We all go about our daily lives with the foreboding knowledge that death comes for us all. When I consider what awaits me at the end of my time here on Earth, all the possibilities evoke fear. Those who do not believe in life after this one believe that once we’re gone, our entire existence ceases as well, a sort of sleep from which we never awake. The idea of an infinite unconsciousness is a terrifying one but the alternatives theorized by man offer a scary possibility all their own. The Christian faith teaches that should I be judged to have lived a good enough life, an eternal one awaits me in paradise; free of pain, suffering and worry. But part of what defines life is hope, having new experiences and possibilities to look forward to. What is life, without anything to anticipate, even if it is free from dread? For those humans throughout the ages that have feared death the possibility of immortality has provided some comfort, the idea that their time on Earth could have no definite end. Not having to fear or worry about death sounds like a welcome alternative to having to face one’s mortality, but doesn’t infinite life come with its own set of worries?
Based on an acclaimed graphic novel and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Old Guard follows a clandestine group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron) along with Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) who have all fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. Ex-CIA agent Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) hires the team for an emergency mission where their extraordinary abilities are soon exposed. As the immortals work to avoid capture, they sense the emergence of Nile (KiKi Layne), a US Marine and new immortal they recruit to their ranks. The must help Nile adjust to her new reality and eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power.
The Old Guard doesn’t reinvent the wheel in terms of the sci-fi action movie, but it takes what we’re used to watching and a concept we’re familiar with and use them to craft an entertaining, engaging watch. The action we are treated to is well choreographed and plentiful without overwhelming the narrative aspects of the film. Charlize Theron displays why she is one of the foremost action stars of the era as Andy with plenty of hard-hitting stunts and adrenaline pumping scenes. Theron is joined by a quality ensemble cast led by KiKi Layne who shines as Nile, a young woman who must deal with an existential crisis while also fighting off pursuit from the monied and powerful. Layne is able to capture the emotional spectrum of Nile’s experience while also handling the physical demands of the role. Nile is a departure from her last major role in 2018’s If Beale Street Could Talk and Layne uses it to display the range of her talents and her potential as an actress.
As action packed as The Old Guard is, its themes contain a satisfying amount of depth, from immortality to medical ethics. One of the film’s villains is young pharmaceutical magnate Merrick (Henry Melling) who seeks to capture the group of immortals in order to run experiments on them and patent their genetic material to cure disease. While Merrick’s obvious true motive is the profit margin, the cover he gives himself initially of wanting to benefit mankind, even if it means imprisoning the team, calls upon the classic debate over sacrificing the few to save the many. The moral question of using medical data obtained under questionable circumstances is not a new one, and whether the benefits of using said research outweighs its origins. This real life conflict also serves as the film’s conflict while evoking the same debate for the audience.
As I touched upon in this review’s opening this film made me ponder immortality’s pros and cons as I watched the characters describe their own experiences onscreen. Avoiding an end to your time here on Earth may be appealing at first glance, but the residual effects of remaining alive infinitely offers its own added set of problems. Booker’s monologue describing the pain of a constant cycle of loss and the knowledge of both himself and his loved ones that he would remain while they perished in often painful ways made plain the prison represented by being able to live on while others cannot. This reality makes the prospect of immortality seem a bit masochistic, dooming oneself to a lifetime of pain and loss that in many ways resembles a constant death; losing a piece of yourself with every loved one that passes.
This aspect of immortality can be considered as selfishness, but through its villains The Old Guard explores the selfishness that immortality inspires in others. In the film, powerful people want access to the immortal mercenaries as a means to either enrich themselves or build a utopia free from the suffering and loss they’ve experienced. That these things may only be achieved through the destruction of the immortals is the mere formality of collateral damage. In watching how both those who have immortality and those who desire it deal with its consequences, we’re able to see that perhaps the finality of life and all its seeming uncertainty offers more comfort and assurance than we realize.
The Old Guard is well directed with a great balance between action and story, featuring a skilled ensemble with chemistry that allows you to invest in its characters. Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne are front and center for the majority and perform wonderfully both as actors and action performers. The franchise potential here is noticeable (and aided by the good mid-credits scene) as there are still interesting stories to tell and more to learn about characters centuries old. The Old Guard is sure to be a good time for action movie fans and audiences seeking diverse stories within the genre.
Image: Netflix
