- Frank Grillo has revealed why he thinks Rick Flag Sr is Creature Commandos‘ most tragic character
- The titular group’s leader is going through a lot when we first meet him
- Grillo says events in the R-rated Max series showcase his “vulnerability” as a man
Creature Commandos star Frank Grillo has offered his thoughts on why Rick Flag Sr may be the animated show’s most “tragic” character.
Speaking to TechRadar ahead of the Max series’ debut on December 5, Grillo, who voices Flag Sr, suggested the team’s commander-in-chief is arguably the most vulnerable member of the group. Indeed, Grillo believes that, despite his leadership qualities, Flag Sr’s “humanity” means he’ll be more conflicted than his superpowered DC comrades when asked to make difficult decisions.
It isn’t just Flag Sr’s lack of superhuman abilities that endangers him throughout the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) TV show. Full spoilers follow for 2021’s The Suicide Squad movie, so turn back now if you haven’t seen it.
As Grillo explains, the death of his son – Rick Flag Jr – in The Suicide Squad is still weighing heavy on his mind; an emotionally devastating event that may also impact the choices he makes in Creature Commandos.
“Rick is meant to anchor everything in reality,” Grillo told me. “He has his own things going on, especially after the death of his son. There’s an element of trying to reconcile that tragedy and use that to not just ground that character, but also make him more recognizable as a human being than anything else. A lot of the time, you [the viewer] are seeing things through his eyes, which is more representative of the audience, so it’s a necessary element to have.”
A fling with a femme fatale
It won’t come as a shock to learn, then, that Flag Sr’s most notable relationships – early on in Creature Commandos, anyway – are with his fellow humans. Indeed, with Flag Sr leading a group of monster-inspired supervillains and anti-heroes, many of whom have seemingly lost every ounce of their own humanity, the dynamics he shares with them are fractious at best. So, it’s the relationship between Flag Sr and ARGUS leader Amanda Waller, and a far steamier one he has with Princess Ilana of Pokolistan, that he prioritizes in the DCU Chapter One series.
James Gunn is never happy, so he was always telling us ‘no, do one more, please!’
Frank Grillo, Creature Commandos voice actor
Elaborating on Flag Sr’s fling with Ilana, Grillo said: “It’s a great indication of his vulnerability and humanity that, when he’s presented with a very beautiful woman who always gets what she wants, it’s really hard for him to say ‘no’. It’s that human element that makes him interesting. You know, he can succumb to the same desires that all men have.”
Considering Flag Sr’s inability to turn down Ilana’s advances, one thing leads to another and… well, you get the idea. How, then, did Grillo find out recording all manner of sex-based grunts and other noises to depict the pair’s fornication in the series?
“It was very interesting to simulate passionate, steamy sex by yourself in a voice recording booth!” Grillo laughed as he replied to my question. “Maria [Bakalova, Ilana’s voice actor] and I are in different booths and, you know, we’re kind of screaming and writhing and making all of these surreal noises. And James [Gunn, DC Studios’ co-chief] is never happy, so he was always telling us ‘no, do one more, please!'”
I’ll be covering Creature Commandos in more detail once the R-rated show is released on Max, aka one of the world’s best streaming services. For now, check out my spoiler-light Creature Commandos review, or read more of our DC Comics-based articles in the section below.