The Old Guard
(Netflix/Skydance)
By Lucas Allen
This summer, the pandemic has us out of the theaters, missing out on some stellar superhero blockbusters like “Black Widow” or “Wonder Woman 1984.” To fill that void, Netflix has provided viewers with its own superhero franchise in the making, with “The Old Guard.” The movie that bears some resemblance to “Highlander,” more than “The Avengers,” is based on a graphic comic book by Greg Rucka who also wrote the script.
Andy (Charlize Theron) leads a small band of soldiers who each bear a gift of immortality having been around for thousands and thousands of years. Although they’ve been saving countless lives for a very long time, she along with Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) reaches a point that it’s becoming less worthwhile considering where humanity is heading. The group experiences a psychic connection when a young army soldier named Nile (Kiki Layne) gets killed in the line of duty only to be awoken and completely healed. Reluctantly, Andy proceeds to find Nile and recruit her as part of the small army.
As the team goes into hiding, Nile tries to emotionally process her newfound immortality, especially when she’s having nightmares about Andy’s past. However, the team is hunted by mercenaries led by Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who wants to capture them for his evil Pharma boss Merrick (Harry Melling) for more innovative medical research. When two team members are kidnapped, the other three have to try to find Copley and Merrick before their immortality is exposed to the world. Unfortunately for Andy, her sudden loss of her abilities could lead to greater trouble.
On paper, this movie seems like another average superhero origin story trying to make a name for itself, much like the recent “Bloodshot.” But thanks to its stellar cast and confident direction, it has enough layers of emotional storytelling to make it more worthwhile. The main characters provide the backbone as we’re told of their various lives as immortals and the dramatic conflict that was brought onto them. Also, the team dynamic help drive the emotional core especially when things get intense in the final act.
As with other superhero movies, the action scenes are well-executed, with exciting hand-to-hand combat and some intense shoot-outs. Without making those scenes feel like pointless excursions, they help add to the dramatic storytelling. There’s also a hint of religious allegory when the main character’s abilities could be either supernatural or God-like that hasn’t been fully explored. It seems when we do get a sequel, it’ll probably be explained no matter how ridiculous it may sound.
Theron is in top form as usual displaying her frenetic action skills as well as her strong acting. She easily positions herself a leader among a very diverse cast each giving the right amount of believability to their roles. One worthy highlight is Layne being the central heart of the story becoming the one most relatable to the viewer.
While it may not break any ground in the superhero genre, “The Old Guard” succeeds in its own right for combining action and drama. More than simply a Netflix movie, it’s uniquely action cinema one would’ve enjoyed more in the cinema. Since the ending sets up a sequel, that’s one Netflix movie worth waiting for.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for sequences of graphic violence, and language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.5 Stars (Out of Four)
