Author: Houghton STAR

The student newspaper of Houghton College for more than 100 years.

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News

Winter Sports At Houghton

By Isaac Little

The Houghton Highlanders approached the winter season with great anticipation and promise. Having a young roster across the board meant that this would be a developing year for many players and would cause the veterans of each team to be placed in an important role. Although one could argue that the Highlanders are in a tough position entering their seasons given the inexperience they may have at the college level, each team is eager to accept the challenge faced in front of them, and they look to improve each day. 

The Houghton Track and Field team has been diligently preparing for their main season in the spring by competing in a wide range of indoor track events. The Men’s and Women’s teams have proved a high level of competitiveness with their competition and look to make a push in the conference tournament this spring under the leadership of Seth Greene (‘23), Dillon Bell (‘21), and Amanda Burrichter (‘22), who have all solidified themselves as some of the top runners in the conference and look to use their experience to help their teams thrive. Standouts from the women’s side include Amerrah Horne-Vaden (‘25), Alexandria Wisniewski (‘23), Mary Shaker (‘23), Haley DeJager (‘22), and Amanda Burrichter (‘23), while Seth Greene (‘23), Malcom Smith (‘25), Dillon Bell (‘21), and Brennan Lewandowski (‘23) also show much promise for the season ahead on the men’s side.

The Houghton Women’s Basketball team holds a record of 7-11 (1-8 in Conference). After starting the season off on a high note, the Highlanders look to make a push back into the conference seedings. Their roster consists of 6 freshmen, 2 sophomores, and 2 juniors, showing their potential as they continue to develop and establish their identity. This is noted by freshman Abby Guiher (‘25), who says, “This season has had its tough moments, but I wouldn’t want it with any other team. We have seven girls most likely for the rest of the season, but I know if we put our all on the floor every single day, we could do big things in the future.”

The Houghton Men’s Basketball team holds a record of 1-16 (1-7 in conference). Although one could become discouraged with this result, the men have competed neck-in-neck with practically every opponent in which they have played, only losing by narrow margins. Considering that 14 of their 19 players fall within the freshman to sophomore range only proves the potential that this Houghton squad has under the direction of Coach Lance Westberg. Junior Reece Gustafson (‘23) believes, “This team has been through a lot of ups and downs, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is the closest team that I have been a part of.” When speaking further about the season, Gustafson states, “We might not be seeing the success we want right now, but I know we are building relationships with each other that go beyond basketball. These guys are my family, and I am excited to see how we finish out the season.”

The Highlanders may not have had the results that they had hoped for, but there is no doubt that these teams have tremendous potential. With a strong coaching staff, along with a year of development at the collegiate level, the Highlanders will no doubt have success in the future. As the Houghton Basketball teams approach the off-season, they look to continue to increase their skill and knowledge of the game, which will prove to be beneficial in the following years. Although the Houghton Track and Field team may be closing out their winter season, they look forward to their spring season in which they look to make a push for the Empire 8 Championship title. ★

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News

Shenovations: Updates and Repairs to Shenawana Hall

By Colin Campbell

On January 24, Marc Smithers, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, announced that Shenawana (Shen) Hall will be closed for the 2022-2023 academic year to undergo renovations. Established in 1960, Shen has housed “Shenmen” for 62 years. More than just a building, the residence hall has developed a strong culture throughout its history. The news that Shen is going to close in order for the college to make repairs and updates to the building comes with a mix of emotions but mainly excitement, as the thought of living in a restored Shen brings joy to many people. However, hearing that a building, which holds so many memories, will go through a change like this also brings about a feeling of panic. 

