Review: The Old Guard

Hey everyone and here I am back with a new 2020 movie review! This time I will be taking a look at another movie that was allegedly a big hit on Netflix when it premiered in the middle of last year, The Old Guard, an adaptation of the comic series of the same name. Now to put things into perspective I have never read the books it is based on, yet I was still intrigued by the concept concerning immortal warriors as that is an idea that has always fascinated me and one that I feel is full of so many possibilities so I’m all in for these types of stories. Add in a solid cast led by Charlize Theron and this was bound to catch my attention. So now that I have finally seen it, how did I feel about it? Well I did end up liking it quite a bit as it certainly is another step in the right direction for Netflix’s big blockbuster type movies. Let’s get right to it and join up with this team of immortals in what could be the beginning of a potential franchise for the streamer.

As mentioned we follow a group of immortals by the names of Andy, Booker, Joe, and Nicky who have been alive for centuries thanks to their abilities to regenerate from any injuries and wounds they get. With their combat skills they go around the world taking missions to help out people who need help the most even as they question their purpose in the world and whether living as long as they do is worth it. They usually only work for their employers once, yet that changes when a CIA agent by the name of James Copley gives them a job that involves rescuing some kidnapped girls in South Sudan. This turns out to be a set up, as Copley was really intending on capturing their regeneration on camera which means they must go on the run. That’s not all however as Andy and the team find out through a shared dream that there is another immortal out there named Nile who is just now gaining her powers for the first time and Andy eventually tracks her down and plans on showing the young soldier (who is naturally scared and confused) the ropes while also hiding away from Copley and his team, but with their freedom on the line they might have to bring on the fight.

The idea of there being immortal beings who have roamed the Earth for many years is an idea that has of course been explored before, with Highlander being a popular example for instance, yet it is one that I find inherently interesting and I am always excited to see how it could be tackled next. In the case of the Old Guard I think it is able to does succeed in exploring it’s ideas as it explains the rules nicely and showcases just what these immortals can do, and the ways in which they would go about covering their tracks so no one discovers who they really are. I even like how it is able to find a way to have some sort of catch to the immortality ability as the tricky thing in having characters who cannot die is that it takes away a lot of the stakes needed to truly get invested in what’s going on and it is kind of hard to do that when we know our characters are invincible. This movie is able to avoid that trap as the writers did find a way to make their immortality not last forever (it can basically disappear at any time) and I think that did make the action and tension a lot more engaging than it otherwise might have been. Also it makes sure to take the time to flesh out the characters so that we care about them and even dive into some questions about whether or not being immortal is a good thing or a bad thing with each of the characters being very conflicted on it given the trauma each of them have faced in the past. Some of these arcs may be familiar, but it still gave the team some depth and I did find the way it tackled these themes compelling for the most part and I like that the movie revealed certain things as the movie progresses instead of just dumping exposition to the audience. I will admit though that there are times where the movie can screech to a halt whenever it needs to explain something to us and these moments can slow things down considerably. This does hurt the pacing quite a bit and another notable thing, which I don’t know if it is good or bad, but the movie does feel a bit like a feature length pilot episode or set up film for a potential franchise with a glorified sequel hook and mid credits tease to boot. Usually that can bother me but thankfully the movie itself works on it’s own (despite some loose plot threads) and is an enjoyable “pilot” with an intriguing direction for the sequel if they choose to make it.

For those who came for the action well I’d say the movie does deliver on that regard for the most part. Director, Gina Prince-Bythewood stages them in a coherent manner, and does not rely on things like shaky cam instead shooting things in a way so that the people watching can make out what is going on. They also do a nice job of showing off the abilities of this team of mercenaries with the use of different weapons (from standard to fire arms to a medieval axe) being a nice touch. Plus the practical stunt work on display is very impressive and it can be quite brutal at times and things particularly shine when we see the team work together and team up against their enemies especially in the climax. Going back to what I mentioned earlier it also manages to be exciting even with the fact that we are following people who cannot die there though it does make sense how they are so skilled in combat and are able to take their enemies out with ease. However I will say that there are times where the action can get a little repetitive as they all have a similar feel to each other despite the change in scenery. Still it’s undeniably well done it was smart to not make this a non stop action extravaganza as the sequences are spread out nicely throughout. I might also add that in terms of Netflix movies this one does have a bit more scope to it as well as strong production value than some of the other ones which is a complement as it and Extraction do fell like movies that would have played nicely on a big screen even though they are streaming releases.

Ever since Mad Max Fury Road, Charlize Theron has made a bit of a name for herself as an action star with that movie, Atomic Blonde, and now the Old Guard showcasing those skills and once again she is really good in this type of role. She plays Andy with a level of calmness as she shows how she is a very skilled individual who has seen and experienced a lot throughout her time on Earth yet behind the hardened exterior is a deeply damaged soul who questions her purpose in life. I liked the direction her arc was taken and she forms a really strong mentor-mentee relationship with Nile who is another strong character thanks to a great performance from Kiki Layne who does such a good job conveying the confusion and uncertainty the character is going through and she works as a solid audience surrogate for viewers to latch onto. Everyone else in the team gets plenty of time to shine as well with Matthias Schoenaerts’s Sebastian having among the more emotional beats out of them due to his tragic backstory (which is not a new concept yet still works for the purposes of his character and the decisions he makes) while Marwen Kenzari and Luca Marinelli have some nice chemistry as Joe and Nicky respectively with the two having a surprisingly sweet romantic relationship that made me want to see more of their past together. In general the team dynamic worked and was among the highlights of the movie as it you can sense that these guys have been through a lot together and it adds a bit of heart to the movie. Then there are the villains of the feature and unfortunately they were a bit of a let down. Of course Chiwetel Ejiofor is a fantastic actor and I like the idea of Copley’s character as he does play a key role, but he just does not get a whole lot to do despite his significance to the plot and in setting up the new status quo. At the very least he is better served than the actual baddie of the movie, Steven Merrick, a pharmaceutical executive played by Harry Melling who wants to use the immortals so he can find a way to make regular people gain those abilities. Melling is fine here and the motivation on paper sounds interesting, but the character is thinly written with not much beyond the surface as he’s just a typical greedy CEO type character with not much in the way of a interesting personality beyond being cruel and cold. I am hoping that if there is a follow up that the creative team will come up with a more compelling threat for our compelling team of heroes to face.

In the end, The Old Guard is a solid action movie that can have it’s share of pacing issues, conventionally handled concepts, and an unremarkable villain, but it’s conflicts and ideas are inherently interesting, it builds it’s world and mythology nicely, the action is well done and exciting, and the team members themselves are compelling in their own right and are characters I would like to see in another adventure. As franchise starters this is a really good one with plenty of franchise potential and the ending did leave me curious as to what could occur next. Plus with this, and Extraction Netflix has been somewhat on a role when it comes to their “big” action movies and I am hoping that that will continue to be the case in the future.

Rating: B+

Please leave your thoughts down below in the comments and see you guys later!