Creature Commandos First Reviews: Violent, fun, funny and surprisingly moving

James Gunn continues to raise the bar for the DC Universe on the big and small screens with Creature Commandosan animated TV series that is getting raves in its initial reviews. Although it is something attached to Suicide Squad movie and spinoff show, it marks the first official title in the rebooted mega-franchise and proves it’s headed in a good direction. As you might expect, this show features an eclectic bunch of characters, all of whom are tragically lovable. But like Gunn’s other DC work so far, it’s not as family-friendly as his Marvel movies, for better or for worse.

Here’s what critics are saying about Creature Commandos:

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Is this a must-see superhero show?

Creature Commandos is a restless good time… The seven-episode series is truly an amazingly good time to watch and re-watch.
— Cassondra Feltus, Black Girl Nerds

One of the funnest experiences I’ve ever had watching a superhero thing.
— Lauren Milici, Total Film

Creature Commandos is an exciting, fun, heartfelt, hilarious animated series and a wonderful start to a new DC.
— Julian Lytle, RIOTUS

That’s exactly what you need to launch a massive franchise like the DCU.
— Charlie Ridgely, ComicBook.com

Creature Commandos isn’t exactly fresh, but it’s fun anyway.
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

Creature Commandos does enough justice to warrant a viewing, especially for fans of the lesser-known DC characters who now get a chance to shine.
— Ernesto Valenzuela, discussing film

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(Photo by Max)

Does it have James Gunn’s fingerprints all over it?

Those who love Gunn’s previous work for both Marvel and DC will feel right at home Creature Commandos.
— Nate Richard, Collider

What’s obvious from the start is how much of a James Gunn project this is.
— Tyler Robertson, IGN Films

Creature Commandos is the most James Gunn cartoon ever to have James Gunn-ed. This is mostly a good thing.
— Reuben Baron, Looper.com

Creature Commandos is very clearly the brainchild of James Gunn, and I’m here for it.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

No doubt it’s nothing more than a byproduct of Gunn’s horror/junk/sleaze deranged mind… Even when he’s running in circles, the guy still knows how to deliver cheap thrills.
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

While it’s easy to compare and contrast with Gunn’s other works, Creature Commandos stands on its own… There’s just something else here.
— Lauren Milici, Total Film

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Will it remind us of something else?

While Commander’ gnarled violence will certainly be compared to Invincibleits action sequences strike a more nimble balance between mayhem and whimsy than the Prime Video series, which inventively and viscerally deploys a varied array of superpowers attuned to the moods of the people wielding them.
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

I have spent most of my adult life chasing the high of (Batman: The Animated Series), wondering when something equally dark and daring would make its way onto my television screen—and Creature Commandos is close enough.
— Lauren Milici, Total Film

Corresponding to Harley Quinn or Dragonman: Hell yeah!, Creature Commandos has a darkly comedic tone with lots of exploding body parts, creative kills, funny jokes and touching moments.
— Cassondra Feltus, Black Girl Nerds

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(Photo by Max)

How is the action?

Some very good action set pieces with some good match tempo and action pacing in general.
— Julian Lytle, RIOTUS

The fight scenes are choreographed and well animated.
— Reuben Baron, Looper.com

The action is undoubtedly the highlight of the series.
— Ernesto Valenzuela, discussing film

Creature Commandos is undoubtedly at his best, delivering bloody, manic fight scenes.
— Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

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Is it violent?

The violence is extra gory… Nothing is illegal, which is good news.
— Charlie Ridgely, ComicBook.com

Creature Commandos is incredibly violent, but it’s a kind of theme park violence that can’t be taken too seriously.
— MN Miller, Film Focus Online

It’s packed with astonishing violence… but even with all those messy body parts flying around, Gunn’s monster mash achieves the level of gravitas it so often seeks.
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

There’s a bit of gore with limbs being cut off and worse going on, so if that’s not your bag, skip the show.
— Julian Lytle, RIOTUS

It’s definitely not for kids… The animation allows them to really go all out when it comes to the blood and gore of it all.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

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(Photo by Max)

How is the writing?

The writing delivers complex storytelling with humor and depth despite the time constraint.
— Ben Gibbons, Screen Rant

The story has some exciting twists and turns as the commandos are taken on a bit of a ride… (It) feels different enough, yet fresh and inviting.
— Julian Lytle, RIOTUS

(Gunn) has always had a knack for making you laugh and cry in equal measure while never sacrificing the story to do so. He makes it clear in this show that with his vision for the DCU, story will always come first.
— Charlie Ridgely, ComicBook.com

It shouldn’t be that surprising Creature Commandos plays to all of Gunn’s greatest strengths as a storyteller… (but) Gunn delves so deeply into the personal lives and insecurities of the titular team that it sometimes comes at the expense of the show’s story.
— Nate Richard, Collider

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Will we care about these characters?