What will the Shenmen do for a whole year in Lambein Hall? Are they still going to be considered Shen residents? When Shen is reopened, will the culture of the past fade away? One of the freshmen Shen residents, Ben Davidson (‘25), after spending most of his first year in Shen, calls it home. He, along with many other residents, feel that it is due time for Shen to be renovated. Davidson plans to stay a Shen resident for his duration at Houghton and feels that life in Lambein will be different from Shen. He says, “We are deeply rooted here,” and the thought of the culture changing is scary. This feeling is supported by Dillon Bell (‘22), who is in his fifth year of living in Shen. He says, “Shen is the dorm that never sleeps.” He has enjoyed his time in Shen and would describe the residents as rowdy but intentional. While he cannot wait to see the renovations of Shen, he hopes that the culture can carry the same energy that it currently holds into the updated building. A concern of his is that COVID-19 may prevent the culture from flourishing back into what it once was.

Shen’s culture took a hit from COVID-19, which could be difficult to revive. The renovations being made to Shen will not only affect the culture of Shen but will also impact the culture of women residents on campus. Since Lambein will be used as a male resident hall, most of the women on campus will be living in Gillette Hall. This means there will be a significant increase of residents in Gillette, which will provide its own challenges. While this change may provide a unique experience for campus life in this next academic year, it may be the start of a beneficial shift in structure.

With bright hope for the future, the men’s resident director of both Shen and Rothenbuhler (Roth) Hall Shua Wilmot believes that while the culture may shift, the fundamental characters of the buildings will not be lost but further embraced. Wilmot quotes, “In their transition to Lambein (and to Roth and elsewhere), it is my hope that the students coming from Shen will continue striving to exemplify Shenawana’s values of Strength, Honor, and Brotherhood in their healthiest, most Christ-like forms. I hope to cultivate an environment in Lambein in which incoming and returning students alike will enjoy a balance of exciting, new experiences with the rich tradition of brotherhood that this year’s Shen Men will bring with them.” Good things are coming for Houghton College and for the future of Shenawana Hall. Pray that the current and future men of this resident hall will be blessed with strength, honor, and brotherhood.★

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News

Houghton Announces Spring 2022 Commencement Speaker

By Bryce Preston

On Friday, February 4, 2022, President Lewis announced in an email to the Houghton community that a speaker has been chosen for this year’s commencement ceremony. Rev. Gabriel Salguero will address the graduates at Houghton’s 135th commencement ceremony, which is set to be held in Wesley Chapel this May.

Salguero serves as a pastor at The Gathering Place, a large multi-ethnic church in Orlando, Florida. He is also the founder and the president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. Salguero’s work has been featured on the Discovery Channel and the Oprah Winfrey Network, and he has been named one of America’s most prominent Latino evangelical leaders by numerous publications including The New York Times and Huffington Post.

President Lewis explained that the process of selecting a commencement speaker involved thought and prayer. “More than anything I wanted to invite someone grounded in our Christian faith, to inspire, encourage, and challenge the class of 2022 and the Houghton College community. Rev. Dr. Salguero will certainly do all of those for us. His ministry and his message challenges the church to courageously live out our faith.”

Excitement about the announcement has also been expressed by members of the Class of 2022. Logan Callen (‘22) explained, “Being a theology major who is looking at this kind of work for my future, I couldn’t be happier with the announcement that Dr. Gabriel Salguero would be our commencement speaker! All of his amazing work in the world is truly inspiring and a model for the kind of path that I want to take.”

Faculty members have also expressed their enthusiasm over the commencement speaker selection. Dr. Änna Pettway has incorporated Salguero’s work into her curriculum for Psychology of Race and Racism for several years. She commented,

“I was so thrilled to hear that our commencement speaker this year will be someone who has challenged me and so many of my students to think about activism as an extension of their faith.” Pettway continued “Rev. Salguero introduced me to the God of Hagar – a God of proximity and solidarity, who hears us and sees us and meets us right in the middle of our suffering, and encouraged me to be a person of proximity and solidarity, who hears others and meets others right in the middle of their suffering.”

Along with the email announcement about the speaker came an update on the college’s plans for this year’s graduation weekend festivities. At this time, the college plans to offer an in-person celebration of the Class of 2022, including a Baccalaureate Service on Friday, May 13 and the Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 14, both of which will be held in Wesley Chapel. 

