In less than a month, The Suicide Squad spinoff, Peacemaker, will officially make its series debut on HBO Max featuring John Cena reprising his role as the title character. In addition to John Cena, Robert Patrick, Jennifer Holland, and Danielle Brooks make up the cast that features a healthy mix of veterans and newcomers. This list will examine the five excellent movies involving the cast of Peacemaker. Each film has ten or more reviews that heavily favor each respective film. The only exemptions here are animated features, so don’t expect Ferdinand or Surfs Up 2: WaveMania. Let’s get started with our first feature:
The Suicide Squad
Of course, we can’t have this list without the film that inspired the spinoff. In this sort of a reboot with James Gunn behind the wheel, we join Task Force X, the super-secret and super-shady group of criminals who do a number of dangerous jobs that shave off time from their prison sentence. Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and Harley Quinn are the lucky group that is on a search and destroys mission for Amanda Waller that ends up revealing dark secrets involving the government. The story of The Suicide Squad is far from spectacular; however, James Gunn’s style of writing and filmmaking is a match made in heaven for the criminally underrated reboot. Each character gets a moment to shine, though the notable stands outs are Ratcatcher 2 and Polka-Dot Man. Riotously funny, with some heartwarming moments, and cool action sequences that doesn’t hold back on the gore, The Suicide Squad is the movie that should’ve came out in 2016.
Trainwreck
The rise of Amy Schumer began because of this funny look through the life of magazine writer Amy, who has avoided long term commitment for a good portion of her life. However, during an assignment where she writes about a charming and successful sports doctor, the two start to fall in love, questioning Amy’s morals and whether monogamy is the way to go. Trainwreck follows the predictable path of so many other romantic comedies; however, the hilarious jokes, and showcasing this storyline from a women’s perspective makes up for the lack of originality. Schumer and Bill Hader have excellent chemistry, but it’s the supporting cast that really makes Trainwreck such a good film. It may not be Judd Apatow’s best film, but it’s not even close to his worst.
Bumblebee
In this surprisingly good spinoff of the Michael Bay live-action spectacle, Bumblebee seeks refuge in a small California beach town. Eventually, Charlie finds the autobot and revives him, quickly learning that he’s no ordinary yellow Volkswagen, and understanding that danger comes along with her special car. Bumblebee is the opposite of everything that Michael Bay has done in the live-action Transformers films. There’s strong character development, that doesn’t have unfunny and lame humor, and Bumblebee has the perfect balance of action and drama. If you’re looking for a movie that’s littered with action and explosion porn then you’ve got the wrong film, but if you’re hoping to finally have a smart adaptation of the classic cartoons then you can’t go wrong with Bumblebee.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day came out in 1991 and still serves as the best film in the franchise. Following the events of the first movie, Sarah Connor has given birth to a young John Connor, with his destiny of being key to civilization’s victory over a future robot uprising still headed on track. This time, an advanced robot, the shape-shifting T-1000 is sent down to kill the young Connor. However, the revamped T-800 is set back to protect the young boy from the deadly Terminator. Unexpectedly, John ends up bonding with the robot, who slowly understands the ways of being a normal human being. Do I really need to explain why Terminator 2 is awesome? It’s the pinnacle of sci-fi/action. What makes this such a superb film is the original story that effortlessly weaves together action and drama. Despite the sci-fi elements, T2 is simple to follow along, but more importantly, the film gives its key cast of characters a compelling role. Terminator 2 doesn’t choose style over substance, though the iconic action sequences still hold up until this very day. James Cameron revolutionized the entire genre due to the stunning technical advances that even triumph most of the Terminator sequels. Overall, a fantastic film that transcends sci-fi/action.
Clemency
In the underrated drama, Alfre Woodard plays Warden Bernadine Williams, a woman who has carried out years of death row executions. As the Warden prepares for another one, she must battle the emotional scars that get in the way of her going through the latest one. A compelling and thought-provoking piece that does an excellent job of challenging the moral and ethical codes of the topic at hand. Alfre Woodard takes advantage of her layered role and gives one of the best raw and grounded performances of her career.
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