Peacemaker: Why A Different Type of "Hero" Makes It So Great

HBO Max’s Peacemaker might be the best-kept secret when it comes to superhero shows. Whether it’s Marvel or DC, both seem to follow their typical formula to try and match the success of the previous film. With James Gunn at the helm and a cast of brilliant actors, Peacemaker is only seven episodes in but is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows.

Much like some of the other DC properties on HBO Max, Peacemaker is stepping out of the typical mold and trying something a little more ballsy. The John Cena-led series follows Christopher Smith after his brief stint with the Suicide Squad last year. While it’s technically a superhero show, it would be hard to call Peacemaker a hero. He’s not even an anti-hero. What he is is a man who so desperately wants to be a hero but he just can’t seem to get over his shortcomings.

From IMDB.com:

Picking up where The Suicide Squad (2021) left off, Peacemaker returns home after recovering from his encounter with Bloodsport – only to discover that his freedom comes at a price.

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Before we even go down this road, there will be the casual fan who doesn’t want to see a wrestler turned actor in a leading man role. This isn’t the 90s where Hulk Hogan made Suburban Commando or Mr. Nanny. Gone are the days of Dwayne Johnson making The Tooth Fairy. Guys like Johnson, Cena, and Dave Bautista have really worked on their acting beyond just being the recognizable face pulled from the wrestling world because of their popularity. Truth be told, Cena has leaned into his comfort zone and taken some comedic roles that suit his personality, and quite frankly he shines in Peacemaker. Anyone who overly criticizes his performance, especially in Peacemaker needs to stop pretending every performance has to be Heath Ledger’s Joker to be enjoyable. Don’t miss out on a great show by prejudging.

Now, back to the actual show. What’s so great right from the start is again, it’s not your typical superhero show or movie. Good guy A tries to stop bad guy X from taking over the world. Yes, there are various antagonists throughout the show but it goes so much beyond story-driven themes. Much like in his previous work with Guardians of the Galaxy, Gunn takes these characters and lets their story and their emotion drive the bus. Throw in a kick-ass soundtrack, crank the ridiculousness up to an 11, and enjoy the ride. It’s what makes Gunn’s projects so unique. At face value, if you stripped down the basic principles of these movies and just read them off a sheet of paper, it would seem like a straight-to-DVD 90s comedy.

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What JG excels at is making these movies/shows energetic and fun, with characters you can’t help but be invested in, and then is over-the-top with something you wouldn’t normally like, but strangely do. That’s exactly how to describe Peacemaker. It follows DC properties like Doom Patrol and Harley Quinn to step out of the shadows of their legacy characters to try something new. It proves that “superhero fatigue” only exists if directors and actors fail to be creative. If you do the same thing as the 100 guys before you did, it isn’t as fun on try 101. Peacemaker has a very ambitious story, with actors who absolutely nail their roles, in something that isn’t typical recycled network television. If you’re looking for a new show to watch, start with HBO Max & Peacemaker.