Hannah Heinl (‘22), the Class of 2022 Representative on Student Council, said, “I am excited for graduation and all that is being planned or in the process of being planned. I know that everyone involved in the planning process is also excited and hopeful that this year, graduation will look a little more normal than it has for the past few years.”

This spring will also mark President Lewis’ first commencement at Houghton. When asked about this new experience, Lewis said, “The first day of classes and commencement, as the bookends of the academic year, have always been my favorites. I am proud of all the Houghton class of 2022 has accomplished in face of unprecedented circumstances and challenges, and I am excited about how God is going to use them to change the world.” Commencement is a time of celebration of both the graduating Class of 2022 and of President Lewis’ first year at Houghton. The people of Houghton are thrilled to include Rev. Dr. Salguero as part of this ceremony.★

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Campus News

Sophomore Leadership Conference Returns

By Elise Koelbl

It was gone but not forgotten. After a year of strict COVID-19 guidelines forcing its absence, February 4 marks the return of the Sophomore Leadership Conference, just in time for it’s 5th year. The Sophomore Leadership Conference is an event for sophomore students to further understand their strengths and show them their abilities as a leader. This year’s theme is titled “Activate: Leadership, Gifts, and the Kingdom of God,” which is notably different than in past years where the theme was “Oh The Places You’ll Go.” This continues to be a program designed to promote leadership in young students.

The person in charge of organizing the event is Rachel Wright. When asked about the decision to direct this event towards sophomores, she stated, “This event has focused on the Sophomore year as students near the time to officially declare their major and there were already existing opportunities like Transitions, Senior Seminar courses, etc. for students during other years. Because of the pandemic, the event was canceled in 2021, so we are opening this year up to those who would have been Sophomores last year.” The event itself goes from the evening of Friday, February 4 to all day Saturday, February 5. There will also be an exclusive dinner with Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium guest Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah on Monday, February 7 for all of the conference attendees.

Adelaine Morgiewicz (‘24), who is currently a sophomore, plans to attend the event. Like many sophomores, she received an email from Houghton’s Office of Vocation and Calling informing her of this event. As someone who is still undecided in her major, she is excited to attend to gain a better understanding of herself as a leader. 

Highlights of what is included at the conference with the $20 registration fee include: participants completing the Clifton Strengths Finder Assessment; students completing a Positive Change Project during the event, which can feasibly be enacted during their time as students; as well as Conference swag; and Saturday meals. 

Guests this year include Dr. Greg Bish, the Keynote speaker, who is also the Chief of Staff at Houghton College; Dr. JL Miller, the Associate Dean of the Chapel at Houghton College; and the Strengths Coach, Dr. Ellen Marmon, a Professor of Christian Discipleship and the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Asbury Theological Seminary, who will be Zooming in to the Conference; Sharon Mulligan, the Director of Academic Support and Accessibility Services at Houghton College, who will be leading an Ideation Session; and Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, a Robert Boyd Munger Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary, who will be having dinner with Conference participants on Monday.

The administration is excited the Sophomore Leadership Conference was able to return after its absence last year. With a variety of guest speakers, attendees will experience a helpful and informational event. ★

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Stories In Focus

FEATURE: The Writing Center

By Jacqueline Johnson

One of Houghton’s wonderful academic resources is the Writing Center. Located in the Center for Student Success in the Chamberlain Center, the Writing Center assists students on any writing assignment or paper. They are open from 3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Mondays and Thursdays, and 3:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. During these times, Students can book slots with their choice of four wonderful student consultants: Megan Brown (‘23), Rachel Huchthausen (‘23), Jacob Lajza (‘23), and Elaine Starling Leeli (‘22). 

The Writing Center is designed to assist students at any point in the writing process from the planning stage to finishing refinements. Whether it be gathering ideas and organizing thoughts or reviewing any stage of draft, the Writing Center consultants are there to help with many different types of assignments, from formal research papers, to personal essays, to lab reports. In addition to a variety of assignments, the Writing Center is also well-versed in a number of styles including MLA, APA, and Chicago. 

