If you have not seen “The Old Guard”, this spoiler-free review will guide you on what to expect and what not to. If you have seen the film, this will either confirm what you already know, or dispel your biases.

Gina Prince-Bythewood of the 2000 film Love & Basketball directs the scenes of Netflix’s “The Old Guard”. This is a film for viewers who do not prefer all the answers. By the end of the first, second, and even third watch, it would be obvious that there are more questions than answers.

 

This could be a good thing as everyone who has seen it will surely be looking forward to the next installment of “The Old Guard” (it must be in the pipeline already). It could be bad because some viewers may lose interest in an ‘incomplete story’.

 

Yet film making is a gamble, and in this instance, it may have paid off.

Kudos to the director for not starting the film with a narration or a backstory as many had expected. Also, for not dwelling too much on explaining the how and instead focusing on the now, The Old Guard gets extra points.

 

Charlize Theron who plays the lead character delivers as expected and in new ways. For a legendary actress that have played action figures like Aeon Flux and Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road) among other films; it seems impossible to bring anything new but she does.

 

Theron delivers the Andy character with the same precision and grace from Aeon Flux. Yet, she seems to be showing ageless wisdom and understanding that “The Old Guard” character required.

 

Supporting characters like Chiwetel Ejiofor and Kiki Layne also delivered memorable performances. In fact, one would not recognise that Nile’s brutal efficiency was being delivered by the same actress from the 2019 “Native Son”.

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Speaking about character arc and development, the 2hours 30 mins long film captured three interesting characters going through remarkable changes before our eyes. Also, while some scenes deserved more time, the film couldn’t simply afford it.

The fight scenes were also entertaining and clear. While the choreography was fast, the camera movement deliberately kept up to let viewers see who died and how. The combination of modern and archaic weapons too was expertly blended as well.

 

We have seen films focus more on one age of weapon, favouring it over the other but “The Old Guard” kept the use of millennia-old weapons and modern ones balanced.

 

The Old Guard’s dialogues are also a worthy talking point. While it will not be memorable for being overtly funny like Marvel’s films, or poetic like epic films or even as straightforward as regular films; it is ‘perfectly balanced, as all things should be’.

 

Of course, as all comic film adaptions have become known for, “The Old Guard” ends with a cliff hanger scene that makes waiting for the next installment harder. This production is surely worth your while.

 

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