Introduction and Premise
The Old Guard is an action-fantasy film released in 2020, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and features a screenplay co-written by the director with Greg Rucka, who created the original graphic novel alongside Leandro Fernández. The story centers on historical warriors disguised as modern-day soldiers who are immortal and possess healing powers. They attempt to protect humanity from malevolent forces throughout centuries. The group is forced into desperate battles when modern day greed threatens their anonymity and immortality.
Imbued within the narrative are elements of technology, modern-day warfare, and psychological drama, manifesting deeply philosophical themes. The inflicted emotional turmoil is explored through the lens of moving character relationships. With such potent storytelling, critics praised it for everything other than the typical superhero fare, distinguishing it due to its divers ensemble cast accompanying smooth camerawork intertwined with gritty realism rarely seen in the genre.
Plot Summary
As the film unfolds, the narrative slowly reveals itself through flashbacks accompanying the character Andy the Scythian or Andromache. This modern-day version of the immortal warrior queen-turned-mercenary-needs-marathon-fueled-rescue-mission-south-sudan “scavenger” retracing a covert team of mercenaries getting hired parts dark most modern-day fantasy works are set to. The team comprised of Carpenter characters young and self booked-ex cops, brutish Joe, poetic Nicky manage to save Andy from the super-duper soldiers the world left behind. Right after a grim revelation subsituting winner-adiance.
As they reorganize, Andy notices the emergence of a new immortal—a U.S. Marine, Nile Freeman, who survives a fatal throat slashing during an Afghanistan mission. Andy finds her and forcibly helps bring her into the fold so he can explain to her what she has become.
In the meantime, a pharmaceutical CEO, Steven Merrick, learns of their existence from a former CIA agent, James Copley. Copley treats the immortals with misguided philanthropy, while Merrick seeks profit by capturing them and experimenting to uncover the secret behind their regenerative abilities.
The group suffers an ambush after being betrayed by Booker, who grows tired of their shared immortality and proposes that the world would be better off with some immortals. Andy, who discovers her healing has begun to wane, mounts a desperate rescue attempt to save captured team members from Merrick’s lab. In the final confrontation with the team, Andy kills Merrick and they escape.
Booker is banished from the group due to betrayal, with the promise of reconsideration after one hundred years. Nile, who initially turned down the immortal life offer, opts to stay and finds purpose in their mission. Quynh’s long-lost imprint mid-credits reveal sets up future conflict.
Main Characters and Their Performances
Charlize Theron as Andy (Andromache of Scythia)
As the oldest of the immortals, Andy possesses deep emotional scars together with wisdom earned from centuries of experience. Fighting battles with her “children,” she has witnessed the death of hope, proven by her brutal, Theron-powered performance. She portrays a leader on the edge of an existential breakdown.
KiKi Layne as Nile Freeman
Layne balances strength and vulnerability in Nile Freeman. She serves as a conduit through which the audience enters the realm of immortals. With her, viewers engage with themes of sacrifice, purpose, and identity.
Matthias Schoenaerts as Booker (Sebastian Le Livre)
Among the group, Booker stands as the most disillusioned. Schoenaerts captures the essence of internal strife and regret. His betrayal illustrates a tragic descent, and hopeless exodus from a life that would become a cautionary tale.
Marwan Kenzari as Joe and Luca Marinelli as Nicky
Previously enemies during the Crusades, Joe and Nicky are now lovers and steadfast members of the team. Their relationship is particularly touching, revealing warmth and softness against the backdrop of relentless violence. As loyal members of the team, they still retain the tenderness and enduring emotional impact that defines their love.
Chiwetel Ejiofor as James Copley
Initially introduced as the main antagonist of the story, Copley is later uncovered to be a widower mourning his wife’s death with plans to altruistically save others by using the immortals’ DNA. Bringing the character to life, Ejiofor balances this anguish with a flawed sense of purpose that comes from genuine heartfelt pain, lending gravitas to the role.
Harry Melling as Steven Merrick
Melling portrays the villain of the story with unyielding ambition. The character he plays, a young pharmaceutical tycoon, has a single-minded obsession with harnessing the biologically immortal for profit. As a modern day antagonist of the story, his cold detachment from humanity makes him all the more effective.
Direction, Style and Cinematic Approach
Gina Prince-Bythewood’s directorial approach to action films is marked by a sensitive, emotional touch. The Old Guard is unlike most contemporary superhero films as it opts for character-driven storytelling instead of mind-numbing spectacle. The realism in the film’s fight scenes is striking. They emphasize hand-to-hand combat, tight gunplay, and close-quarters maneuvers instead of broader, more chaotic strategies. The film also employs the use of international locations, such as Morocco, France, UK, and Sudan to enhance its scope.
Tami Reiker’s cinematography brings a mythical quality to the film’s grittier visuals. The portrayal of the immortals reinforces the burden of their never-ending existence as they appear tired and battle-scarred.
The film’s pacing, while steady, allows for emotional moments to surge in between the action. Editing by Terilyn Shropshire maintains the story’s continuity even as it weaves across various locales and timelines. The score sets the tone for the film, blending contemporary pieces with light orchestral flourishes that mark moments of reflection and sorrow.
The Curse of Immortality
One of the film’s central themes is the emotional toll of immortality. While the immortals cannot die easily, they bear centuries of trauma, loss, and isolation. Their weary disillusionment from fighting and feeling pointless in a world stuck in relentless cycles of self-destruction.
Found Family and Loyalty
Through shared experiences, the immortals cultivate a treasured family bond that defies their differences. The loyalty of and to the group is painstakingly earned and far from immune to treachery, as seen with Booker. Regardless of the perpetual threat of betrayal, loyalty always prevails.
Exploitation and Scientific Ethics
The film critiques modern scientific greed through the character of Merrick, who seeks to commodify the immortals. It raises the question of whether unethical acts like imprisonment and experimentation for the sake of progress-frame such actions as medical advancements, are justifiable.
Redemption and Legacy
With each new endeavor, the characters grapple with their legacy and influence on the world. Are they preserving existence or combating it? Nile’s entrance into the group resuscitates their sense of purpose. On the other hand, Copley’s redemption arc exemplifies the possibility of transformation through moral introspection.
Reception and Impact
Critics and audiences praised The Old Guard for its smart action, diverse cast, and emotional depth. Theron’s performance charmed audiences, and the narrative focus on a Black female character, Nile, received widespread commendation. Furthermore, the portrayal of the relationship between Joe and Nicky was praised for its richness and for normalizing the presence of queer characters in mainstream films.
Although some critics noted the use of stock characters, the general consensus was that the film’s writing, direction, and acting were strong enough to raise the film above rote genre filmmaking. Its success led to Netflix commissioning a sequel, which is now in production, indicating that there is still much more to be told in the story of the immortals.
Conclusion
The Old Guard is a rare addition to modern action cinema; a film that weds frenetic fighting with deep philosophical questions. The film grapples with ideas of loss, purpose, and morality throughout time via a small circle of ageless warriors. It emotionally resonates and subverts expectations with the rich portrayal of its characters, diverse representation, and gripping action sequences redefining what a superhero or fantasy-action film should be.
The Old Guard intertwines character development with spectacle, creating a multi-faceted and meaningful narrative that transcends sheer entertainment. Even after the credits have rolled, the story continues to provoke reflection on existential questions regarding life and the significance of one’s existence.
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