Peacemaker: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Peacemaker: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 19, 2022

One of the perceived obstacles that may confront some viewers when approaching any property that is part of a so-called "Cinematic Universe" (whether that be of the Marvel or DC variety) is whether they'll have enough contextual information to understand what's going on. As these cinematic universes expand at a rate somewhat faster than the rate at which the real universe is reported to be stretching out, it can be an almost overwhelming task to figure out who's who(m) and how the labyrinthine plot strands are woven together. In that regard, it may be salient to note that while having seen The Suicide Squad will probably aid some coming to this series, it's not absolutely essential to understanding the gist of the story from the get go. Kind of hilariously, this nascent television spin off actually begins with its own version of "previously. . .on Peacemaker", though in this case the (brief) footage is lifted from the feature film and the superimposed text actually states "previously. . .on The Suicide Squad". One way or the other, that quick summary of what's already happened at least sets up the fact that Peacemaker (John Cena returning to the role he essayed in the feature film) is on the road to recovery after having been pummeled (and shot). He's still not in great shape physically (let's face it, he's never been in great shape emotionally, which continues to inform the series), but within mere moments of getting out of the hospital he finds himself ensconced in yet another quasi-Black Ops situation where what Cena in a supplement kind of cheekily refers to as a "mini-Suicide Squad" is assembled to confront yet another outlandish horror.

Peacemaker, whose civilian name is Chris Smith, initially thinks he's made it out of the pseudo-stir of hospital confinement without any law enforcement types knowing where he is, but he's soon enough disabused of that notion when Clemson Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji) shows up with a gaggle of acolytes in tow to inform Peacemaker he has a simple choice: join Murn's Project Butterfly as an agent, or be returned to jail. The group Murn has assembled collects several folks who are part of A.R.G.U.S., including Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), John Economos (Steve Agee) and perhaps most intriguingly a newcomer named Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks). Harcourt officially serves as Peacemaker's kinda sorta field agent supervisor, though the series is obviously trafficking in a fair amount of "oil and water" sexual tension between the two in a time honored tradition that has been part and parcel of any number of television outings from sitcoms like Cheers to whimsical detective shows like Moonlighting.

Economos is the appointed nerd of the group, facile with computers and technology but not always adept at social interactions. While I understand why showrunner James Gunn decided to reveal this in the first episode, I wonder if Leota's relationship to "is she or isn't she a villain" A.R.G.U.S. head honcho(ette) Amanda Waller (Viola Davis in a cameo) might have been better utilized as a later surprise. One way or the other, this is yet another group of "misfits" (as the entire cast describe their characters in various supplements) that seems spectacularly ill equipped to prevent what turns out to be an alien incursion a la the late great Quinn Martin series The Invaders or any number of other properties where some seeming humanity is only surface deep.

If that's the general underlying premise of what might be termed the "comic book" side of things, where Peacemaker gets into some kind of fraught territory is with regard to that aforementioned emotional element on the part of its title character. This comes into focus early on with the introduction of Peacemaker's father, Auggie Smith (Robert Patrick), a guy with an "underground lair" (or at least a "behind a secret passageway lair") and secret identity of his own. The fact that Smith père is an unabashed racist and that his alter ego is decidedly reminiscent of the KKK gets this piece into some really provocative territory. But putting aside for a moment the elder Smith's horrifyingly xenophobic personality, it's the fact that he also unleashes an unending litany of abuse on his son, some of which supposedly stems from a long ago tragedy, that informs much of the underlying roiling emotional content of the series. Both Patrick and Cena bring some really visceral intensity to some of the scenes between these characters. That said, even Patrick seems aware that his character has few if any redeeming qualities, because he overtly states in a supplement that all Auggie does to Chris is "s*** on him".

The whole "emotionally wounded superhero" thing is obviously as old as comic books themselves, but Peacemaker manages to find some new avenues to explore within this particular nook and/or cranny of canon. If the supporting cast here is kind of made up of generic "types", they're at least fun to watch and some of the bantering interplay can be hilarious. There is one relatively unsurprising reveal somewhat into the story in terms of the "masquerading" of aliens as humans that some may see coming from a mile off, but there are also a number of almost gonzo detours this story takes that help to maintain energy.