The Writing Center is advised by Professor Laurie Dashnau, who is also one of the writing professors here at the college. Professor Dashnau expresses her joy of the Writing Center, along with high praises of the consultants on both their writing skills and their encouraging nature. 

Jacob Lazja (‘23), one of the Writing Center consultants, talks about some of the benefits that he has seen through working in the Writing Center. “Consulting allows me to collaborate with my peers, not only to produce an A+ paper but to produce lifelong writing skills.” He continues by saying, “Our goal at the Writing Center is not to proofread, edit, and send you away. Instead, it is to guide you through strategies and improvements that will, hopefully, be helpful throughout your college career and beyond.” 

The Writing Center has recently welcomed Rachel Huchthausen (‘23) as its newest addition to the consultant team. She is eager to begin helping people hone their writing skills. “I am looking forward to discovering the writing processes of the individuals who come to Houghton’s Writing Center and learning how to tailor each session to each person’s own areas of strength and areas of growth.” Huchthausen has also expressed how her experience with the Writing Center so far has expanded her insight on the writing process and everything that goes into making the Writing Center what it is. 

The Writing Center is truly something that can help any student improve and hone their writing craft. From advanced writers to those who are just starting to develop their voice, any student who walks into the Writing Center will be met with kind and encouraging student consultants who are there to help you along the way to reaching your writing goals. ★

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Campus News

MLK Day Changes Wrought by Snowstorm

By Anna Catherman

Across the nation on Monday, Jan. 17, Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was celebrated with a variety of activities. Houghton College had planned to commemorate the day with a variety of special programs in lieu of classes. Unfortunately, a blinding snowstorm with a foot of snow put Houghton’s plans on pause. The chapel speaker, Rev. Dr. Carolyn Peeler from Macedonia Baptist Church, was unable to reach Houghton safely, and other planned events were canceled as many faculty members worked remotely. 

Prior to the event, the STAR interviewed President Wayne D. Lewis about what he was looking forward to about the day. He explained how growing up, he went to various services commemorating the day over the years, and expressed deep appreciation for how Houghton sets aside a day away from classes for the occasion. “The day for me is really special because it gives us the opportunity to pause what we’re doing and reflect on his life and his legacy, just as a leader who’s had an incredible impact on our country.”

Though the day did not look like it was planned, Houghton still invites students to pause and reflect. Posters were hung around campus, and they remain up for students to read. From academic departments to the dining hall, these posters inform passersby of the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as other prominent black figures. David Stevick, Director of Library Services, explained that in lieu of the planned poetry and children’s book readings, the library has set up displays of books for students to peruse throughout the coming days. 

Some of the other festivities, including the chapel service, will be rescheduled. According to Dean of Chapel Michael Jordan, Rev. Dr. Peeler’s talk is now scheduled for Feb. 21. The Dirty Bird Chicken & Waffles food truck’s visit has not been rescheduled at this time. Also in limbo is an evening concert by Priscilla Ozodo-Acevedo (‘10) and her band. 

Despite the inclement weather, Houghton was still able to honor Dr. King and reflect on his legacy. ★

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Campus News

Center for Sustainability Hosts Open House

By Megan Brown

On a bitterly cold Friday afternoon in late January, while most students were heading back to their residences or leaving campus for the weekend, I trudged up Roth hill on my way to an event occurring on the third floor of the Chamberlain building: the Center for Sustainability Open House.

As I entered this cozy room in Chamberlain, decorated with recycled paper chains handcrafted by Mary Chichester (‘22), an intern at the Center for Sustainability (CFS), I was greeted by a room full of people playing an environmentally-themed game of Kahoot, eating cookies, and getting to know each other. Both the space and the people were welcoming. The large windows revealed a bright and beautiful winter scene outside, framed with a variety of plants perched on the windowsill. In the corner, a bookshelf was full of a range of items, from an impressive collection of literature about sustainability and social change to Russian nesting dolls. Music gently played in the background. The room not only serves as an office for the Center for Sustainability but also provides a delightful hangout space for students and interns alike. It additionally serves as the office for Brian Webb, who heads the CFS.

