In last summer’s The Suicide Squad, audiences were introduced to John Cena’s Christopher Smith, an antihero better known as Peacemaker. Although incredibly violent, Peacemaker had a naivete that quickly endeared himself to viewers, leading executives to greenlight an HBO Max series following the character. The show follows Peacemaker as he undertakes a series of high-risk assignments with a group of no-nonsense government agents known as Project Butterfly. With just a few days left until the series premiere, the first reviews for Peacemaker call the series a hilarious romp with lots of action.
First Reviews Praise Series for Action and Comedic Timing of Cast
Early reviews for Peacemaker focus mainly on its comedy and over the top violence. Much of the reviews praise creator James Gunn’s absurdist take on the concept of vigilantes. In a review for IGN, Samantha Nelson praised the show’s wit. Nelson further suggests that the show’s goofiness serves as a deep dive into the entire subset of superhero television, deconstructing the genre and providing biting social commentary along the way.
Other reviewers praise Cena’s take on the warped hero. Describing Peacemaker as a hilarious bonehead, Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times says that Cena’s deadpan delivery of some of Peacemaker’s more bizarre lines will both make audiences empathize with the character while still laughing at his antics. Roeper also suggests that viewers keep their eye on Robert Patrick’s Augie, Peacemaker’s father and a white supremacist. Roeper opines that audiences will more fully understand Peacemaker’s skewed take on the world once they see the circumstances of his difficult upbringing.
Cast Says Series Offers Something for Everyone
While much of the reviews focus on Peacemaker’s comedy and action, Freddie Stroma, who plays Adrian Chase/Vigilante on the show, says that the series is more than just fight scenes paired with witty one-liners. In an interview with reporters from ComicBook.com, Stroma says that upon reading the series’ scripts, he was impressed not only by its marked comedy, but also its heavy drama. Stroma adds that the season’s later episodes are a particularly intense rollercoaster of emotion.
Clemson Murn actor Chukwudi Iwuji adds that one of the major themes in Peacemaker is getting to know one another and accepting each other. Iwuji says that this theme is on full display in the friendship between Peacemaker and team member Leota Adebayo, who is played by Danielle Brooks. Iwuji says that Peacemaker’s friendship with Leota eventually cause both characters to change and learn something about themselves.
The first three episodes of Peacemaker will be available for streaming on HBO Max on January 13, with the remaining five episodes being released weekly until the season finale on February 17.