Each character gets enough screen time for viewers to feel connected to them and learn about their backstories… At the center of it all is a truly touching story.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

You will fall in love with every single member of this team, and maybe almost every character on the show.
— Charlie Ridgely, ComicBook.com

Gunn is too sane a storyteller, too fascinated by the make and psychology of these esoteric freaks and nerds to let their stories be generic. So Gunn detours from the show’s pandemonium to explore the origins of the Commandos, painting a vivid picture of who these oddballs are and why they’re so willing to march to Waller’s drum.
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

The character moments also benefit from the expressive nature of how the leads are brought to life, something that’s crucial when part of this series is devoted to exploring their respective, and often tragic, backstories.
— Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

There is so much life in these animated characters that I started crying around episode 3 and didn’t stop until the end credits rolled on episode 7.
— Lauren Milici, Total Film

By the end of those seven episodes, I was absolutely in awe of the entire squad—which made the emotions of the finale hit even harder.
— Tyler Robertson, IGN Films

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(Photo by Max)

How is the animation?

The animation from Paris studio Bobbypills is a happy marriage between Peter Chung and Invinciblea madcap gallery of professionally storyboarded choreography and engaging character work that only diminishes in quality when the dust settles.
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

visually, Creature Commandos is a match for the high, if not exceptional, quality we’ve come to expect from Warner Bros. Animation’s DC cartoon.
— Reuben Baron, Looper.com

Creature Commandos’ animation style fits the tone of the show perfectly. It’s not as cartoony as Harley Quinnbut it also doesn’t feel as self-serious as many of the direct-to-video DC animated films.
— Nate Richard, Collider

Although it looks stiff in some of the show’s quieter moments, the animation does an incredible job of telling the twisted and enticing story of Creature Commandos.
— Ernesto Valenzuela, discussing film

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How about the signature James Gunn soundtrack?

Creature Commandos also features the carefully curated soundtrack you’d expect from a Gunn project… As weird and wacky as its cast, bringing a playful, immature-on-target attitude to the entire enterprise.
— Tyler Robertson, IGN Films

Expect more needle drops from bands like Gogol Bordello and The Dresden Dolls. Anyone unfamiliar with the sound of gypsy punk might find the songs a little strange at first, but will quickly realize how appropriate the energy is for the show’s overall Eastern European aesthetic.
— Cassondra Feltus, Black Girl Nerds

The music is another highlight; not only does Gunn find some unexpected, catchy numbers to accompany the action, but Kevin Kiner and Clint Mansell’s score is a perfect fit for this crazy team-up.
— Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

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(Photo by Max)

How is the voice cast?

The vocal work throughout Creature Commandos is impeccable, and it makes me giddy to think about the whole “same actors in animation and live-action” rule that this new DCU has already said it will live by.
— Charlie Ridgely, ComicBook.com

The voice actors give a lot of personality to each character, making them distinct.
— Ben Gibbons, Screen Rant

Frank Grillo is the standout as Rick Flag Sr… The actor looks set to be a big part of the DCU in the future and Gunn has done well casting the former MCU actor.
— Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

The clear standout of Creature Commandos is Indira Varma as The Bride, delivering a fun and well-worn take on the iconic horror monster.
— Ernesto Valenzuela, discussing film

Varma was the perfect choice to voice The Bride, bringing a mountain of swagger, wit and a shocking amount of maturity to the role.
— Nate Richard, Collider

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Are there any problems?

The one thing about Creature Commandos what doesn’t always work is its sense of sexuality. It’s an extremely horny show…something we’re trying to move past in the entertainment industry in 2024.
— Tyler Robertson, IGN Films

There are moments in Creature Commandos when Gunn steers all this bedlam and depravity too far away, his sweetly calibrated emotional beats clashing with the carnage.
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

The only major downside is that the show does almost nothing new, and even its attempts at surprising twists you can mostly see coming a mile away because we’ve seen this schtick before.
— Reuben Baron, Looper.com

One of my few gripes with the series: There are only seven episodes.
— Lauren Milici, Total Film

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(Photo by Max)

Does it do a good job of setting up the new DC Universe?

An exciting taste of what’s to come from DC Studios going forward… If Creature Commandos is a sign of things to come, we’re all in on the DCU.
— Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com

If this is the kind of quality we can expect from the new DCU, the future looks bright.
— Tyler Robertson, IGN Films

It more than proves that the new DCU is in good hands. I’m ready for more.
— Lauren Milici, Total Film

The series can feel overloaded with information (it lays down more clues for the DCU than you might think).
— Jarrod Jones, AV Club

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93%

Creature Commandos: Season 1
(2024)
premieres on Max on December 5, 2024.

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