John Cena Has Come A Long Way Since His Acting Debut With a 17% RT Score

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Season 2 is looking like it could be one of the strongest DC projects in a long time. It cleverly continues the emotional story from Season 1 and is also laying the groundwork for a solid cinematic universe under James Gunn’s new DCU. This second season of the hit HBO Max series follows the ongoing story of Christopher Smith/Peacemaker (John Cena) and his team as they find a different dimension that initially appears much improved compared to their own world. But as Peacemaker and the 11th Street Kids quickly realize, things aren’t always what they appear to be.

, frequently collaborating with a consistent group of actors. A recent addition to James Gunn’s regular cast is John Cena, the former WWE wrestler who transitioned from full-time wrestling to a Hollywood career. While actors who start as wrestlers sometimes succeed and sometimes don’t, Cena has demonstrated significant promise as a lead actor in prominent films and shows like Peacemaker. His performance in the DCU television series highlights his growth as an actor, especially considering his difficult first acting role almost twenty years ago.

John Cena’s First Acting Job Was a Disaster

In 2006, John Cena began his acting career with the WWE Studios film, The Marine-though it wasn’t a particularly strong start. Cena plays Sergeant John Triton, a Marine discharged and sent home after he defied orders to protect innocent people. When Triton returns to his wife, Kate (Kelly Carlson), he struggles to adjust to normal life. Everything changes when Kate is kidnapped by a group of jewel thieves, led by the ruthless Rome (played by Robert Loggia), who use her as a hostage during a police chase. Determined to rescue his wife, John Triton embarks on a dangerous journey through the South Carolina wilderness, facing alligators, hostile locals, and deadly thieves. He systematically eliminates the gang members, ultimately leading to a final showdown with Rome to decide the fate of both himself and Kate. The Marine also features performances by Many Bennett, Anthony Ray Parker, and Abigail Bianca, who complete Rome’s crew of jewel thieves.

As a film buff, I have to admit, The Marine wasn’t exactly a critical darling. Unfortunately for John Cena and everyone involved, it was almost universally panned when it came out. Critics really tore it apart, calling the 2006 film one of the worst of the year – they didn’t hold back on the predictable plot, weak writing, and even Cena’s performance. It only scored a dismal 17% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, which pretty much says it all. Now, action movies often do better with audiences than with critics, and that was definitely the case here. While critics hated it, viewers gave The Marine a respectable, though not amazing, 60% on Rotten Tomatoes – a full forty-three percentage points higher! However, if you look at other sites like IMDb and Letterboxd, the reaction is much harsher, with ratings of 4.8/10 and 2.3/5 respectively. Despite all the negativity, The Marine somehow spawned a franchise that lasted over a decade! The last one, The Marine 6: Close Quarters, came out in 2018 and seemed to wrap things up. While Cena didn’t reprise his role in the sequels, the Marine movies kept featuring different WWE stars, like Ted DiBiase Jr., Mike “the Miz” Mizanin, Summer Rae, Naomi, Maryse, Shawn Michaels, and Becky Lynch. It’s pretty impressive, considering the bad reviews of his first leading role, that John Cena kept landing acting gigs and eventually became a major Hollywood star. Looking back, nineteen years later, it feels like everything Cena did was leading up to Peacemaker.

Peacemaker Shows John Cena’s Incredible Growth as an Actor

John Cena first appeared as Peacemaker, beginning a strong working relationship with director James Gunn that would prove beneficial for years to come. However, it wasn’t until the 2022 premiere of Peacemaker that Cena truly showcased his acting abilities. The HBO Max series delves much deeper into the character of Christopher Smith, exploring his difficult past, internal struggles, and deepest anxieties over eight episodes of outrageous superhero comedy, surprisingly filled with genuine emotional depth. Viewers familiar only with Cena’s work in The Marine might have doubted his ability to portray such a complex character. But to the delight of many fans, Cena delivers a remarkably fitting performance as Chris Smith. He’s both funny and heartbreaking, often clueless yet somehow endearing. The actor successfully captures all sides of his character, making audiences connect with him despite his imperfections. Arguably his most powerful moment in Season 1 occurs in the sixth episode, featuring a silent scene where Peacemaker sits at a piano and plays “Home Sweet Home” by Mötley Crüe. Cena actually performs the song himself, and his melancholic performance reveals a previously unseen vulnerability within Peacemaker. We see a gentler, more artistic side of Chris Smith, hidden beneath his tough exterior. This is all conveyed through Cena’s expression, making it the most memorable scene of the first season.

John Cena continues to impress in Peacemaker Season 2. Before the season began, creator and DC Studios head James Gunn repeatedly expressed how pleased he was with Cena’s work in the new episodes. Like in the previous season, the sixth episode is crucial to understanding Cena’s performance, and it features what many are calling the best scene of the series so far. The scene takes place in an appropriately tense setting – an interrogation room – where Chris finally addresses Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) about her feelings. This moment reveals a side of Chris we haven’t seen before – a genuine vulnerability, not just for the character, but for John Cena as an actor. Cena delivers a remarkably powerful and emotionally nuanced performance, showcasing how much he’s grown and proving he’s capable of far more than people often realize. John Cena is truly at his best in Peacemaker, solidifying his status as an actor who is even more talented than he was as a wrestler.

John Cena’s Acting Career Has Blown Up Since The Marine

Over the almost twenty years since The Marine, John Cena has established himself as a significant figure in Hollywood. He’s evolved from playing somewhat detached lead roles to becoming a versatile and engaging character actor, showcasing a range of skills that weren’t immediately apparent in his first film. His work since The Marine demonstrates his acting flexibility, spanning genuinely humorous comedies to intense action movies. Movies such as Heads of State, Fast X, and even Ricky Stanicky highlight how much Cena has grown as an actor since he began with The Marine.

Peacemaker really demonstrates how talented John Cena has become as an actor. The show places him among actors like Dave Bautista, proving that wrestlers can be surprisingly good at acting when given the chance and creative freedom. We can hope that this is just the start for Christopher Smith’s story within the DCU, and that Cena will have many more chances to show off his acting skills.

New episodes of Peacemaker air Thursdays at 9:00 pm EST, exclusively on HBO Max.

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2025-10-05 05:37