When I asked what he loves most about his job working on issues of sustainability on campus, Webb remarked “I love Houghton students, getting to work with them, and building connections with them, both in and out of the classroom.” He acknowledged the many difficult challenges that our planet is facing, but noted that “the passion our students have for sustainability and protecting God’s creation gives me hope for the future.”

The first CFS intern with whom I engaged in conversation was Clayton Hardiman (‘22), clad in his signature ball cap and sipping a steaming cup of hot chocolate. He encouraged me to help myself to the array of snacks being served, and he even offered me a bottle of local honey. On the down low, he also invited me to take one of the mugs that the coffee and other hot beverages were being served in. Hardiman serves as the Garden Coordinator for the CFS, a position that he noted mainly consists of planning during the winter months. When asked about what the CFS means to him, he shared that the CFS “brings the issue of ecological care and creation into a Christian perspective.”

After chatting with some other interns and students attending the open house, eating some delicious cookies, and drinking a hot cup of coffee, I left the CFS with a complimentary bottle of honey and a smile hiding behind my mask. Next time you’re on the third floor of the Chamberlain Center, I encourage you to also stop by to visit the fine people at the CFS. You can sit down to parooze a book about environmental issues, have a meaningful conversation about sustainability with people who are well-versed on the subject, and perhaps have a spot of tea. ★

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Letter to the Editor Opinions

Covid, Community, and a False Sense of Spirituality

By Haylee Conrad

On March 13, 2020, Houghton College sent out an email that marked the change for the rest of our lives. Now at the start of year three, we would think things would be different; the pandemic would be over, we wouldn’t need to wear masks anymore, but look at where we are.

When that email was first sent out to campus, I was down in North Carolina at a three-day-long Women’s Holiness Conference. I was there with Dr. Derck, Dr. KLP, Katie Allen, and Olivia Flint. The night we received the news that we would be sent home when we made it back to campus didn’t feel real. It turned out to be the night I would feel closest to God in a really long time. I was in the same room with over 500 other women, each who loved God and each who wanted to show God’s light in the world through ministry. The band had gotten special permission from Kari Jobe to play her new song, at the time, “The Blessing,” which was so new, it hadn’t even been released on Youtube yet. I know that song is well overplayed by now, but it has become my absolute favorite worship song. That’s because when I heard it for the first time, the women in that room were singing it. It was real, it was true, and it was genuinely filled with love for one another and for God. That is what true Christian worship is: gathering together to worship God and to love those around you.

In September, we started gathering in chapel twice a week, each week, shoulder to shoulder as if Covid wasn’t still running rampant all over the globe. This semester, we were told that streaming chapel was no longer being offered and online classes are slowly becoming less accessible. Houghton College is forcing a reality of normalcy in a world where normal is no longer an option. There are thousands of people dying on a daily basis. There are hospitals so full, people who need medical attention for heart attacks and strokes can’t be seen. There are schools where all their classes are being taught by subs because every teacher has Covid. Yet we’re expected to go back to normal just because it’s Houghton College and we’re a “community”?

I am, according to medical professionals, in the “high-risk” category. I know many other people on campus who also fit into that category. The new expectations on campus make us uncomfortable and make us feel unsafe. I get anxious about getting food from the dining hall to take it back to my room and eat. Imagine how I feel having to sit in a building with poor ventilation, surrounded by people I don’t talk to on a regular basis, to listen to speakers who seem not to recognize the reality of this deadly virus. As a member of Houghton’s so-called “community,” I do not feel safe or cared for. As a member of this so-called “community,” I wish the situation surrounding Covid was taken more seriously. 

As Christians, we are called by God to love those around us. Right now, in the situation we’re in, loving your neighbor means pulling your mask up above your nose. It means giving the people who aren’t comfortable being in chapel the permission to watch it synchronously or asynchronously from a different location. It means being gentle with those who don’t feel safe in a world that is putting their health at risk. Yet Houghton doesn’t seem to think the same thing. Instead, they are putting the mental health and physical well-being of their students at risk just to maintain a false sense of spirituality on campus.

