Peacemaker Season 2 Review: Cena’s Still a Riot, But the Chaos Gets Messy
Alright, let’s dive into Peacemaker Season 2, the return of John Cena’s chrome-domed, peace-obsessed antihero in James Gunn’s wild corner of the DC Universe (DCU). After a killer first season that spun out of The Suicide Squad (2021), expectations were sky-high for this follow-up. Season 2, which dropped on HBO Max starting August 21, 2025, brings back the crude humor, ‘80s hair metal vibes, and over-the-top action, now set in the rebooted DCU post-Superman (July 2025). But with a multiverse twist, a revenge-hungry Rick Flag Sr., and a bigger cast, does it keep the magic or fumble the bag? Spoiler: it’s a fun, bloody ride, but it’s also a bit of a hot mess. Let’s break it down, no sugarcoating.
The Setup: Multiverse Madness and Family Feuds
Season 2 picks up a few months after the Butterfly invasion from Season 1, with Chris Smith, aka Peacemaker (John Cena), moping around at home, lovelorn over Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and stinging from a failed audition for the Justice Gang—yep, that’s the DCU’s new not-quite-Justice League, featuring Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). Things get wild when Chris stumbles through a portal in his dad’s creepy house, landing in an alternate universe where his life is perfect: his dad loves him, Harcourt’s his girlfriend, and his dead brother Keith is alive. Sounds sweet, right? Not so fast—Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) is hunting him down to avenge his son’s death from The Suicide Squad, and A.R.G.U.S. is sniffing around for their own shady reasons.
The eight-episode season, written entirely by Gunn and directed by him (episodes 1, 6, and 8), Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Alethea Jones, drops weekly on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max. It’s set a month after Superman, tying into the new DCU, and leans hard into multiverse shenanigans, with Chris facing an alternate version of himself and a new villain tied to A.R.G.U.S. It’s a lot—maybe too much.
The Good: Cena’s Charm, Gore, and That Opening Dance
John Cena is still the beating heart of this show. His Peacemaker is a glorious mess—a jingoistic meathead with daddy issues who’s somehow weirdly endearing. Cena’s comedic timing is razor-sharp, whether he’s dropping F-bombs, bickering with his team, or wrestling with his guilt over killing Rick Flag Jr. One episode has him in a hilariously awkward job interview with the Justice Gang, and it’s peak Cena—equal parts cringe and heart. The dude makes you root for a guy who’d probably punch a puppy for “peace.”
The supporting cast is mostly solid. Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo brings warmth and wit, especially in scenes where she’s navigating her own drama (her wife kicked her out—ouch). Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante is still a lovable psychopath, stealing scenes with his unhinged energy, like when he tries to “help” Chris with a pep talk that’s basically a murder tutorial.
Jennifer Holland’s Harcourt and Steve Agee’s Economos hold their own, though their arcs feel a bit sidelined. Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. is a badass addition—gruff, vengeful, and scary enough to make you forget he’s not the main villain. Newcomer Tim Meadows as A.R.G.U.S. agent Langston Fleury is a surprise hit, bringing a smarmy edge that’s both funny and annoying in the best way.
The visuals and action are another high point. Gunn’s love for practical effects and gore shines through—think exploding heads, gooey alien guts, and a fight scene with a giant… something (no spoilers) that’s equal parts gross and awesome. The new opening credits, set to Foxy Shazam’s “Oh Lord,” keep the Season 1 dance tradition alive with a fresh, chaotic energy that screams Peacemaker. The retro ‘80s aesthetic—neon, leather jackets, and grainy CRT screens—pairs perfectly with the metal-heavy soundtrack, though it’s not quite as iconic as Season 1’s Wig Wam banger.
The Not-So-Good: Too Many Ideas, Not Enough Focus
Here’s where it stumbles. Season 2 is trying to do everything—multiverse hopping, revenge plots, A.R.G.U.S. conspiracies, Justice Gang cameos, and Chris’s emotional baggage. It’s like Gunn wrote down every cool idea he had and said, “Screw it, let’s use ‘em all.” The result is a season that feels overstuffed and uneven. The multiverse angle, while fun, gets confusing fast—alternate Peacemaker, alternate realities, and vague rules about portals make it hard to stay invested. The main villain plot, tied to A.R.G.U.S. and Flag Sr., starts strong but fizzles by the end, with a finale that feels more rushed than epic.
The pacing is another issue. The weekly release (unlike Season 1’s three-episode premiere) drags in the middle, with episodes 3 and 4 spending too much time on setup and not enough on payoff. By the time things ramp up in episode 5, you’re already a bit checked out. The humor, while mostly great, has some misses—there’s a running gag about Vigilante’s day job that gets old fast, and some of the raunchy jokes feel forced, like they’re trying to top Season 1’s edginess but don’t quite land.
The DCU transition also feels clunky. Season 1 was DCEU; Season 2 is full DCU, and while Gunn tries to bridge the gap with a “Previously On” recap that tweaks canon, it’s jarring for fans who loved the original continuity. The Justice Gang cameos are cool but feel shoehorned in to set up future DCU projects, and the Superman tie-ins are more distracting than meaningful. Plus, some plot holes bug me—like why does A.R.G.U.S. let Peacemaker run around unsupervised after he killed Flag Jr.? Or how does he just stumble into a portal with zero explanation? It’s not deal-breaking, but it’s sloppy.
The New Faces and Cameos: Mixed Bag
The new cast adds some spice, but not everyone gets a chance to shine. Sol Rodríguez as Sasha Bordeaux is a badass addition, but her role feels undercooked, like she’s just there for action scenes. David Denman pops up briefly but doesn’t leave much of a mark. The Justice Gang trio—Fillion, Merced, and Sean Gunn—are fun but underused, mostly there to flex DCU connections. There’s a big cameo in the finale (no spoilers), hinted at by Gunn, but it feels like fan service rather than a game-changer. Robert Patrick’s Auggie Smith is still a creepy delight, though his screen time is limited compared to Season 1.
The Big Picture: Fun, Flawed, and Still Worth It
So, does Peacemaker Season 2 live up to the hype? It’s a blast when it leans into Cena’s charm, the team’s banter, and Gunn’s knack for gory, irreverent action. The opening dance, the bloody fights, and moments like Chris and Vigilante’s bromance keep you hooked. But the overstuffed plot, shaky pacing, and DCU baggage make it less cohesive than Season 1. It’s got a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes from 72 reviews, and while the praise for Cena and the “emotional stakes” is fair, the season’s ambition sometimes trips over its own chrome helmet.
The finale sets up Season 3 with some juicy teases—new threats, deeper DCU ties, and more of Chris’s redemption arc. If Gunn can streamline the chaos and focus on what works (Cena, the 11th Street Kids, and that in-your-face humor), the next season could be a banger. For now, Season 2 is a fun, flawed ride that’s worth streaming for the laughs and gore, but don’t expect it to top the first season’s tight, unhinged magic.
**Final Verdict: **Peacemaker Season 2 delivers plenty of crude laughs, bloody action, and John Cena at his best, but its messy multiverse plot and uneven pacing keep it from greatness. Grab a beer, crank some metal, and enjoy the chaos—just don’t overthink the plot holes.