Let me know if you’ve heard this before, ok? James Gunn is back with a new superhero project. It features a cast of misfit, C- and D-list characters forced to unite for the greater good. The misfits are more than meets the eye, with some of them having truly sad backstories. And there is a lot of wackiness and hijinks, with needle-drop moments interspersed throughout. Is this “The Suicide Squad?” Close, but no. Is it another “Guardians of the Galaxy?” Nope. This is “Creature Commandos,” a “new” series that ticks all the James Gunn checkboxes and offers very little that you can’t find elsewhere in the filmmaker’s IMDB. Oh yeah, and it’s supposed to kickstart a new superhero universe. 
READ MORE: The 20 Best TV Shows of 2024
“Creature Commandos,” tells the story of a group of non-human, misunderstood superhero types who are brought together by Rick Flag, Sr. (Frank Grillo) and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) in an attempt to protect a young princess (Maria Bakalova) from an out of control sorceress, Circe (Anya Chalotra). You see, Waller isn’t able to use humans for this suicide mission because of what happened in the events of “The Suicide Squad” (yes, that film is apparently canon in the new DCU). So, her loophole is to use non-humans such as The Bride (Indira Varma), Dr. Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk), Nina Mazursky (Zoe Chao), Weasel (Sean Gunn), and G.I. Robot (Sean Gunn… again). You see, it’s different but the same. And that’s really where this show goes wrong.
This show doesn’t even hide the fact that it’s a derivative of “The Suicide Squad.” Hell, it is even genuinely derivative of what Gunn did over three ‘Guardians’ films. And the gimmick is starting to really wear thin. How often can we see him play with misfit toys that quip nearly constantly? “Creature Commandos” is the official start of DC Studios’ new DCU. Yet, it already feels stale. 
Let’s try to talk about some of the good things. The animation is handled really well, and it feels unique and stylish. The cast of characters is perfect for animation, as a live-action version of this show would have broken the bank. In addition, the cast is really solid, bringing to life these characters, even if the characters themselves aren’t all that great. And well, that’s about it. 
You see, so much of this show doesn’t work. The plot is spelled out in exposition in the show’s first five minutes. And sure, there are a couple of twists, but this story is paper-thin—no two ways around it. In addition, the structure of the episodes feels off as each one not only pushes forward the plot but also serves as a flashback for one of the characters. Sadly, for Gunn, these flashbacks are infinitely more interesting than the actual plot of the season. Standout stories include the flashbacks for G.I. Robot and Weasel. 
Support independent movie journalism to keep it alive. Sign up for The Playlist Newsletter. All the content you want and, oh, right, it’s free.
Then there’s the action of the show. James Gunn has a wealth of characters in the DC Universe to choose from. Sure, some characters showed up in the “Creature Commando” comics that deserve a place here. However, when push comes to shove, the action in this series feels like it was ripped from the “John Wick” playbook. Instead of having characters who have superpowers that would look amazing in animation, each character (except for those who choose not to fight and would rather cower in fear) uses guns to shoot people. A typical action scene in this show goes something like this—the Creature Commandos pull up to the scene, get out and start shooting the bad guys, who then, in turn, shoot back. Limbs are blown off. Heads pop like watermelons. Blood is everywhere. Do you mean to tell me that the best we can do in a series with a fish-woman, a humanoid weasel, the Bride of Frankenstein, and a man who is a nuked human filled with radiation are shootouts? Gunn really needs to try harder than that. 
Overall, “Creature Commandos” feels like a blip on the DCU radar. It’s clear now why Gunn says his “Superman” is the true start of the new universe. Because if this is the best he can offer, then the DCU is in trouble. [D+]
“Creature Commandos” premieres December 5 on MAX.