Review: The Old Guard (2020)

The Old Guard (2020)

TLDR: Immortal and yet still unable to elevate this one past your standard run-of-the-mill action flick.

Netflix's newest romp-and-stomp, The Old Guard, based on the comic series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez, may give you that temporary adrenaline fix you crave but, ultimately, it is fairly standard fare that will likely come and go like so much other contemporary content.

The Old Guard is about a small group of immortals who, throughout history, have acted as a for-hire squad. The team is led by Andy (Charlize Theron), the oldest (and most badass) of the four. The film centres around a plot by a business man (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who seeks to expose the group's incredible power so that another more-cruelly minded business man may distill and capitalize the group's immortality. At the same time, the group becomes aware of a brand new immortal (Kiki Layne) whom they attempt to integrate into their way of life.

The concept - while not entirely original itself - is given an original spin and an innovative angle. Part of the precursor comic's success in making it stand out was in Fernandez's stylish and unique art. This is an area where the film struggles. In most regards, the film looks and feels like your run-of-the-mill action film. There are little-to-no creative/directorial choices that elevates the film from others like it. Despite the fine performances, script and (decent) action, there simply isn't enough here to create a lasting impression that will make audiences come back again to this film or future instalments (which the film does try to set up).

At the end of the day, The Old Guard is a serviceable action film that will hold a viewer's attention for its two-hour runtime with some entertainment here and there. Unfortunately, that's about as far as it goes, which is a shame because the original comic is rich and enjoyable through-and-through. Perhaps this story would have been better served as a series, allowing much time and depth to be given to these intriguing characters. Oh well, on to the next inevitable Netflix adaptation...

Comments

Review: Whiplash (2012)

Whiplash (2012) TLDR: On multiple levels Whiplash is a brilliant film. A dual character study. An ode to jazz music supremacy. And a cautionary (or inspiring?) tale of what it takes to become the world's greatest. In an instant, Whiplash cements Damien Chazelle as one of today's youngest and most talented filmmakers brimming with artistry, intensity and craftsmanship. This is not one to miss. It was surprising that the first time I saw Whiplash, I left the theatre with a slightly nauseous feeling in my gut. Not because of the film itself - its visuals or audio per se - there is nothing to criticize about its radiance. It was in its simple yet utterly-effective and haunting discussion of what it takes to become the greatest in one's field that left me feeling torn and conflicted. While most of the film seems to be a cautionary or reprimanding tale of jazz instructor Fletcher's (JK Simmons) brutal methods of 'mentorship', its ending posits perhaps an equally stron...

Review: The Before Trilogy (1995, 2004, 2013)

The Before Trilogy TLDR: As a whole, and in each of its separate parts, Richard Linklater's 'Before Trilogy' is the cinematic experience in its absolute finest form. The story of Celine and Jesse speaks to the core of the human experience - surprising joys, inevitable obstacles and eventual pains, and, most importantly, the mystery and intrigue of love - and it does it in an affecting way that, almost unlike any other film, is simultaneously theatrical and also remarkably raw and realistic. "It's just, people have these romantic projections they put on everything. That's not based on any kind of reality." - Jesse, Before Sunrise Even more than the multitudes of other incredible introspective bits of wisdom and philosophy that Celine and Jesse converse in across the three movies, this quote perhaps sums up the trilogy best of all. What are romance movies other than certain individuals' projections of what romance - often, idealized romance - is. Most o...

Review: Pierrot le Fou (1965)

Pierrot le Fou (1965) TLDR: Despite being a 'classic' and perhaps one of the quintessential European New Wave films, Godard's Pierrot le Fou is the antithesis to today's contemporary mainstream movie-going experience. It is an entertainingly goofy affair yet also baffling and often indecipherable. It is both an homage and also a commentary on the medium of film, and one that requires a good deal of contemplative afterthought to ponder what exactly it is you've just watched... I will admit that Pierrot is the first film by the legendary Jean-Luc Godard that I have seen. While I knew his status as an auteur and as one of the best of his craft, I didn't quite know his 'style' going into this film. As anyone who has seen some of Godard's will know, within twenty minutes or so, I was taken for quite the turn - I quickly felt like I was part of Ferdinand and Marianne's chaotic joy ride through the European countryside filled with romance, crime, non-se...

Mike Goes To Movies

Search This Blog