Movie Review: The Old Guard

The Old Guard *** / *****
Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Written by: Greg Rucka based on the graphic novel series by Rucka and Leandro Fernandez.
Starring: Charlize Theron (Andy), KiKi Layne (Nile), Matthias Schoenaerts (Booker), Marwan Kenzari (Joe), Luca Marinelli (Nicky), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Copley), Harry Melling (Merrick), Van Veronica Ngo (Quynh), Natacha Karam (Dizzy), Mette Towley (Jordan), Anamaria Marinca (Dr. Meta Kozak), Micheal Ward (Lykon), Shala Nyx (Gita), Majid Essaidi (Sadeq), Joey Ansah (Keane), Andrei Zayats (Andrei), Olivia Ross (Celeste). 
 

A couple weeks ago, Netflix released Eurovision – which was the right comedy to kind of fill the void left by closed theatres during the summer for those looking for the kind of goofy, fun summer comedy we don’t have right now. Now, they release The Old Guard – which is kind of the big, summer action movie equilvalent – a movie to scratch that itch that should have been scratched months ago by all the now long delayed summer blockbusters. While I may not agree that the film is quite the exciting, original take on the action or superhero genre that many others critics do – I do think it more than adequately gives you what you want in a summer action movie – lots of action sequences in the John Wick-vein, with just a little bit more character development than you’re used to. It is perhaps a little too long, and it sorely needs a better villain (something that the end credits hints may not be an issue should there be a sequel) – but it gets the job done.
 
In the film, Charlize Theron stars as Andy – the leader of a group of mercenaries, who travel the world, trying to right wrongs. The twist is that they are basically immortal – like the X-Men if everyone was Wolverine. They get shot, stabbed, wounded, etc. – and they bounce again pretty quickly. There are four members of the group – along with Andy there is Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) – the “newest” addition to the group, who has been around since 1812. There is also Joe (Marwen Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) – a gay couple, which is refreshing to see in this type of movie, and are also responsible for the films most emotional, most talked about scene – which is terrific, even if I think that scene is doing too much of the heavy lifting to make us care about their relationship. Soon though – there will be a fifth member – Nile (KiKi Layne), an American soldier, who appears to be dead when her throat gets slashed – only to be okay not long after. Andy knows what comes next for her if they don’t rescue her – so that’s what she does, despite the fact that Nile doesn’t really want rescuing.
 
The film was based on a graphic novel series – and to be honest, the storytelling here suffers more than a little from having to tell the origin story. We spend so much time getting to know the group – particularly Andy, and then having to get to know Nile as well, that the actual conflict in the movie seems to be backburned – and honestly kind of lazily conceived. Copley (Chiwetwel Ejiofor), a CIA agent who watched his wife die of ALS, figures out who this group is, and what they can do – and decides to capture them and give them to Merrick (Harry Melling), a young pharma CEO, who will figure out their secret by any means necessary – basically admitting they will be tortured. It’s only then that Copley finds a conscience.
 
The film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood – the immensely talented director of Love & Basketball (2000) and Beyond the Lights (2014) – two criminally underrated films – who isnt the first name you may think for an action movie. She puts those worries to rest pretty quickly though with an action sequence in the first 10 minutes that sets the tone for what the action will look like the rest of the film – a mixture of hand-to-hand combat, gun fights, and old school weapons (think swords, but cooler) done in a style that wants to be John Wick – and while it may quite rise to that level, it gets more than close enough to satisfy. She may also have been the right pick because she does slow the film down in the non-action sequences enough so that we do get to know Andy and Nile (not so much anyone else) more than we normally do. Theron has already proven she can do this in an action movie with Mad Max: Fury Road – and while her performance isnt that level, it’s really good. Layne, the gifted star of Barry Jenkins’ wonderful If Beale Street Could Talk – makes the transition to action movies with ease – give Nile some depth, but also kicking ass.
 
The Old Guard doesn’t reinvent the action movie by any means – but it’s a film that does everything it does well. The action sequences are better than most other actions movie, the characters – at least the two leads – are given more depth, more time to breathe, then they normally are. I did feel the actual story suffers a great deal – because it just isnt very interesting. And the whole thing kind of feels like an long, expensive pilot for a TV show. But if you’re missing summer action movies, and Marvel movies – than The Old Guard is an adequeate replacement.