'Peacemaker' Review: James Gunn's Suicide Squad Spin-off Series is Superb
TV-MA
Runtime: 45 minutes
Production Companies: The Safran Company, Troll Court Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television
Distributor: HBO MAX
Created by: James Gunn
Cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick
Release Date: January 14, 2022
Network: HBO MAX
Right after shooting The Suicide Squad, writer/director James Gunn needed a break before transitioning back to the MCU and penning Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Somehow, that break turned into him writing a whole season of a spin-off show dedicated to John Cena’s character, Peacemaker. What started as scripts he wrote for fun turned into a real Peacemaker show… and goddamnit, it’s great. I didn't think the definition of “taking a break” included writing a banger show.
With Peacemaker, James Gunn continues the unadulterated and unapologetic madcap energy he brought to The Suicide Squad. The show is vulgar, nasty, bloody, gory, and the right kind of crazy that knows how to tickle your funny bone. Even with some of the most juvenile humor, Gunn’s punchy writing makes you bust a gut laughing. He’s still letting loose in the DC world, but instead of going as big as his previous project, Peacemaker is more grounded in its scope.
When he recovers from the damn near-fatal injury that Bloodsport gave him, Peacemaker/ Christopher Smith is forced to join Amanda Waller’s deep state group A.R.G.U.S. to assist them on a mission titled, “Project: Butterfly.” Peacemaker has to band with a crew of both new and familiar faces: Clemson Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji), Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), John Economos (Steve Algee), and Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks). While on the mission, he has to come face to face with his past, especially regarding his abusive relationship with his father, because what James Gunn project is complete without its fair share of daddy issues?
Similar to how Stoopid Buddy went from their original superhero property SuperMansion to an IP project like Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. that retains their style of humor, Peacemaker channels the energy that Gunn had with his original superhero movie, Super. I made this comparison in The Suicide Squad review but that sentiment is stronger here. As he continues his tenure at DC, Gunn proves once again that he’s a friggin’ nerd who thrives on taking the most obscure deep-cut characters out of the toy box and bringing them into the limelight. Once it’s revealed that Peacemaker’s dad is a white supremacist supervillain named the White Dragon — who I cannot believe is a real character — it’s solidified that he’s going as niche as possible. It’s like that scene in The Lego Batman Movie where Joker is naming all the C-list and D-list Batman villains and when he’s asked if he made all of them up, he retorts, “Nope. They’re all real. Probably worth a Google.” James Gunn is the Joker in this show. If he’s not doing that, he’s talking shit about the DC superheroes through his characters.
While it relishes on graphic and gory violence that’s amazingly crafted and ridiculously bonkers, Gunn’s strong sense of characterization makes this series worthwhile. It’s as if he knew we’d be pissed at him for making a show about the fucker who killed Rick Flag because that notion continues heavily as Smith follows his path to redemption. Yeah, he revisits his trademark theme of daddy issues, but I feel like it’s handled with nuance. Superhero characters are prone to having bad dads, most who were misguided or meant well or were just plain selfish, but Smith was raised by a racist, which I don’t think has been seen before. That generational cycle of trauma and abuse he’s endured is put at the forefront from the moment of their first heated interaction. The more shit he’s given by his old man, the more his social behavior and narrow-minded ideologies make sense. Though I am exhausted of the racist sympathizer storyline, Gunn handles this touchy subject stronger than most other filmmakers. This does a better Hillbilly Elegy than fucking Hillbilly Elegy. It pieces together his painful past and how it links to the sins of his present while including scenes from The Suicide Squad. YOU KNOW WHICH ONE.
It still astonishes me that John Cena has become a full-fledged comedic actor with genuine range. While he has often played versions of the charismatic, brash, and stone-cold figure with a heart of gold in various roles, he shines exceptionally as Peacemaker. He’s so goddamn funny and has proven himself to be one of the best comedic actors today. Apart from that, when the emotional beats hit and he has to play up natural sentimental cues, he hooks you in. There’s an episode where Peacemaker is dancing to glam rock and recollecting his traumatic childhood memories and the emotion Cena brings to that scene had me on the verge of tears.
The supporting ensemble of A.R.G.U.S. sgents are charming and likable characters in their own right. Freddie Stroma as the sociopathic anti-hero Vigilante had me cackling whenever he said some messed up line that would piss anybody off. He has one of my favorite scenes in the show that might as well have been James Gunn’s proof of being a Black ally in the worst possible way. The standout character is Adebayo, played by Danielle Brooks. In the A.R.G.U.S. team, Adebayo is the only character whose personal life you get to see and her morals are put to the test in the deadly missions she goes on, which involves a large body count. She brings a ton of warmth with her presence and charm, especially given how she’s supposed to be a foil to Peacemaker, and tries her damndest to be a contrast to her mom, Amanda Waller. For someone who was birthed by a woman with no humanity in her soul, Adebayo is the heart of the team and I adore her. Also, Eagly is the best friggin’ bird out there. I may not be a patriot but I would pledge my allegiance to that CG bird.
While it’s fun to indulge the visionary behind the screen for a feature, a little bit of James Gunn goes a long way. I get that the episodes (besides the first three) are filmed by other television directors who do a fantastic job retaining his signature style, but the soundtrack is excessive. The dude loves his old-school ‘80s soundtracks and the show has some stellar cues, but it’s annoying and overbearing with how many tracks they cram in 45 minutes and under.
The season sets up various B and C plots involving cops investigating a death linked to Peacemaker and the rise of the White Dragon. While all these things are interconnected organically in terms of storytelling — better than the likes of what the MCU has done in most of their series thus far — some characters get left in the dust. After his first appearance in episode three, Judomaster is given nothing but scraps for the remainder of the show. Whenever scenes are dedicated to him, it ultimately amounts to nothing and feels like a complete waste of time.
The show is full of great comedic bits that take shots at everyone, ranging from the likes of the DC Universe, Louis C.K., the cast of Riverdale, the whole nine yards, but some of the comedic bits go on far too long at times and disrupts the pacing. There’s a long-winded ad-libbed bit Cena does in the fifth episode where he lists a bunch of celebrities that could’ve been imprisoned instead of his racist daddy. It’s much better in context, and while it’s funny when the punchline comes to an end, it overstays its welcome. Some of the comedic beats do that from time to time and hey, it’s emblematic of the kind of humor Gunn is known for. It didn’t bother me too often, but I can see how it can be a major turnoff for other people.
Like the film it spun off from, Peacemaker is a blast and a half. Even in episodic form, James Gunn is an amazing storyteller who relishes in the wild and the weird. He expands the character in such a strong manner that makes you forgive him for killing Rick Flag and find a new sense of hope for this character. It’s hilarious, bloody, gory, and full of charm with a kickass leading performance by John Cena to boot. It’s up there as one of the best adult superhero series of this age, alongside Harley Quinn, The Boys, and Invincible. I’ve seen seven episodes thus far and I can’t wait to see how it all ends in a few *checks notes* weeks. Four more weeks. Shit. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’mma be blasting “Do Ya Wanna Taste It” and learning the choreography from the intro.
