‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Review: No Peace, No Ratings — “What A Joke”
I’d like to start by pointing out something you probably noticed. I didn’t review Creature Commandos or Daredevil: Born Again. I considered it, but the window to do so was fleeting. By the time it closed, I didn’t feel or see the point, especially not for Born Again, which I didn’t finish.
If you want a Daredevil show that’s mostly Matt Murdock out of costume in a series of flat, uninteresting scenarios that are blandly lit, maybe it’s for you. Still, I give the Disney Plus revival this: it doesn’t transgress to the degree either season of Peacemaker does.
I wasn’t a fan of the first season, or The Suicide Squad for that matter. Even then, I was noticing that James Gunn’s tricks don’t adapt or age well outside the Marvel or Guardians framework. Suffice it to say, I saw what hooking Superman up to Peacemaker would yield coming a mile away, but I couldn’t have imagined how far Gunn would take things.
Picking up shortly after the events of last summer in Superman, Chris Smith (John Cena) is living in his dad’s old house, and with bouts of loneliness and depression. As an outlet for his pain, he indulges in drugs and group sex with a random flash mob of people. Still not sated, he enters the quantum unfolding chamber.
Exploring a bit, he discovers the duplicate shelf of Peacemaker helmets and the door to the dimension where his father and brother are still alive. Not only that, but they live in a sprawling mansion and are the most famous heroes in that world.
Meanwhile, Rick Flag, Sr. (Frank Grillo), has been appointed head of ARGUS, and one of his top priorities is bringing Smith in for the murder of his son (Joel Kinnaman). Once he finds out his quarry possesses interdimensional tech, Flag sets aside any mercy he has left and is determined to apprehend him. So Smith, feeling the walls closing in, bails to the other dimension; there’s more, but that’s the essence of the story.
Within that summary are elements from Season 2 that I actually liked, and which could have developed just fine without the freak-off aspects and racial messaging. Between Smith finding the ideal version of his family in what he thinks is a perfect world and Flag’s mission to arrest and punish him, there is enough plot to mine.
It’s enough for any series, Marvel or DC, although it’s been done; unfortunately, Gunn chose a path that got people talking for all the wrong reasons, and without holding onto new viewers or the hype coming off Superman. All anyone cares about is the Earth X twist, the comparisons made to the real world, and the needlessly explicit orgy scene.
The future of the DCU doesn’t have the excitement it needs for success. Nobody cares about what’s coming next. Supergirl has growing doubts about its direction and potential, and Gunn looks like he is using DC as a playground where all his friends can play, and he can say whatever he wants, no filter.
On one hand, total creative freedom is great as less interference or meddling can mean optimal results. Warner Bros. knows all about that, especially when it comes to the Man of Steel. On the other hand, one can get too carried away with themselves and lose track of the touches in their vision that are actually interesting.
Overall (case in point), I liked Superman as an attempt at translating an ‘anything can happen’ Silver Age structure into a movie. I’m also open-minded about the shared universe that’s free to have more contained side adventures for less-established heroes.
Gunn, however, sabotages himself by going too far, trying to do everything at once, and pushing the envelope as far as possible. He comes from the Troma school of filmmaking, which a lot of people like, but he seemingly never learned to rein in his tendencies on his own. Following Superman with Peacemaker is like following the Richard Donner films with Scarface.
I wish I could say there is enough to keep the average viewer entertained and intrigued, but most of them have already spoken with their wallets and remotes based on everything they’ve heard. The audience that gave Peacemaker a chance already saw it, while everyone else would feel tricked, disgusted, insulted, and disappointed if they were convinced to watch S2.
NEXT: Peacemaker Review: Making Peace With James Gunn’s Derivative Nonsense
peacemaker season 2
PROS
- John Cena shows growth as an actor, and manages some dramatic moments.
- David Denman and Robert Patrick as Earth X's brother and dad
- Much of the soundtrack rocks except for a racy track or two
- Frank Grillo
- Eagly
CONS
- Woke messaging
- Explicit sex and constant F bombs for no justifiable reason
- Earth X is a wasted opportunity that only exists to nag people who aren't watching in the first place
- Michael Rooker eats literal crap
- Judomaster and his rants about everything, including killing cops
- Everything bad you've read or heard is true!
