A generic [SPOILER ALERT] warning: The Old Guard is best if you go into it fresh. Just read the review later! I promise you won’t hurt my feelings.
Charlize Theron is the most versatile actress in Hollywood. She’s conquered every genre imaginable, usually with amazing, diverse results like completely inhabiting a Fox New Anchor or post apocalyptic amputee in the Australian Outback. So playing a centuries old god like figure is just another part of the spectrum we can add to Theron’s ever growing wheel of talents. A big ass wheel, for the record.
We find out Andy (Theron) is quasi immortal about 20 minutes into the film, when CIA Agent James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) leads them into a trap and executes Andy and her friends Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli). There’s just one problem: it’s hard to kill immortals, so the 4 “gods” basically dust themselves off and get out of there. Copley was expecting this; he’s working with Steven Merrick (Harry Melling), a pharmaceutical CEO who wants to use the old guard’s blood to help the human race. Throwing further wrenches into the proceedings is Nile Freeman (Kiki Layne), a US Marine who Andy and the others find out is also one of them, forcing Andy to save Nile from a life of torture/experimentation.
The director of the Old Guard is Gina Prince-Bythewood, who makes films that are always interesting (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights). She previously had never done an action movie before; for The Old Guard, she chooses realism over CGI spectacle. This works best when Charlize Theron, consummate professional, is front and center in the action. The best sequence is on a plane, as Theron is teaching “the kid” Kiki Layne about what her new abilities are. There’s also lots of well choreographed sequences in brightly lit corporate offices, with Andy showing off her assassin skills she’s accrued over the years. It isn’t setting any Raid-like new standards, but it’s certainly fun and exciting.
When it comes to the story in The Old Guard, we’re basically getting your run of the mill origin story. This choice probably keeps the budget low, as there aren’t any immortals really fighting each other in crazy ways. Necessary to pitch to Netflix/Skydance, but sadly this is also the least interesting part of the movie, as egomaniacal CEOs and the “needs of the many vs. needs of the few” studies we’ve seen before. However, the world building/mythology, clearly intended for potential future installments, teases REALLY interesting material, which will help keep the audience engaged with each new idea/subplot. Gina Prince-Bythewood disperses the little world building tidbits smartly, walking that line from teasing for the future and helping drive the current installment at the same time.
Netflix hasn’t had enough blockbuster movie franchises yet: one of the few hurdles it has left. To All the Boys covers the romcom space. 6 Underground gives them a potential action franchise. And now The Old Guard leaves the door open for multiple movies about ancient immortal superheroes. If movie theaters weren’t scared before, they are now: Netflix is coming for what’s left of their profits: spectacle.