The Old Guard - Netflix

Immortality isn’t a concept that new to the action genre, although it’s commonly associated with superheroes. Having adapted his own graphic novel for the screen, Greg Rucka seems to do a great job of taking this trait and blending it in a different world to the franchises of Marvel or DC.

Led by Andy (Charlize Theron), The Old Guardis centred around a team of immortal mercenaries who have spent hundreds of years fighting for others and themselves, despite higher authorities and officials threatened by their speciality. Now in the 21stcentury, their secret is out once more and corporate head Merrick (Harry Melling) wants to exploit this power for financial gain. It’s as if a group of sideburn-less Wolverines ditched the world of X-Menand found themselves within the world stakes of Highlander.

Despite no Connor MacLeod or Queen soundtrack, our immortal protagonists are lacking in the personality department to be able to carry this whole film. Theron is great as usual, given further proof that she can carry any action film with ease at this point. But her limelight is equally shared with newcomer Kiki Layne (playing Nile), who gave an outstanding breakout performance in 2018’s If Beale Street Could Talk. Nile is the young blood of the group, a member of the US military unaware of her inability to die. Whilst the mentoring of another generation can feel lacklustre in its introduction, a memorable fight scene between the two will quickly change that tune.

But whilst these two have scene-stealing scenes, everyone else seems to fall further in the shadows. Acclaimed actors like Matthias Schoenaerts and Chiwetel Ejiofor do their best with what they’re given but due to the rest of this group having the same traits and complexities as Andy and Nile, they’re individual motivations don’t gather as large as an emotional response as Theron’s. Andy’s own guilt due to her unable to save and rescue her immortal lover Quynh (Van Veronica Ngo) gives us some great albeit distracting flashbacks.

The concept itself gives us something new and once more dives into the negativity of truly being immortal. Watching loved ones dies or suffering an eternity of pain in consequences where death would be a fairer punishment. These moments are played into excellently by director Gina Prince-Bythewood who gives as much detail and care to these emotional moments as she does for the action.

The Old Guardmay not necessarily be freshening up the superhero genre or saying anything ground-breaking within the concept of living forever, but Netflix sure seems to be hoping for some longevity in its IP. A post-credits sequence is sure relying on a sequel and if it can elabraote on its mixture of supernatural and action duo style, it may be given one. This isn’t anything quite comparable to Marvel or DC, which is a good and bad thing. It has once more expanded the palette of superhero traits, reassuring audiences we won’t just be getting Avengers sequels from here to eternity. But at the same time, The Old Guardis certainly lacking a few things for this to be a kickstarter into a complicated franchise.