The preambles and the transition stage are over: Creature Commandos It is the first step in the new DC Studios cinematic universe, and it has absolutely nothing to do with what Marvel has done so far, nor with what is expected from a great superhero franchise. James Gunn promised that this new stage would begin with Gods and Monsters and that is precisely what he has given us. A step in the right direction? What I can already tell you is that something like this would not receive Disney's approval. And that's not bad.
The best way to define Creature Commandos is as an animated series for adults. Something that Warner Animation is quite good at, for the record: its proposal adheres a little more to the line set by the animated project of Harley Quinn that to Batman: The Animated Series seeking complicity with the viewer through characters that are not only interesting, but also play on the screen. And none of the protagonists shown can be considered a superhero, an example to follow. Quite the opposite.
Go ahead that The project is signed by James Gunn stamped on practically every frame: his new team of weirdos and misfits fits wonderfully with both his recent works (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squadthe Peacemaker…) like those before his time at Marvel Studios.
And although, for all intents and purposes, this series in which there is visceral action, alcohol and other substances are consumed and has at least a couple of explicit sex scenes, Gunn is fully aware that it is the icebreaker with which introduce your Superman, the next Batman or put together the wickers for a future Justice League. The result? This is not a timid prologue to something that promises to be bigger, but rather a declaration of intent on the part of the new DC Studios.
What Creature Commandos is about
The first great success of Gunn, who appears in each opening to remind the viewer that he signs the scripts, is that the filmmaker does not beat around the bush or unnecessarily stretch the introduction of his new super-group: the brushstrokes of lore are given to us on the march and, after a brief presentation by the members of the so-called “Monster Command”, they leave for their first assignment. By force, yes.
Creature Commandos assumes that the viewer already knows what superheroes are and, furthermore, does not need to explain the dynamics of forceful formations like the Suicide Squad in which troublesome government inmates have to do dirty jobs if they want to stay alive. As a result, there's more footage time to get the group to define who they are or come up with their own mysteries.
A second Suicide Squad? You could almost say yes. The difference is that in Creature Commandos It has been established that humans cannot be forced to do the most delicate tasks related to national security, so they have chosen to gather a group of monsters. Ones that, inevitably, tend to link to Universal's horror icons: the Bride of Frankenstein, the female counterpoint to the creature from the lake and the return of Weasel to replace the Wolfman, among others. There is no invisible man, but it must be admitted that it is impossible to know whether Doctor Phosphorus is smiling or not.
With the above established, Gunn unfolds the background of each character as events progress. Providing a sense of humor that the previous DC Cinematic Universe absolutely lacked and a tone of political incorrectness that is far removed from the margins that Disney imposes on itself.
Combining both things in your favor to take advantage of the confusion and shape your great project little by little. Because Creature Commandos It does not rely on future promises, trying to retain the viewer's attention in the hope that something shown will have ties with what will be shown within two films, but rather giving room for strange and bizarre characters to shine. Or rather, gods and monsters.
Who's who in Monster Command
At this point it is inevitable not to take a roll call with the characters who, officially, inaugurate this new stage of DC Studios and we come across something curious: it is not exactly a clean slate, but rather ideas and some personality are rescued. that was already in both the extinct universe and the newly presented one: whoever assembles the Monster Commando is the same Amanda Waller played by Viola Davis, and is a complete extension of what we saw in both Suicide Squad as in the series The Peacemaker.
The second thing that stands out is that, as in the Suicide Squad films, the executing arm is once again Rick Flag. More specifically Rick Flag Sr., who is played by Frank Grillo and suggests that he had a son and that he perished in the Mission in Corto Maltese that we saw in the movie. The Suicide Squad of 2021.
Leaving the door half open for us to see the surviving characters again, but with no guarantees that Margot Robbie will return to being Harley Quinn. So who makes up the Monster Commando?
The Bride of Frankenstein, played by Indira Varma
- To begin with we have Bride of Frankensteinwhich for practical purposes is more of a creature composed of corpses and into which life has been breathed, which does not count as human. That said, in addition to having had a long life, he has superhuman strength.
Weasel, played by Sean Gunn
- Weasel He is more animal than person and basically obeys his instincts. Which does not exempt him from the crime of having murdered twenty-seven children. Technically, he returns after his contribution to Task Force X during the Mission in Corto Maltese.
GI Robot, played by Sean Gunn
- If there is someone who is definitely not human, it is G.I. Robot. As its name suggests, it is a robotic soldier obsessed with killing Nazis. In addition to his metallic body and always having clear ideas, he can turn his limbs into firearms.
Doctor Phosphorus, played by Julian Kostov
- Al Doctor Phosphorus It is easy to identify it compared to the rest: its appearance is that of a skeleton surrounded by a body that is constantly exposed to its own combustion. Not only is he a strange and dangerous guy, but Waller anticipates that he is radioactive.
Nina Mazursky, played by Zoë Chao
- You could say that the only one with a clear head in this group is Nina Mazurskybut she always has her in water: she is a metahuman with physical and facial features typical of amphibians. However, her greatest contribution is that, unlike all the previous brutes, she is a brilliant scientist.
The group is complemented by Frankensteinvoiced by David Harbour, and who for all intents and purposes shares many traits with the character popularized by Mary Shelley and widely represented by Universal Pictures. Here, however, he's a guy whose strength is only surpassed by his obsession with the girlfriend his creator made him. Friend or enemy? The fact is that it is not part of the initiative and already has one of its most valuable assets against it.
How Creature Commandos fits into the new DC universe and Warner Animation's legacy
Gunn's series is the touchstone of the biggest superhero project made by Warner Bros., and that is transcendental: everything that happens throughout it is canon and has an impact on future animated series, those recorded with real actors, big movies, video games, etc. However, that doesn't mean the tone of all upcoming projects will be the same: the Superman movie is expected to retain the classic values of America's definitive Boy Scout. Something that, needless to say, is quite far from what is shown in Creature Commandos.
As we mentioned at the beginning, the result of this entry into the new stage of DC Studios is a declaration of intentions in which it is clear that they will not seek to be complacent with the interests of the studios, much less with the most susceptible viewers. In fact, given what we have seen, the plan does not seem to be to sell dolls and backpacks to children, but rather win over the adult audience with content that, despite its clichés, does not pay attention to subtleties.
The animation and visual style, on the other hand, is in complete harmony with what has been seen in Warner Animation, reminiscent of the latest animated films of the Justice League, Mortal Kombat or the canceled series of Velma in regards to aesthetics and the target audience. Without reaching excellence, but playing its cards very well when it comes to presenting uncomfortable conflicts or characters having sex when necessary. Could the animation have been more careful? In Creature Commandos what matters is the plot and the characters. Nothing else.
In fact, Gunn's plan is that, regardless of whether a second season is made or not, the Creature Commandos characters will return played by the same actors in all media. In other words: if Rick Flag Sr. appears in Superman o The Brave and The Boldwill be played by Frank Grillo and will look like the animated series. And that will mean that everything you do now counts. His successes and his mistakes.
What we do know is that Creature Commandos It is not a typical start for a great superhero project, but that works in its favor: in a time in which movies are beginning to become too repetitive and too many superheroes are blatant replicas (or parodies) of others, it is appreciated that it is look for a dissonance. Contribute new ideas. Even if the other half of them look like something out of a horror movie from more than 50 years ago.
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