Based on a graphic novel series written by Greg Rucka (and illustrated by Leandro Fernandez), who adapted his own work into screenplay form, The Old Guard is a fantastical action movie that is helped immensely by the casting of the ever-reliable, and believable, Charlize Theron in the lead role.
Theron plays Andy, one of four immortal warriors who spend their time trying to help the human race. The other members of her group are Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli). There have been one or two others fighting alongside them at times, but at a certain time, undefined and unpredictable, the gift of immortality can simply disappear, leading to the opportunity for a standard death. I describe that as an opportunity because it is a better option than their biggest fear, being trapped and imprisoned. Andy and her group have to move fast when they realise that someone else, a soldier named Nile (KiKi Layne), has just discovered their own immortality. Nile needs to be educated about her new role, and the group need to avoid the stretching grasp of a big pharma company that is wanting to make use of them for experiments in modern medicine. The pharma company is headed up by Merrick (Harry Melling), but his dirty work is done by a squad under the command of Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor).
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (note to self, I am still very keen to see The Woman King), what you get here is a well-paced and fun film that also puts a slightly different spin on the standard trope of the melancholy vampire while also exploring how fluid the concepts of morality and courage are when it comes to fighting for the good of humanity. While the early scenes may have you questioning just how brave our main characters are (yes, this particular concept had me thinking of a certain confrontation between Batman and Superman that crystallised this concept), the third act shows how the potential threat of mortality doesn't have our cast wavering for a moment, which underlines how much the villains misunderstand the guft bestowed upon our heroes.
Everyone gets a handful of good moments, with Kenzari and Marinelli a real delight as the warriors who have found long-life-partners in one another, but it's unsurprising to find that the focus keeps moving back to Theron, Layne, and Schoernaerts (considering they are arguably the two biggest names in the cast, and Layne's character allows her to receive exposition helpful for viewers), and all three have great onscreen presence. The same can be said of Ejiofor, who gets a nice little character arc here as he starts to debate whether or not he is doing the right thing, which makes up for the blandness of Melling and those playing his heavies (Joey Ansah being the main disappointment, providing no real sense of menace or capability in the face of The Old Guard).
I was advised to give this a chance by a friend (Christianne, her excellent/superior blog is here) after bashing the last movie I watched with Greg Rucka's name attached to it (the dire Heart Of Stone), and I'm glad I was prompted to give it a go. It's a film that feels fresh and fun, despite taking on some serious themes and working with characters we've basically seen as archetypes in many other movies, and it's clear that those behind the scenes knew how to make the most of the concept. It's technically sound throughout, and the stunt work is often excellent, and I happily recommend it to anyone else who kept dismissing it as readily as I did.
7/10
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