is starting to feel tedious.

Suicide Squad ISEKAI Episode 7 is streaming now on Max and Hulu