Houghton College wants its Christian campus to go back to “normal,” but how far will they go and at what cost? ★

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Columns

Spider Man: No Way Home (2021)

By Caleb Tiedemann

MAJOR SPOILER WARNING!

Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the most hyped-up and anticipated Marvel movies to come out this year. All of this was primarily thanks to the rumors and the advertisements that Marvel practically forced down your throat until you could not go anywhere without hearing or seeing it. After a year of average Marvel, I was starting to feel burnt out and hoping the future would be b6etter. Little did I know that Jon Watts was going to drop one of the best Marvel films of all time right into my lap, to cap off 2021. I arrived home for Christmas break and caught church and breakfast with my friends. Then we went to the mall and mentally prepared ourselves for better or worse. Two and a half hours later, we all came to the same conclusion, “WOW!” I do not think it is too far to claim that Spider-Man: No Way Home is nothing short of a masterpiece.

No Way Home picks up right where Far From Home left off: Mysterio revealing Spider-Man’s identity to the world. With Spider-Man/Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) friends and family at risk, he seeks help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). When Strange tries to cast a spell that makes the world forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man things go horribly wrong and dangerous foes from alternate dimensions appear to put him to the test. In the end, Peter learns the true cost of what it means to be Spider-Man. 

Similar to the other movies I review, there are many amazing details to go over. Let’s start with the elephant, or elephants in the room, the names that everyone wants to hear. The appearances that made the people in my theater scream, clap, cry and shout: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The appearance of these characters sent me into an insane frenzy of love and joy. Being one of those 2000s kids, I grew up with Maguire and Garfield, and seeing them back in their titular roles was jaw-dropping and nostalgic. Their intro was not superb but I loved it way too much to be annoyed. Tears and shouts of joy filled the theater on that day. A moment and feeling that cannot be matched. I felt young again, I felt nothing but joy to see them back in action.

You could tell that Maguire and Garfield were both thrilled to return to their roles as they both acted with all their heart, making it seem as if they never left. Tom Holland gives his ultimate performance in this film as Peter is driven to the edge of his sanity, broken and beaten, by trying so hard to be the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Alfred Molina’s return as Doc Ock is another smile-inducing moment. When he is turned good, he is so wholesome and happy, being able to truly be Alfred Molina instead of Ock. Then there’s the other villains: Rhys Ifans’ Lizard, and Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman. Both get further personality development and fun moments as classic villains. Jamie Foxx’s Electro also stood out as an awesome performance. Despite not being blue or balding, Foxx was given a great opportunity to make amends for the previous butchering of Electro. 

Now, we get to talk about the MVP- Green Goblin. Willem Dafoe returns as the titular Spider-Man villain, the one who started it all. Dafoe’s performance was nothing short of legendary. He truly brought his crazy back without a second thought. I personally loved him so much more through this movie as he adopts a very similar personality to that of Heath Ledger’s Joker. The way Goblin tanks punches all while smiling and laughing is one of the most bone-chilling scenes. It gives off the Batman/Joker interrogation scene vibes from the Dark Knight. Instead of having an ulterior motive, the Goblin just wants to break Spider-Man in any way he can, and he almost does. He kills one of the people closest to Peter, driving him nearly mad with grief and instilling vengeance within him. Similar to how Maguire and Garfield had to learn to deal with the grief of losing Uncle Ben and Gwen, so must Holland. Due to the Goblin, Peter is brought to the edge of his sanity, almost losing who he truly is along the way. This was one of the most heartbreaking, surprising, and emotionally well-done things in this movie.

