If you told me John Cena was going to play Peacemaker in the DC Cinematic Universe a few years ago, I probably would’ve scratched my head. This is not a very popular character in the realm of DC Comics. Being the comic geek that I am, I was aware of who this character was before his live-action debut in the DCEU. Speaking of which, if you haven’t seen James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad yet, check it out on HBO Max. That is, unless you want to go to the theater. I did, but I’m a massive cinephile. What can I say, I can’t help the passion I have for going to the theaters.
Now I remember when I heard the news that James Gunn was bringing John Cena on board for The Suicide Squad. The fact that he was playing Peacemaker really grabbed my attention. For one, he was among the first cast members who had their character revealed in the beginning. The details on his character were brief: a violent extremist who was dedicated to achieving his goal of bringing peace to the world. How does he do that? By any means necessary, and that includes killing anyone who he deems a threat to keeping the peace. Sounds very hypocritical, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it very much is. But you know what? That’s what works for this character.
In the hands of James Gunn, Peacemaker was written as the ultimate anti-hero. I mean, a little spoiler alert, but if you’ve seen The Suicide Squad, you know how his story ends. We thought he met his demise at the hands of Bloodsport, but the post-credits scene revealed that he miraculously survived and Amanda Waller is prepared to use him for future missions. Does that include getting revenge on his former teammates? It’s highly possible, but for now, we’ll have to watch his solo series that will be coming to HBO Max this January.
I’ll admit, I wasn’t initially excited for that series, but after seeing John Cena’s stellar performance as Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad, I’m on board. For a guy who didn’t begin his career in movies as an experienced actor, John Cena has surely improved over the years. Remember him in The Marine? That was probably the most typical way to show how several professional wrestlers transition to the big-screen. Back then, he didn’t seem like he had much to offer for the film world, but Hollywood just kept bringing him back. I’m happy to say, that was the right call. John Cena has evolved from the typical, muscle-bound action star he was originally seen as. With some of his newer movies in recent years, such as the comedy Blockers and the Bumblebee movie, John Cena has proven that he’s capable of being just the tough guy action hero.
What has really surprised me in his more recent performances was his ability to make me laugh. This guy who was a former WWE superstar can be genuinely funny in his movies. The best part about it is that it comes off as organic and genuine. Props to whoever his acting coach is, because I actually want to see more of him being the funny guy. Well, as Peacemaker, we got the best of both worlds. In fact, we got a little more, since John Cena portrayed him as the violent anti-hero who ended up taking a turn for the worst.
A little spoiler alert if you didn’t see the movie yet (of course you have): he ends up killing Rick Flag and nearly kills Ratcatcher. Just when he started bonding with the squad and almost made friends with them, he reveals his true colors. I mean, he acknowledged that Sebastian the rat should get a beer like the rest of them. Speaking of his colors, Peacemaker has one of the most colorful and campiest costumes you’ll ever see in a comic book movie. John Cena clearly loves it, as he wore it in almost every interview for promoting the movie. He’ll probably keep flexing with his insanely large biceps in this same campy outfit in the show and that’s okay. Peacemaker is campy, but in a good way. In fact, he’s campy in that old school comic book way that only James Gunn can write him.
I’m glad James Gunn wrote all the episodes for the upcoming Peacemaker series. But based on how his character arc ended in The Suicide Squad, I’m super anxious as to what Gunn has in store for the violent extremist. At first sight, Peacemaker looks like a character that shouldn’t work. As a testament to his undying commitment to pursuing liberty, he wears all red, white, and a little bit of blue. What makes him stand out is his oddly shaped chromed helmet with a symbol resembling a dove in the center. I believe John Cena himself described it best when he summed up Peacemaker. According to him, the character is basically “a douchey Captain America”. Sounds like a parody, but this anti-hero should be taken very seriously.
His stance on achieving world peace at any cost is a highly extremist philosophy that contradicts the nature of his name. He’s not really aware of this, because from his point of view, he firmly believes that peace must be claimed by force. If that means killing anyone, from men, women, and even children, then he won’t hold back. That makes him a scary character, but The Suicide Squad showed us he is capable of connecting with others. For instance, he was regretful about fighting Rick Flag over the hard drive and apologized to Ratcatcher before attempting to shoot her. I have no doubts that Peacemaker will cross paths with his former teammates again, but true to his name (kind of), he won’t let something like friendship get in the way of achieving world peace.
Not what will his series be about? Based on the casting of Robert Patrick, who will play his father, it looks like the series intends to explore his origins. From what we’ve heard about his father, he sounds like a violent extremist who trained the young Christopher Smith from an early age. This could make Peacemaker a more sympathetic character and possibly lead to some redemption. Is that a logical choice for a character who works so well as the violent extremist? I think James Gunn has a lot more in store for Peacemaker and I reckon that includes having him evolve from the psychotic and twisted killing machine that he is. Now that probably won’t happen fully, but perhaps he can learn some real concept of peace. If he still decides to kill for it, then we’ll take it. If it’s dope as… well, you know.
Peacemaker is already a serious anti-hero for the DCEU. What else will James Gunn do to make him better? We’ll find out in January.
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