Jay Hernandez has hit back at critics of ‘Suicide Squad’ – and has suggested some reviewers don’t know enough about DC Comics history to fully appreciate the film.
The 38-year-old actor plays former gang member El Diablo who has the ability to conjure flames from his hands in the anti-hero which has had its fair sure of negative reviews as well as positive appraisals.
Hernandez admits the criticism "sucks" but he is certain director David Ayer and the cast have made a film that fans of the comics will love.
Speaking at the European premiere of the Warner Bros. Pictures film in London on Wednesday (03.08.16), he said: "Yeah I am bothered about it (the criticism), I think it sucks. Obviously we worked hard and tried to give the fans what they wanted."
Hernandez in particular has singled out the complaints that Margot Robbie’s character Harley Quinn is sexually objectified in the movie, particularly in her interactions with The Joker – played by Jared Leto.
The actor insists anyone aware of the two characters backstory as boyfriend and girlfriend in the original comics would understand this is a completely accurate reflection of how Harley is treated.
He said: "It’s weird that some of the criticism I heard was that it was ‘too much like a comic book’, in terms of you have these characters being objectified like Harley Quinn, there are just certain elements that are just part of being a comic book."
He continued: "If you’re trying to portray that on a film, you have to stay true to that, because if you don’t, the fans of the comics are going to be offended."
Hernandez’s co-star Joel Kinnaman – who plays the squad’s field leader Rick Flag – also insisted he is very proud of the film and says movie goers will make up their own minds on whether they like the blockbuster or not.
Kinnaman, 36, said: "You know, of course you want critical acclaim, of course, but what matters is what the fans think. We’re really proud of this film, we loved making it, everybody on the film has become really close friends and this is like a work of love and I hope the fans like it."
The pair were joined on the special pink carpet at the premiere by their co-stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney, Cara Delevingne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Karen Fukuhara.
Other members of the DC Cinematic Universe also stepped out for the event such as Ezra Miller – who has a cameo in the film as The Flash – Ben Affleck who appears as Batman in the villain-fest and Superman Henry Cavill and big screen Aquaman Jason Momoa.
Jay Hernandez: Suicide Squad criticism sucks
