Charlize Theron stars in a comic book movie with one point of view, creating a marriage of expectations and twists unlike anything in the genre.
Being a superhero is not an easy performance, an idea that has inspired recent cinematic explorations ranging from the sublime (“Logan”) to the ridiculous (Tobey Maguire goes gothic in “Spider-Man 3”). That same concept also powers Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Old Guard,” a Netflix-produced version of the 2017 Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez comic miniseries of the same name, but its version is as fresh as any comic book movie made. from the superhero mania swept the multiplex.
Even the film’s own star, Charlize Theron, previously questioned the oddly related topic that being a superhero can be a true catchphrase in Peter Berg’s “Hancock”. Here, she is the oldest member of the Old Guard, mercenaries who are a) very old and b) mostly immortal. And when the movie opens, she finds herself reflecting on the value of fighting seemingly equal battles in an endless timeline. Despite the familiarity, “The Old Guard” manages to be both very punished and very entertaining, a marriage of expectations and twists unlike little else that the genre has inspired even in its most fruitful moments.
Prince-Bythewood, although still best known for her unique romantic drama “Love & Basketball”, is no stranger to comic book work, having long been linked to the live “Silver and Black” (a Sony production intended to unite the stars of Spiderman Silver Sable) and Black Cat) and even directing an episode of Marvel’s short “Cloak & Dagger” series. But her greatest strength lies in her interest in complex people, which makes “The Old Guard” perfectly suited to her wide sensitivity. Oh, and the action. We did to mention the action? We will do it.
Still, Prince-Bythewood isn’t entirely free from the limitations of the genre, and some of the film’s narrative traps won’t surprise you, from an undercooked villain and a conclusion that barely subverts the standard reveal of later credits (this time, the turns are before The credits!). But the movie (and particularly Rucka’s script) leaves a lot on the table for new incarnations, making it another rarity: a comic book movie that earns its franchise potential.
“The old guard”
Netflix
Andy (aka Scythia’s Andromache, if you feel historic) has seen it all before, and Theron enters the film with a global weariness that’s understandable even to beings who haven’t lived for thousands of years. “The Old Guard” opens when Andy takes tentative steps to return to his clan and his self-imposed duty to do good through all kinds of sacred kicks. His mantra is quite simple (do what think is correct) and although it has kept them alive for hundreds and hundreds of years, it doesn’t seem to be making much difference in the world itself. “The world is not improving, it is getting worse,” spits out one character, an observation that is difficult to combat, even removed from a world where superheroes are possible.
Back in the fray, and eager to reunite with the other three beings like her (played by Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, and Luca Marinelli), Andy and his team take on a mission to save a group of kidnapped schoolgirls in South Sudan. The plan came from a new ally (a wonderfully discreet Chiwetel Ejiofor) and when it all comes together, the group must find out who sold them and why. And while that sounds familiar, that’s part of its sneaky power: Nothing the team has dealt with before is new (even if the bad guy in the movie, played by Harry Melling, who doesn’t let his bad guy get gross enough He thinks it is), and perhaps nothing will ever be.
And yet. Rucka’s script solves a clever entry point that not only helps explain some of the strangest aspects of his mythology (key: they are not Really immortal, but close) and brings to life a narrative that is based on being fed up with the same old shit. While Andy and his boys have met others like them, including Andy’s closest compatriot, played by Veronica Ngo in a series of emotional flashbacks, there have been just four of them for centuries. Now caught up in the drama of another great fight (against the world, man, plain old arrogance), they suddenly realize another member: Young and powerful Marine Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne) is scared to find out that he can heal from even the most serious of wounds. (And that doesn’t mean anything about the reaction of his beloved squadmates.)
What the film ignores in terms of the thrusting plot, once again, you probably know where this is going, introspection and intelligence more than make up for it. It’s a movie that wants your audience to think, and if that sounds weird to the genre, you’ve surely never pondered what it would mean to be almighty in a world that just wants to see things go well. That said, “The Old Guard” also takes the time to kick serious butts. Andy and his friends have spent centuries trying to improve the world, but that has also forced them to learn how to really screw someone along the way.
Through forceful and forceful action sequences and emotional flashbacks, the limits of their powers are revealed, as is the scariest part: they can die, but they never know when it will come. Prince-Bythewood incorporates that fear into every action sequence, among the best Netflix has featured in its growing body of action movies (and best of this year, which has already seen the release of “Extraction”). .
Immersed in hand-to-hand action (a sequence in which Theron and Layne board him on a plane leaves a mark for them, the pilot, the public, the guy walking outside while you watch him inside your house, all the world), but with enough ballistic firepower to trigger a small civil war, each action sequence is more than impressive; they are necessary for the film itself. Superhero battles that attract attention and narratively motivated? Oh yeah.
It is all based on the revelation that perhaps Andy and his team’s attempts to help the world have not been as unsuccessful as they feared, and that doing the right thing (or even annoying worth it), even when it comes to a high price. That idea adds weight to a movie you’re already deep thinking about, and it also lays out a lot of ideas worth exploring in its inevitable sequel (which, yes, we can only hope it has even more crazy action). Being a superhero isn’t easy, but “The Old Guard” reminds us that, and the entertainment it can inspire, might be the best way to explore what it means to be a person.
Grade: B +
“The Old Guard” will be available to stream on Netflix on Friday, July 11.
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