‘Peacemaker’ Season 1 Spoiler-Free Review – Absolutely F#%$ing Perfect
Peacemaker‘s NSFW comedy and exquisite character acting usher in the surprisingly-relevant social commentary the world needs right now.
Christopher Smith is the Peacemaker, a misguided hero who will do anything for peace. His M.O. usually involves killing people. But after a major injury at the end of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, Chris is given a new assignment – and a chance to redeem himself.
This article has mild spoilers for ‘The Suicide Squad’, and if you haven’t seen that, you really should. You deserve it.
John Cena’s Peacemaker
John Cena plays the lovably-violent Peacemaker. According to show-runner James Gunn, Cena brings a lot of his own personality and humor to the character – and it’s all for the best. The pro-wrestler turned actor is the perfect embodiment of Christopher Smith. He brings a level of vulnerability to Peacemaker’s internal conflicts. And judging by the show’s gag reel, he brings a fair bit of comedy to the show, too.
Okay, the gag reel contains very minor spoilers for the show. But f#%$ it. I’m putting it here anyway. I promise watching it won’t ruin your viewing experience.
Have a great President’s Day weekend. Here’s a gift from Team Peacemaker – the official #Peacemaker gag reel 😂 @HBOMax @DCpeacemaker pic.twitter.com/Zs2gYCfNUf
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 19, 2022
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Every other cast member’s performance is stand-out, too. Danielle Brooks’ performance as the newest teammate Leota Adebayo is complicated and real. John Economos (Steve Agee) and Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) provide punchlines aplenty and a few gut-punches where needed. Even Chukwudi Iwuji’s dry delivery of Clemson Murn has a magnificent payoff.
Another standout performance belongs to Freddie Stroma as the masked vigilante… Vigilante. A perfect study in what you might consider a “beta” male, but he’s a soft boy with a skill for cold-blooded murder. Vigilante absolutely hero-worships Peacemaker, and like Cena, walks away with many of the show’s best one-liners.
Courtesy of HBO Max
And that’s just the cast of core team members. Christopher’s father, Auggie Smith, is played perfectly by sci-fi legend Robert Patrick – so perfectly, in fact, you almost hate him for it. Even briefly appearing characters leave a lasting impression.
Rizwan Manji, who appeared in a hilarious clip about Aquaman, is unforgettable as the hospital janitor Jamil. The captive cuckolding couple Peacemaker stumbles on are also a highlight of two episodes. In fact, my only beef with this show is that they don’t reappear in the finale.
Aliens & White Supremacists
Following in the steps of The Suicide Squad, Gunn’s ability to show a more complicated side of villainy really shines here. The Butterflies are the show’s main antagonists, and their existence introduces a lot of ideas about free will. But these creatures aren’t the only villains in the series.
It’s clear from the off that Peacemaker’s villains are the aliens that A.R.G.U.S. orders him and his team to eliminate. But from the moment Chris is released from prison and heads home, it’s plain to see that his racist, homophobic father is the real villain in Chris’ life.
Courtesy of HBO Max
For the most part, the show does an excellent job of villainizing harmful ideologies over people. And Chris’ character is a perfect illustration of how those ideas are enacted and how they affect the world we live in.
Overall? Peacemaker Kills It
Come for the laughs, stay for the action, narrative, characters, and commentary. The show introduces a whole slew of D-list characters into the DCEU, unskippable opening credits, and a killer soundtrack. If you saw The Suicide Squad and thought that DC has finally found its voice outside of its Harley Quinn excellence, Peacemaker puts a bow on it.
It’s no wonder the show was renewed for season 2 the same day the season 1 finale premiered. Gunn and his cast of foul-mouthed comedy geniuses have struck gold in the farthest corner of the DC universe. And the world is a better place because they did.
