The Old Guard Review: A Total Winner!

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Greg Rucka, The Old Guard starring Charlize Theron in the lead role is the new high-budget entry in Netflix’s prodigious action film catalog that offers quite a diverse selection. With a rich, dense storyline that provides a handful of different possibilities, this superhero action-drama exceeded my expectations and is, without a doubt, one of the best action films Netflix had to offer in the recent past. The Old Guard Netflix The Old Guard Review

Also Read: Best Action Movies on Netflix

The storyline of The Old Guard kicks off with Andy (Charlize Theron) and her group of Immortals on a rescue mission in Sudan that goes south very conveniently. However, possessing all the resources to heal their wounds in no time, their superhuman abilities grab a distinct sort of attention at a pharma company, and the remainder of the movie explores how Andy and her crew dodge these hurdles every day within the 124-minute runtime.

Of the many things I loved about The Old Guard, the storyline impressed me the most primarily because of the variety that it’s able to offer through and through. Unlike the recent high-profile Netflix Original, Extraction, this film explored a variety of themes and succeeded in pitching a reason, and a motivation for the character’s misconduct.

The Old Guard NetflixThe Old Guard Movie

Subsequently, alongside the thorough emotional aspects of the movie, the lead characters were also strongly established, with most of them getting their brief backstory that helped elevate the quality of the narrative throughout its entirety. And as a result of setting up these characters, I was able to get behind them and root for their victory by the very end. The Old Guard Netflix The Old Guard Review

Now onto the main selling point of The Old Guard, the action sequences coupled with some well-coordinated choreography and exceptional wide and close camera shots looked spectacular and are a total blast to watch on-screen. With the added gory touch, the kick-ass combat scenes also brought the best out of every performer. Particularly Charlize Theron, who owns her role, Andromache of Scythia, and mesmerizes with her ability to perform her badass stunts and, at the same time showcasing her splendid acting prowess.



KiKi Layne also had a significant role to play as the young rookie, and her character sported the cultured and the passionate side of the film from start to finish. Matthias Schoenaerts and Chiwetel Ejiofor did well as the supporting cast alongside Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli as everyone had something to offer to the overall narrative that is thick-skulled. The Old Guard Netflix The Old Guard Review

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Overall, The Old Guard certainly had its own set of problems, as far as the narrative flow goes. But, on the bright side, the positives outweigh the negatives in all respects as this film is thoroughly entertaining and has the right mix of action and emotional scenes. The peppy soundtrack, the solid performances, and the excellent directorial job by Gina Prince-Bythewood makes this flick a must-watch in its genre and is a total winner for Netflix as I’m equally excited to see where the story goes from here. Watch ‘The Old Guard’ on Netflix here.

Rating – 3.5/5 | Grade – B+

Images via Netflix


Surya Komal

It is what it is.