The Old Guard Movie Review: Is it bad that my favorite parts were the flashbacks?

The Old Guard is a Netflix action movie starring Charlize Theron and based off of a comic book. The story is about a group of 4 “immortal” mercenaries who are doing undercover jobs in modern day society, but are grappling with the issue of staying anonymous to protect themselves from being captured. The premise of the movie is really interesting, and each character in the group of immortal fighters has an especially fascinating background story that spans thousands of generations. This movie would be great for any fans of action movies or historic lore.

I’m not typically a big fan of action (I wouldn’t go to the theaters to watch John Wick or Fast and Furious), but I think the added element of history and mythical lore makes The Old Guard especially compelling. While I’m grimacing a little at the shoot-outs and the fight scenes (though Andy’s axe is pretty dope), I had my eyes glued to the screen when it came to the flashback sequences. I also especially loved the introduction of the character, Quynh. In terms of the plot, I felt like everything flowed really nicely and each scene was purposefully done to lead to the next. I wouldn’t say I found myself bored, but I did find the film a little lengthy (clocking in at around 2 hours). I feel like a few scenes could have been shortened, or a certain dialogue exchange cut, but other than that, I was pretty into the story.

In conclusion…

The Old Guard is definitely one of those movies that leaves you wanting to find out more, whether it be about the history of the characters or the fate of what’s the come next. I definitely recommend this movie!