Visually, this movie is stunning. The CG is believable and works well. The Doctor Strange fight is beautiful. Getting tossed back into the mirror dimension is always a visual treat. The cinematography is jaw-dropping. The humor was also fantastic. The interactions between the villains are funny, and the interactions between the three Spider-Men are hilarious. The movie does an excellent job of balancing humor with heart. The humor never feels out of place and never overstays its welcome. Small little details can be revealed in the shortest of sentences. They even got Willem Dafoe to say, “I’m something of a scientist myself,” again. I mean, come on, how could you not like this movie?
Now, for the plot. Previously, the Spider-Man movies have been nothing but fun and adventure, with no real stakes and no real character.  . This does not mean they are bad by any means, but it makes them lesser than, especially if Peter is the exact same after six movies. In this movie, there are stakes and so much development, and not just development for Peter, development for a whole cast of characters from the last twenty years! For once, Spider-Man can’t just get out of trouble by swinging away and making a quip. He is stuck, trying to help everyone and balancing the weight of the world on his shoulders. In the end, he has to make the ultimate sacrifice and let everyone forget he is Spider-Man to save the universe. The ultimate sacrifice that really cemented his reign as a legendary hero. 

Grade: A+

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Columns

Movie Review: The Suicide Squad (2021)

The Suicide Squad is a movie that I fell deeply in love with. Similar to Free Guy, this was a movie that I watched multiple times before coming to college. Because of its timely release, it became a comfort movie to me. Within the first month of release, I had watched the movie, in its entirety, five times. In 2018, Guardians of the Galaxy director, James Gunn, was fired from Marvel for some decade-old raunchy and offensive tweets. Due to the failing efforts from DC Comics and Warner Bros. in kickstarting their own superhero universe, they were eager to employ the talents of someone who had experience and knowledge on the subject. They hired Gunn to direct the film, and I gained one of my favorite DCEU films in recent memory and possibly my favorite movie of this year.

The 2021 film was a pleasant surprise for me. The plot centers around the multiple supervillains of the DCEU universe that make up the Suicide Squad. Despite there being a lot of contenders, only a couple of villains get fleshed out enough to be considered main characters. Those being, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone). This group is tasked by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to infiltrate the enemy-ridden island of Corto Maltese and find The Thinker (Peter Capaldi), the evil scientist in charge of the mysterious “Project Starfish.”

There are a lot of amazing details to go over in this movie. Namely, the characters. The ones that survive get backstory and development that gets tied up into a nice character arc. It does not matter if this is their first on-screen adaptation/appearance or if they have been witnessed by an audience before. Each of these characters gets time to shine and be amazing. Gunn goes as far as to humanize each and every villain, too. He does not let you see these characters for their bad deeds but how the bad deeds of others or loved ones caused them to become what they are today. Some have never known anything different than this criminal life. I believe a movie is only as good as its characters and because I love these characters, I believe that should testify to the skill of Gunn’s writing. 

One of the staples of director James Gunn is his soundtrack musical choices, and the wild humor implemented into his superhero films. With that said, the jokes in this movie are genuinely hilarious. Gunn’s sass and unique charm shine through each and every character and situation. It’s because of this humor that the movie does not take itself seriously. It fully acknowledges its comic-book origins and takes it to heart, going wild with deaths, violence, gore, characters, and situations. As mentioned, the soundtrack is remarkable! Each song fits so perfectly in the scene where they are used. From Grandson’s Rain to K.Flay’s Can’t Sleep, this movie can boast an amazing soundtrack. 

In terms of personal favorites, Ratcatcher 2 was amazing. Also, Rick Flag, whose character was made so much better throughout this film. Having Starro as the main villain was a plot point that I thought was extremely stupid, but just silly enough for Gunn to pull off. Fortunately, he did it magnificently. I absolutely loved the opening and final battle scenes. Once I got over the shock of the opening, it helped me mentally prepare for this cinematic rollercoaster.

David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad was quite the flop since the movie was hastily written, causing it to be disjointed, and had terrible special effects and one-dimensional characters. Luckily, this new movie pushes that degradation far from our minds by giving us a soft reboot and introducing better characters and stories to the DCEU. I highly recommend this movie, despite its odd appearance. It has a heart and should provide everyone with a good time.

Final Grade: A