Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
Sometimes I write things, but mostly I watch movies.
What if there was a suicide squad full of literal monsters? Well, then you’d get Creature Commandos. From writer and head of the DC Universe, James Gunn, Creature Commandos serves as a light follow-up to The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 and as the first official piece of the DCU. In Creature Commandos, the titular task force of monsters sent on a mission by Amanda Waller (voiced by Viola Davis) to stop Circe’s (voiced by Anya Chalotra) terrorist attacks on a U.S. ally, Princess Ilana Rostovic of Pokolistan (voiced by Maria Bakalova).
The Commandos are led by Rick Flag Sr. (voiced by Frank Grillo) and the team consists of The Bride (voiced by Indira Varma), Eric Frankenstein (voiced by David Harbour), Nina Mazursky (voiced by Zoë Chao), Dr. Phosphorus (voiced by Alan Tudyk), G.I. Robot and Weasel (both voiced by Sean Gunn).
Creature Commandos is directed by Matt Peters (Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Batman: Caped Crusader) and Sam Liu (Justice League: Gods and Monsters). In addition to writing the series, James Gunn executive produces with Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer.
James Gunn’s Structural Issues
Each episode of Creature Commandos runs at an average of about twenty-two minutes, keeping the episodes moving briskly. This thankfully prevents Gunn from indulging in some of his worst tendencies (e.g., running a joke into the ground). However, it does prevent some of the characters from having real depth that is present in other projects. There is still heart and emotion all over the project, but the runtime and structure of the series prevent some of these characters from getting as much exploration as they deserve.
Speaking of structure, the series is pretty formulaic. Each episode has an A-plot focused on moving the main story forward and then a B-plot spotlighting a specific “Commando” and giving their usually tragic backstory. There is a little variety in this structure. For instance, the opening episode is all about setting the table with no backstory flashbacks. Across the seven episodes, the number of flashbacks and how they are integrated into the A and B plots varies from episode to episode. It’s comforting to know roughly how each episode will play out, although it’s also a little repetitive.
A Commanding Cast
Across the board, Creature Commandos has great performances. Each Commando is performed excellently. The standouts are Varma as The Bride, Chao as Nina Mazursky, and surprisingly Harbour as Eric Frankenstein. Varma gives The Bride a classic stuck-up Britishness along with a deep pain hidden under it all. Chao as Mazursky is very easy to root for and quite sweet. Her naivety and genuine desire for connection make her endearing. On the other side, Harbour as Frankenstein is bold, brash, and surprisingly romantic. It’s a performance fitting for the type of characters he usually plays. Also, his accent work is much better than it has been in other projects like Black Widow. These three bring tons of heart and humor and are the characters I hope to see more of.
Sean Gunn even does admirably in his dual roles of G.I. Robot and Weasel. Both are the least human of the Commandos but arguably have some of the most human qualities. Weasel communicates through grunts and screams but Gunn gives each one an easily identifiable emotion. Similarly, G.I. Robot is obviously quite robotic, but through line-reading, Gunn gives the war veteran lots of emotion. Of the group, these two have some of the most compelling backstories, or at least the ones that tap into the most pure and primal pathos.
Of course, the rest of the voice cast is good. Grillo does his usual gruff soldier shtick as Flag Sr. which is solid but unremarkable. Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorous is hilarious and rather terrifying when necessary. Yet, his character feels sidelined and underdeveloped. Chalotra as Circe seems fine, but there’s not enough screen time for her to truly get a read on her. Hopefully, future installments of the DCU will give her the time to find her footing in the role.
Miscellaneous Thoughts
In terms of animation, the show is nothing revolutionary. It’s not super stylized, but it does feel like a comic book. Overall, James Gunn’s series looks good, and the animation directed by Dougg Williams lets Creature Commandos accomplish things that it couldn’t in a live-action format. The various members’ appearances could certainly be done in live-action, but not without a high budget. It is hard to imagine G.I. Robot’s ridiculous abilities translating well. With that said, there are times when it could be more fluid, especially in action sequences. It never looks overly stiff, but it can be noticeable at times.
Additionally, the way that the story ends feels a bit unsatisfying. Some characters get endings that feel rather abrupt. The series concludes in such a way that allows for future potential stories featuring these characters. Perhaps, these abrupt endings can be resolved, and there can be more time spent to really develop some of the Commandos as well. Thankfully, the show works well enough as a standalone adventure. That is not to mention that fans will have a blast spotting Easter Eggs for the larger DCU as well as some of the guest appearances from actors in minor roles.
The Verdict on Creature Commandos
Create Commandos takes what works about The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and the Guardians of the Galaxy films and delivers a fun animated take on James Gunn’s style. However, some characters and relationships do not feel as developed as they could be, preventing them from reaching the heights of those previous projects. While the animation allows for a lot that couldn’t be done in live-action, it could be a little more fluid and stylized. Overall, Creature Commandos is a solid first entry into the DCU and more importantly a fun adventure in its own right.
Score: 3.5/5
Creature Commandos streams on Max starting Thursday, December 5th!
For more action, adventure, animation, drama, and fantasy-related news and reviews, follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky! Also, follow us on Letterboxd for further feature film, short film, and limited series reviews!
Sometimes I write things, but mostly I watch movies.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.