This HBO spinoff of James Gunn’s recent Suicide Squad feature is another example as to how much the writer/director loves working with difficult characters that are charismatic but coarse and emotionally damaged. Such is the case with Peacemaker, starring John Cena as the patriotic but sociopathic title anti-hero.
It’s here we come to learn more about the government-named Christopher Smith, and how he came to be such a destructive force allegedly in the name of peace and freedom. Gunn happily runs with the leeway Warner Bros. has given him in depicting their characters, and Peacemaker is a fairly obscure charatcer to most of the general public, so there’s plenty of room for an interesting reinterpretation.
Chris Smith is as cluessly sexist, socially unaware and completely convinced of his own righteousness and awesomeness. He’s a gigantic G.I. Joe figure that came to life and was raised on too much Fox News. Well, if nothing else, his father Auggie Smith (a fascinatingly evil and toxic Robert Patrick) is a massive fan of the channel. His relationship with Chris becomes a key part of the storyline detailing the sinister meaning behind his former moniker “White Dragon”. And the stunted worldviews his father (tried to) implement on him make it even more difficult for him when Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has a new mission- eliminate a secret alien threat knows as “the butterflies”, who can hide inside humans in disguise.
It understandably takes a while for the spec-ops team backing Waller (previously introduced in the last Squad film) to warm up to the demented 80s rock-bred assassin. Steve Agee plays a tech expert who’s irritated about Peacemaker’s jokes about his dyed beard (but this is before they bond over their shared fandom of Hanoi Rocks). Jennifer Holland plays Harcourt, a take-charge agent who has no time for Chris’s dumb machismo, while Danille Brooks plays Leota who’s probably the nicest and most well-meaning character here- the fact she feels so out of place adds a ton to the comedy.
Tagging alone as well is the costumed killer Vigilante, played by Freddie Stroma with a twisted innocence and a warped view of his hero Peacemaker. Happily pumping his fists at his busboy job that his idol is back, he’s maybe the second most evil and psychotic character here outside of Auggie and friends (still fighting alongside our heroes) and can’t understand at all why Chris is having such an emotional crisis over the events of the last movie and how others see him.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23144988/robert_patrick_john_cena.jpg)
It’s weird how Chris’s most enaging moments come not when Peacemaker is showing off and being badasses (though there’s certainly plenty of that), but when he’s acting like an oversized ans muscular child. Notable examples include him throwing a fit over not having any weapons emblazed with his trademark “dying dove” symbol and his inability to sketch one himself, and his affinity for cheesy 80s hair metal (he insists on blaring it through the team’s truck, air guitaring to Harcourt’s annoyance). Still, he’s allowed his fair share of campy tough guy moments (“Eat peace, motherf***ers!”, he shouts as he grenades a bunch of monster foes).
Much like in wrestling a strong lead is only going to be made stronger when they’ve got the right dance partner, and similar to his best programs in the squared circle Cena’s boosted by some good dance partners here (literally and figuratively). Brooks as Leota is a magnificent everywoman in this show, not simply content to just be a good representation for big, black and queer leads, but also fits well into the structure of the story (due to a surprise revelation in her backstory). Every time she comes to the rescue, charging into battle with tons of inexperience (including one scene where she puts on one of Peacemaker’s helmets), I was dying laughing.
Robert Patrick as Chris’s bigoted father goes out of his way to challenge both our protagonist as well as the audience, serving as James Gunn’s blunt attack on intolerant people with fringe socio-political beliefs. Other characters like Officer Song have little time for Aggie’s crap, more than contend to rebut his hate speech with a nasty and well-deserved putdown. And Chris’s trusty sidekick Eagly I expect will easily win over a good chunk of the audience. Cena gets some unexpectedly moving moments with him that really show off his range as an actor, the bird’s loyalty and sweetness is hella cute and makes me wonder when the Eagly plushies are finally being released.
There’s nothing in this show I could consider “preachy” by any stretch of the imagination, but it really does feel like Peacemaker is a crude and wacky, but still satrically smart and pointed commentary on certain kinds of culture wars. It’s a sly anti-hate message wrapped in a crazy and R-rated package. Like I said, comic book characters can and should be presented in ways for all demographics, and if we’re going to have such a rise in R-rated super-themed content as we have as of late, it’s good to have some original takes and concepts within that framework. Overall, I’ll recommend Peacemaker to fans of James Gunn’s catalog alongside anyone looking for some laughs (and maybe the occasional lump in your throat) with their over-the-top violence.
But what did you think? If you’d streamed it yourself, let us know your take on it at FAN’s social spots!