by Shane Conto
Who wants to live forever? A new Highlander film is here and it is time to review it! Oh wait…this isn’t a new Highlander film? Oh…well it is time to review Netflix’s latest action film starring immortals, The Old Guard! In all seriousness, The Old Guard tells the tale of a group of immortals who have fought alongside each other throughout history. Instead of having to chop off their heads, at some point their bodies just stop healing. Netflix has been bringing the action in 2020 while increasing their budgets and putting A-list stars at the forefront. The trend hasn’t been great for these films but they meet the much lower standard of being able to just stream them from home. The Old Guard falls in line with this pattern and delivers just enough to keep you entertained.
First and foremost, Charlize Theron delivers the goods with her fantastic presence and superior acting skills.
She takes command as the team leader and the actor carrying the film. Whether it is recounting her life throughout history or beating up every baddie that gets dropped in front of her, Theron is by far the best part of the film. KiKi Layne arrives on the scene as the newest immortal and provides strong charisma and quality chemistry with her new mentor, Theron’s Andy. The rest of the team do their best with what they are given including the underrated Matthias Schoenaerts. You really feel a sense of family and love among this group whether it is the maternal connection that Theron has with her team or the loving relationship between two of them, Joe and Nicky. Theron and Layne get the most depth by far among the group but unfortunately the same cannot be said about the antagonists. Chiwetel Ejiofor is an incredible acting talent with charisma and acting chops galore but he is wasted in a role mostly there to drive the plot forward. Harry Melling plays an evil corporate CEO after their immortality and honestly never amounts to anything more than just a “moustache-twirling” villain.
Enough about characters. Why did you come to this film in the first place? The action of course! Probably the most surprising thing about The Old Guard is that there is a distinct lack of action throughout.
For a film that tops out at 125 minutes, there are only sporadic scenes that deliver action. But when the action does come, it is quite entertaining. The camera work and cinematography are not on the same level of craft as say John Wick but the actual stunt work is surely delivered. Theron shows she has the physicality to be a great action star (which she already proved with Mad Max: Fury Road). The unique weapons used by the immortal warriors standout in the action to make it more unique. From the beginning of the film, you are dropped into a mission that sets the tone for the intense action and interesting healing dynamic of the characters.
Where the film gets brought down is the script. There are long sections of world building that feel like never ending exposition dumps. Does the audience get anything out of these scenes?
They certainly do as they establish the long history and significance of the immortals’ work/ They also establish the pain and hurt that Theron’s character carries with her that drives her actions. But in the end, they take away from the main plot too often. As I mentioned before, the villains of the film lack depth and intriguing motivations. Too often characters make decisions that feel less driven by who they are and more to drive the plot and add some twists. In general, this particular film feels more like it is trying to set up a larger world and build towards a future franchise than it does trying to work on its own. Does it deliver on that set up? I know I would be intrigued to see these characters again in a real stand-alone mission that is not bogged down by their origins. To give some credit to the script, the way that immortality is handled with it potentially ending whenever makes for some strong tension. This was a cool way to get around the fact that an immortal protagonist can really drag down the tension and sense of danger.
Is The Old Guard going to be one of the best action films of recent memory? No. Does it set itself up for the potential to be a great action franchise for Netflix moving forward? It sure does. With Theron leading the way, Netflix might have a line of hits in the future.
For now, The Old Guard delivers a satisfying enough experience that adds a little teaser at the end to allude to what is to come.
Grade: B-