David Ayer, who directed the firstSuicide Squadmovie back in 2016, hasoffered his final comments about the “Ayer Cut"that DC fans have demanded in the wake ofZack Snyder’s Justice League, and it is one of the greatest public statements I have ever seen from a major Hollywood filmmaker. But we’ll get to the reasons why in a few paragraphs. I know you clicked on this article for details on theAyer Cut, so here they are.
“I made something amazing,” wrote Ayer, who isn’t the type to toot his own horn. “My cut is [an] intricate and emotional journey with some “bad people” who are shit on and discarded (a theme that resonates in my soul). The studio cut is not my movie. Read that again. And my cut is not the 10-week director’s cut — it’s a fully mature edit byLee Smithstanding on the incredibly [sic] work byJohn Gilroy. It’s allSteven Price’s brilliant score, with not a single radio song in the whole thing. It has traditional character arcs, amazing performances, a solid 3rd Act resolution. A handful of people have seen it. If someone says they’ve seen it, they haven’t,” Ayer defiantly wrote on Twitter.
Listen, it’s always nice to see a director defend his work and the craftsmanship of his collaborators. Ayer’sSuicide Squadboasted one of the greatest trailers I’ve ever seen, and as such, it was my most anticipated movie of 2016, which is why I called itone of the most disappointing films of all timeafter seeing it. Harsh, I know, and I’m sorry, but there’s no other way to put it. It was horrible, and I do believe that David Ayer needs to take some responsibility for that.
Now, having said that, I think David Ayer is The Man after reading his epic statement. Everyone on Twitter and Reddit thinks they know how to make a movie, and the truth is, they have no idea how hard it is. They think every big director went to a fancy film school and followed the same path to industry glory. But the fact is, Hollywood attracts storytellers from all walks of life, and few exemplify that better than David Ayer.
The third sentence of his statement is about how his father killed himself on Christmas morning when he was just a little boy. He was subsequently put into the foster care system and abused as a child, and he was later arrested, which is, sadly, a frequent result of that kind of chaotic upbringing. He has seen things in real life that we only see in movies or on TV shows, and when someone literally died in his arms, it was a major wake-up call for him. Ayer went off to join the Navy, which made a man out of him, and his life experience (including an apparently eventful stint on a nuclear submarine) is what informed the screenplay forTraining Day, which made him a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.
RELATED:David Ayer Says His “Soulful Drama” Cut of ‘Suicide Squad’ Was “Beaten Into a Comedy”
So it was great to see Ayer stand up for himself in response to a critic who suggested he abandon the Ayer Cut ofSuicide Squadsimply becauseJames Gunn’s sequel,The Suicide Squad, has drawn rave reviews. I respect his omerta – “I’ve never told my side of the story and i never will… I keep my covenants. I’m old school like that. So I kept my mouth shut and took the tsunami of sometimes shockingly personal criticism.” – because he doesn’t owe us an explanation.
At the same, I’m not letting him off the hook forSuicide Squadwith a simple message of “blame the studio!” Believe me, I know how much Warner Bros. meddles in its movies – unfortunately, that’s what you get to do when you pay for them – but there are certain decisions inSuicide Squad, whether Ayer considers it his movie or not, that he was likely responsible for and which are truly baffling. I’m just not a fan of this “trust me, it’s amazing” business, though I do applaud Ayer’s statement, which felt even more appropriate given his reputation as a true badass among posers.
As tough as Ayer is, he remains a gentleman, and I thought it was very classy of him to show his support for Gunn’sSuicide Squadmovie given its imminent release.
“I’m so proud of James and excited for the success that’s coming. I support WB and am thrilled the franchise is getting the legs it needs. I’m rooting for everyone, the cast, the crew. Every movie is a miracle. And James' brilliant work will be the miracle of miracles. I appreciate your patience. I will no longer speak publically on this matter.”
And even though I’m a reporter with plenty of questions for Ayer – to start, what happened on that submarine? – I’d actually like to see him stick to that promise because that was an epic mic drop if I’ve ever seen one. To read Ayer’s full statement on Twitter,click here.
KEEP READING:WarnerMedia CEO Says the ‘Suicide Squad’ Ayer Cut Won’t Happen, Nor Will They #RestoreTheSnyderVerse
