The DCU kicking off with an animated series in the same vein as The Suicide Squad is an unusual way to launch a new shared universe. However, James Gunn has always walked his own path, leaving us with beloved hits like the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and Peacemaker. Creature Commandos proves to be a spiritual and literal successor to the filmmaker’s DCEU work, and a thrilling taste of what’s to come from DC Studios moving forward. The result is an action-packed, hilarious, and surprisingly moving romp which effectively establishes the DCU’s tone and leaves us positively obsessed with the monstrous members of Task Force M.
Visually, Creature Commandos looks great and is arguably at its best delivering bloody, maniacal fight scenes. However, the character moments also benefit from the expressive nature of how the leads are brought to life, something that’s vital when a fair bit of this series is devoted to exploring their respective, and often tragic, backstories. The music is another highlight; not only does Gunn find some unexpected, catchy tracks to accompany the action, but Kevin Kiner and Clint Mansell’s score is perfectly suited to this zany team-up, helping make the show feel wholly unique. As for the voiceover performances, whereas many of the on-screen actors who worked on the first season of Marvel Studios’ What If…? occasionally sounded awkward due to a lack of experience in the recording booth, everyone here comes across as natural and the perfect fit for their respective characters.
Frank Grillo is the standout as Rick Flag Sr., the reluctant leader of Task Force M who finds himself falling for the Princess they’re sent to protect from the villainous Circe. He’s gruff, and badass, but clearly haunted and often in over his head trying to balance doing the right thing with following orders. The actor looks set to be a huge part of the DCU in future and Gunn has done well to cast the former MCU actor.
There’s not a single weak performance to be found, though Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana Rostovic, Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorus, Sean Gunn as G.I. Robot, and David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein all deserve to be highlighted. That takes nothing away from Zoë Chao as Nina Mazursky, Anya Chalotra as Circe, or Indira Varma as the Bride; everyone delivers A+ performances and each viewer will surely have their own favourites after watching. Even the actors who just drop in for cameos are memorable - Michael Rooker’s Sam is a brilliant role for Gunn’s longtime friend and collaborator - and this ensemble gels in a way not many do in similar animated TV shows.
Crucially, Creature Commandos left us desperate to see these characters return not just in a potential season 2 but in live-action DCU movies and TV shows. If that was the goal, mission accomplished (please, James, make Circe a lead character in a future Wonder Woman project).
Make no mistake about it, if you’re excited to see what’s to come from the new DCU, Creature Commandos is a must-watch. Tonally, it’s very much its own thing, but there are some exciting glimpses into the future and some clarification of what is and isn’t canon. Beyond that, the series - overseen well by showrunner Dean Lorey - is an immensely enjoyable watch, with some legitimately funny gags and characters it’s a blast to spend time with.
We were fortunate enough to breeze through all seven episodes over the course of a couple of days, but it should make a terrific weekly watch thanks to a compelling story boasting unexpected twists and turns and a lot of heart (you may well find yourself tearing up at times). Gunn’s writing ensures that each lead is in a different place when the show ends from where we first found them - perhaps with the exception of the completely bonkers Eric Frankenstein - and the filmmaker’s sheer delight in writing these characters is apparent. The big test will be Superman, of course, but if Creature Commandos is a sign of things to come, we’re all in on the DCU.