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WWE Superstar John Cena's Peacemaker Is A Hysterical Action Comedy That Is As Funny As It Is Over The Top.

WWE Just Keeps Cranking Out Stars

By Jason Ray Morton Published 2 years ago 5 min read
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WWE has pushed a few of their superstars of the squared circle to the top of the entertainment mountain. When you look at the likes of the Undertaker, the most iconic character in their history, or the immortal, and certainly controversial, Hulk Hogan some of their names have become synonymous with pop culture since the late 1980s. Then came the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, who absolutely blew the roof off of arenas with the sounds of glass shattering and his iconic, heavy beat entrance. From there we were treated to the likes of Rock, now only known in entertainment circles as Dwayne Johnson, one of the most successful performers in Hollywood history.

John Cena's Rise To Hollywood Success

John Cena, who ironically was part of a program rivalry on WWE television that included him throwing barbs at The Rock for disappearing and running off to Hollywood, has slowly been making his way into the ranks of the Hollywood success story. Only three WWE superstars have ever made it to the big time in Hollywood, while many have tried. Those would include Dave Bautista of the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson of, well literally everything, and now John Cena, who’s starred in several completely lackluster movies.

It’s not to say that John Cena hasn’t been in a couple of successful outings along the way. However, he’s taken some absolutely horrible roles, and well before he was ready to be on the big screen. For example, The Marine, 12 Rounds, and the movie Trainwreck. Maybe it’s hard to learn to act like something more than a wrestler when you don’t do what Dwayne Johnson did and commit to a Hollywood schedule.

One way or the other, wrestlers get old and decide to start looking to other avenues in entertainment. So, it’s no real surprise that the past couple of years Cena’s barely been around the wrestling ring but has upped his game in Hollywood by taking on more diverse roles, delving into comedy, and even modifying his trademark buzz-cut hairdo. So, can John Cena have a successful run in Hollywood?

The answer may have come in 2021 when Cena tied himself to not one, but three franchise productions. Cena appeared first in 2021 as Jakob Toretto, the dark horse member of the Toretto family. For a limited dialogue, mostly action role, he didn’t do bad as the mysterious and wayward brother to the other Toretto siblings. Of course, before 2021, Cena appears as a commando-style, military character in the Transformers prequel, Bumblebee. Again, not a bad outing for the 16-time heavyweight wrestling champion and future hall of fame.

John Cena in The Suicide Squad

John Cena as a superhero? Not exactly. For anyone that has watched the Suicide Squad we all know that they aren’t superheroes. There barely super, and they’re hardly heroic. No, the Suicide Squad, or Task Force X, is a group of super-criminals and meta-human criminals that are recruited from prison by the maniacal Amanda Waller. Fitted with an explosive charge in their heads to keep them in line, the team is sent on a suicide mission to save the world.

Peacemaker, a character committed to peace, is played by John Cena and Cena is thrust into a team that most notably includes Idris Elba as the murderous Bloodsport, Joel Kinnaman returning as Colonel Rick Flag, and Margo Robbie as the adorable Harley Quinn.

“I cherish peace with all my heart. I don’t care how many men, women, and children I need to kill to get it.”

— Peacemaker

John Cena In His First Series-Peacemaker

While I don’t want to spoil anything about the movie, or the show, at the end of the movie Peacemaker is presumed dead from the action. The after-credits tell us differently. At this point in human history, every movie studio in Hollywood with a forward vision for a property is using after-credits.

Fast forward to the Peacemaker on HBO Max. Cena appears to find the best blend of physical humor and acting that he can tap into his ability to use physicality to his advantage. He appears to be having a good time doing the role of the Peacemaker. It’s a dorky, awkward, goofy, comedic romp through an adventure to eliminate the “Butterflies.”

Peacemaker is out of prison still, doesn’t particularly want to go back, and is recruited by another unit from Argus. A five-person team is assembled to track down the butterflies, and Peacemaker, who’s had a moral epiphany about his life, is recruited for his skills as an assassin. After four years in prison, Peacemaker is more concerned at first with finding a solution to the problem every guy right out of prison wants to solve. From there, it’s a constant romp through the area, looking for the butterflies and mucking things up with awkward ease that John Cena manages to make entertaining and hysterical.

With his new team, and his sidekick bald eagle, Eagly, the first three episodes will either hook you in or they won’t. It all depends on your sense of humor and the style of comics you’re attracted by.

My Opinion

John Cena has grown as an actor, leaving behind his lack of versatility as a wrestling character. Not in a million years would I have imagined a character that John Cena is playing, especially the character of Peacemaker, going over so well that someone turned it into a series. This is such a reverent action-comedy series that you almost forget that Peacemaker was the traitor of The Suicide Squad or that he killed the only real hero on the team, Rick Flagg. Somehow, the good folks through DC and HBO, along with John Cena, have turned The Peacemaker into a reality and we’ll have to see how the ratings go. One way or the other, comic fans, John Cena fans, and WWE fans are in for a treat.

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About the Creator

Jason Ray Morton

I have always enjoyed writing and exploring new ideas, new beliefs, and the dreams that rattle around inside my head. I have enjoyed the current state of science, human progress, fantasy and existence and write about them when I can.

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