Peacemaker: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Peacemaker: The Complete First Season is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of HBO and Warner Brothers Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. The IMDb lists the Arri Alexa Mini as the camera of choice and perhaps just as importantly a 4K DI for this production, which looks largely fantastic throughout the episodes spread across two discs on this release. While there are some of the special effects blandishments that often accompany superhero outings, one of the kind of interesting things about this series is its almost mundane settings, as in Peacemaker's trailer park abode or the rundown HQ that Project Butterfly takes up shop in. The palette therefore can actually be a bit on the dowdy side at times, but when it pops, it pops authoritatively, and some of the primaries in particular are spectacularly vivid. Detail levels are also generally excellent across the board, and that includes some potential trouble spots like CGI effects that help to create Eagly, Peacemaker's lovable pet bald eagle, or even the butterfly alien creatures. The fine detail on Eagly in particular is admirable.

Peacemaker: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Peacemaker: The Complete First Season features a nicely robust DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that provides some thump worthy low end courtesy of both a propulsive score but also a glut of fun sound effects, including a really nice wafting "sonic boom" emanating from Peacemaker's helmet. A number of the more effects laden sequences offer really energetic engagement of the side and rear channels while also delivering regular bursts of LFE. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Mandarin subtitles are available.

Peacemaker: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One

• Making the World Safe for Violence: Peacemaker's Team (HD; 11:44) offers a fun introduction to the characters.


• Bad Daddy Issues: Peacemaker's Search for Inner Peace (HD; 5:28) addresses the central familial conflict in the story.


• Peacemaker: Under the Helmet (HD; 2:33) looks at some of the CGI rendering, particularly with regard to Eagly.


• Project Butterfly Team Member: Peacemaker (HD; 1:21) is the first of several brief character introductions.


• Project Butterfly Team Member: Adebayo (HD; 1:06)


• Project Butterfly Team Member: Harcourt (HD; 1:09)


• Project Butterfly Team Member: John Economos (HD; 1:12)


• Project Butterfly Team Member: Vigilante (HD; 1:17)


• Project Butterfly Team Member: Murn (HD; 1:12)


• Project Butterfly Team Member: Eagly (HD; 2:07)


• On Set with Steve Agee (HD; 2:27) offers some behind the scenes footage.


• Dramatic Comic Book Readings with Chukwudi Iwuji (HD; 2:13) is a frankly kind of needless piece that I guess was supposed to be hilarious, but which just came off to me as forced, with Iwuji reading patently ridiculous lines from various DC comics.

Disc Two

• Gag Reel (HD; 9:23)


• Unlocking the Quantum Unfolding Storage Area (HD; 1:36) features John Cena giving another backstage tour.


• Peacemaker and Vigilante: BFFs (HD; 2:06) is a brief overview of the strange relationship between the two characters.


• So What Do You Really Think of Peacemaker? (HD; 2:17) is a mini-"roast" of the character.


• Danielle Brooks Explains the DC Universe (HD; 1:41) is not nearly as "universal" as its title might suggest, and instead features Brooks briefly talking about a few isolated comics.


• Keep the Tweets (HD; 2:03) offers Cena sharing social media posts.


• Dance for Peace (HD; 1:42) looks at the rehearsal and shooting of the opening credits sequence.


• How to Properly Give a F**k (HD; 1:05) features the cast giving "tutoring" in between brief interstitials of the f-bomb being dropped in various episodes.

Additionally, packaging features a slipbox.

Peacemaker: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though they're manifestly different in too many ways to detail, Peacemaker often reminded me of Deadpool, at least insofar as both properties amiably deconstruct superhero tropes with an often anarchic sense of humor, while also delivering some perhaps unexpected actual emotional content along the way. The ensemble cast in this series is hugely enjoyable, and somehow the narrative here manages to introduce some really potentially troublesome aspects in a genuinely interesting way. Technical merits are first rate, and the supplements enjoyable. Recommended.