TV Review: ‘Creature Commandos’

Gunn brings his trademark wit and love of genre to the series, which features an entertaining voice cast and some DC deep cuts.

(L to R) Nina Mazursky, GI Robot, The Bride, Rick Flag Sr., Dr. Phosphorus, Weasel in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Launching with its first two episodes (of seven) on December 5th on Max, ‘Creature Commandos’ marks the start of filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran’s run in charge of DC Studios, the arm of Warner Bros. Discovery intended to adapt its sprawling DC Comics properties.

It faces quite the challenge, since Warners has seen some truly mixed fortunes with the likes of Superman, Batman and the rest, and particularly in combining them via one cohesive cinematic universe.

Gunn certainly brings some experience to the table, having spent a few years with the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ characters in the MCU (and a wealth of other genre work), plus getting a solid ‘Suicide Squad’ effort into cinemas and, possibly even more importantly, impressing audiences with his take on the Peacemaker character spun off from that on to TV.

Will ‘Creature Commandos’ Command Your Attention?

(L to R) Dr. Phosphorus, GI Robot, The Bride, Nina Mazursky, Rick Flag Sr. in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

This very much has the feel of Gunn’s work –– it’s chatty, funny in a dark, sometimes sarcastic way, but is also filled with moments of humanity (even if they’re for characters who are decidedly non-human).

Here, he’s able to indulge in even more of what he enjoys, including deconstructing tropes (while also using them when needed), poking fun at stalwart concepts such as heroism and moral gray areas and letting a talented cast. That much-aimed for cohesiveness is already showing up, since Frank Grillo, who voices Rick Flag Sr. here, will be bringing the character to live-action for ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2.

Script and Direction

(L to R) Dr. Phosphorus, The Bride, Nina Mazursky, Rick Flag Sr., GI Robot, Weasel in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Gunn, in typically busy form, wrote all seven episodes, adapting the comics originally created by Pat Broderick and J.M. DeMatteis.

The story across the episodes follows one mission –– taking down the threat of sorceress Circe (Anya Chalotra) who has tasked what is effectively an incel army obsessed with the all-female island of Themiscyra (AKA Wonder Woman’s home) with attacking a small fictional Eastern European country in the hopes of using its resources to conquer the island, which Circe believes is her right.

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis, who has played the role across the two ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and ‘Peacemaker’ has to gather who she can to send on the mission to stop them, her resources severely depleted since the disastrous assignment in Gunn’s ‘Squad’ movie.

(L to R) GI Robot, Dr. Phosphorus, The Bride, Rick Flag Sr., Nina Mazursky, Weasel in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

It’s a compelling set up for a misfit mission movie, the various characters quickly proving to be oil and water in their outlooks, and Flag trying to keep them unified (or at least not killing each other… or him).

The result is an entertaining brew that is filled with plenty of action and drama and also manages to explore the backstories of the various characters (yes, even Weasel has a tragic past).

Yves “Balak” Bigerel is the show’s supervising director, and he and his team certainly find a style that fits with Gunn’s writing. The animation brings to mind more recent efforts such as ‘Harley Quinn,’ and its dynamic enough for what it needs.

Performances

Gunn has recruited an impressive voice cast for the show, with a few standouts…

Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.

(L to R) Rick Flag Sr., Amanda Waller in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

While Flag, pressed into service to lead the team, is more of a straight man to the wilder personalities that make it up, he’s not without depth and a proper storyline. Grillo lends him the appropriate amount of gruff weariness and shows the man’s layers particularly when talking about his late son (in one of several references to ‘The Suicide Squad’).

Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorus

Dr. Phosphorus in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Tudyk has long been an excellent voice-over actor, and his Phosphorus is imbued with all the sarcastic wit you might hope for.

The actor also takes on a variety of other small roles throughout the show but makes them different enough so that you just enjoy watching them.

Indira Varma as the Bride

The Bride in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

The Bride of Frankenstein is one of the more interesting characters on the team, filled with rage and sadness at her creation (or re-birth) purely to serve the interests of a man. It’s one that needed a sure touch, and between Gunn’s writing and Varma’s sensitive, full-throated performance, it works well.

Zoë Chao as Nina Mazursky

(L to R) Nina Mazursky, GI Robot, Dr. Phosphorus in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

The team’s aquatic mutant, she’s the nerdy, nervier member who has to find her backbone to really fight alongside them. Chao does good work voicing both sides of a character who has one of the more interesting arcs.

Maria Bakalova as Ilana Rostovic

(L to R) Princess Ilana, Rick Flag Sr. in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Gunn veteran Bakalova (who voiced Cosmo in the third ‘Guardians’ movie), here voices the princess of the country that Flag and the rest are sent to help. Initially attracted to the old soldier, she reveals some hidden depths and Bakalova is good playing the layers.

Other notable characters

(L to R) GI Robot in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

This being a Gunn production, it surely would be complete without at least one member of his family, and Sean Gunn is back playing both the slavering Weasel (who, as mentioned, gets a convincingly sad backstory) and World War II relic creation G.I. Robot, who is obsessed with slaying Nazis. Sean Gunn brings them both to vibrant vocal life.

David Harbour, meanwhile, scores a decently meaty role as Eric Frankenstein, the creature created by the literary doctor, who has his own reasons for keeping track of our heroes (and obviously factors into the Bride’s story).

Final Thoughts

(L to R) GI Robot, Dr. Phosphorus, Rick Flag Sr. in 'Creature Commandoes'. Photo: Courtesy of Max.

Not every filmmaker would choose to have the story of a group of violent, strange creatures be the beachhead for their new, linked comic book adaptation universe. But James Gunn is not every filmmaker, and while ‘Creature Commandos’ certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, it’s quite the calling card.

His take on Superman will be with us next year and that might give us more an idea of how he handles the traditional hero’s story. For now, though, this group are entertaining and emotional in equal measure.

And those who are big DC Comics fans will find plenty of references –– not that you have to know them to understand the story –– bringing flavor to the show.

‘Creature Commandos’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

Creature Commandos

TV-MA1 SeasonsDecember 5th, 2024

Follow the exploits of the Creature Commandos, a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails…they're... Read the Plot