Netflix’s The Old Guard Review:
I happen to watch Netflix’s latest superhero action film ‘The Old Guard’ and after Netflix’s ‘Extraction’ I find Charlize Theron in ‘The Old Guard’ quite an amazing film.
The movie is an adaptation of the 2017 graphic novel by Greg Rucka. It is about a group of immortal mercenaries who are fighting for centuries against evil.
Gina Prince-BytheWood has crafted a well-written plot with thrilling action sequences. Usually, well-known superhero movies of DC and Marvels have already garnered too much name and fame. For me, ‘The Old Guard’ is something new.
It has a depth of story, drama, emotions, twist in the climax, and a winning hand on hand fight sequences.
Usually, in the superhero movies, a superhero character is glamourized with a perfect suit, but in Netflix’s The Old Guard, there isn’t anything like that.
We see Andy (Charlize Theron) wearing a black T-shirt and Ray-Ban, a sharp and perfectly toned body always ready to kick the villains’ butt.
Story:
Charlize Theron plays the oldest member of the Old Guard and an immortal warrior. Her group contains a few other immortal fighters – Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli).
They got a gig by the former CIA agent Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and landed in Sudan to fight but revealed that they were being set up.
Copley works for a CEO, Merrick (Harry Melling), who is crazy, and he wants to perform a test eventually tortured on the immortal beings to discover the secret of their immortality.
To make the story more interesting, a US Marine Nile Freeman (Kiki Layne) got killed in the line of duty, but soon after she awakened, and we got the hint that she too is an immortal.
Andy and her group of mercenaries must track her down to keep her safe as they don’t want the human to know about the existence of ‘immortal beings.’
Soon the Nile find out the truth about herself and unable to believe about such things in the real world.
Who is Andy or about her past ‘Andromache of Scythia’ is being told by Booker to the Nile.
According to the film, they all are immortals and lived for centuries, but when the times come, they might die. Nobody knows who will die when.
Soon the battle started with the team of Merrick and the mercenaries, who will survive or how the movie ends, well.
I wouldn’t expose the ending, of course. But the movie did leave us with a cliff-hanger giving a hint that probably a second part of the film would come or it would be a franchise of yet another superhero action film.
Analysis:
Netflix’s The Old Guard is a conventional superhero action thriller film in the lead a woman character, Charlize Theron.
Unlike all the other superhero films, Netflix has decided to launch a franchise that focuses on the tale of a woman superhero.
If I have to say something about the story, I would say it’s neat and simple. It’s an action genre of the movie with a touch of superhero elements to add a twist in the plot.
Though nothing much is disclosed about the origin of the characters being immortal or about their years of hidden identities, there are fleeting moments of flashbacks through their dreams, which gives us a probable back story. But nothing clear.
That’s also a guess that Netflix has plans to come up with the second part may be. That could be a probable reason for keeping us in the loop about the complete background story of each character.
Charlize Theron, like Andy, the oldest’ immortal being’ looks terrific in the movie. She has limited dialogues, but the way she has projected herself in the fighting sequences is appreciable.
It’s a movie that wants its audience to enjoy the action sequences. However, there aren’t many superhero activities going around in the film like what we have seen in ‘Captain Marvel’ or ‘Wonder Woman’ but engaging enough to watch.
To be more specific, the hand-in-hand fighting between Andy and the Nile on the plane is perfect.
As the movie plot doesn’t have so much to offer, it is understandable that the filmmaker has focused on making every action sequence interesting and complex.
Is the narrative motivating?
Well, in my opinion, no superhero narrative is motivating.
The character Nile played by Kiki Layne, has also delivered an impressive performance. Her subplot brings a minor twist in the main plot, and her character provides a fitting end to the film.
Disappointment:
The CBI agent Copley’s (Chiwetel) screen presence is too less and not at all provided a depth to the character. I find his role extremely flat.
Then comes the character weirdo Merrick (Harry Melling), who is the villain of the film but happens to be powerless and portrays quite a blunt character.
In his role, there isn’t any factor of evil or cruelty that would make a negative character vicious. It is pretty much evident from in the film that Andy and her fellow warriors are too powerful to beat him.
Stream It or Skip It?
Netflix’s The Old Guard is a worth one-time watch movie.