Peacemaker is at once winsome and gruesome. James Gunn knows how to make a story serious, absurd, juvenile and deep, with a highly stylized look and fantastic score. The cinematography is notable and wonderful- I had a million screenshots and could have taken more.
I enjoy television that will kill it’s darlings in a violent and bloody mess. Peacemaker does not disappoint in that endeavor. This is not the show to eat dinner by. There are tons of laughs, too – a lot of different sensations and plenty of interesting characters. The show is cast with a surprising, varied and high quality ensemble including Danielle Brooks, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma and Jennifer Holland. James Gunn writes and directs most of the episodes, with a notable exception for Jody Hill.
Peacemaker himself is the least enjoyable character from The Suicide Squad. He’s racist, sexist and kills a character that fans of a certain show might be very upset about. But of course this leaves him with the biggest journey and opportunity to grow.
The tone of the series helps lubricate the ride, and most memorable of all is the theme song. I love watching the opening credits to Peacemaker. The choreography is hypnotic. There’s one cold open that completely changes the effect- it’s jarring and devastating. But that’s the beauty of this show. It’s complex and evolving; shockingly human, yet somehow alien. Art and alchemy.
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