Back in 2020, Netflix impressed viewers with The Old Guard – a comic book adaptation centering on a group of immortal warriors headed by Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road). With a solid filmmaker behind it in Gina Prince-Bythewood, a great ensemble cast playing an intriguing set of characters and a plot that managed to mostly stay out of generic territory, audiences were pleasantly surprised by The Old Guard and were even left wanting more. Five years later, we finally have what has become a long-awaited sequel. The Old Guard 2 may not feel as concise, succinct or unique as its predecessor, but with strong action sequences, a kinetic cast with welcome newcomers and a snappy run-time, it’s a worthy continuation of the story that proves there’s a lot more to tell.
The Old Guard 2 rejoins Andy (Theron) and her team of immortal warriors with a renewed sense of purpose in their mission to protect the world. With Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) still in exile after his betrayal and Quynh (Veronica Ngo) out for revenge after escaping her underwater prison, Andy grapples with her newfound mortality as a mysterious threat emerges that could jeopardize everything she’s worked towards for thousands of years. Andy, Nile (KiKi Layne), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Martinelli) and Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) enlist the help of an old friend who may provide the key to unlocking the mystery behind immortal existence.
As can be seen from the plot synopsis, The Old Guard 2 features much lore expansion. This is often coherent and feels akin to what the first installment set up. New threats are introduced and caveats are added to the looming mortality of our warriors, meaning their fate may not quite be what we expected at first glance. Most of the additions in plot and lore feel warranted, and it manages to avoid feeling overly convoluted. There are bigger information dumps than the predecessor had as there’s a lot more to explain here, which can occasionally take away from the action and stakes. However, the ideas put forward are intriguing, and it does all of the above without overstaying its welcome. Running at just one hour and 45 minutes helps The Old Guard 2 feel succinct and snappy, as a frequent complaint of the original was it’s inflated length. We are still provided with an entertaining amount of action, all of which is shot and choreographed well, and the tone and vibe is carried over flawlessly. Still helming a punchy, current pop soundtrack to give it edge, the two movies compliment each other nicely. Despite having a different director (Victoria Mahoney), the filmmaking remains strong.
With a cast this strong, you can count on the performances being just as good as they were prior. Charlize Theron continues to lead the now-franchise with equal parts elegance and punch, once again proving her worth within the action genre. The returning cast members including Ejiofor (Doctor Strange), Schoenaerts (The Danish Girl), Kenzari (Aladdin) and Marinelli (The Great Beauty) slip back into their characters effortlessly, ensuring they are welcomed back with open arms. KiKi Layne (Don’t Worry Darling) was the standout for many in the 2020 edition, and despite the plot not putting her as the main focus this time around, she’s quite the scene stealer. The characters are incredibly likable and all have something to set them apart from the others, which is exacerbated even further by the talented cast. We also have a few newcomers, most notably Veronica Ngo (The Greater) as Quynh. Broken free from her underwater cage and out for revenge, Ngo is great at showcasing the layers of Quynh’s emotion and her battle with her own morality. Big hitters Uma Thurman (Kill Bill) and Henry Golding (The Gentlemen) are also present, and they certainly make their mark. We have an excellent cast on our hands.
The Old Guard 2 isn’t without its flaws, and due to how well-loved the first installment became, it has quite big shoes to fill. It may not quite impress as much as it did initially, due to us being used to the dynamic of the crew and the element that makes them unique – their immortality. Due to the inevitable lore expansion and inclusion of new threats and characters, our initial cast don’t receive much more development and are sometimes pushed to the sidelines. There are a few sweet character moments filtered throughout, especially between favorites Joe and Nicky, but the shift in focus from the old to the new naturally means less time is spent fleshing them out. It also suffers from a regular issue within comic book movies – a weak villain. This is not the fault of Uma Thurman who is incredibly talented and a worthy addition, but more the predictability of her arc along with her lack of screen-time. With both Quynh and Thurman’s Discord threatening our crew, it’s too much at once and reduces their development, especially Discord’s. The predictability and familiarity of the third act especially also winds up making The Old Guard 2 teeter on the edge of generic. The more ‘comic book movie’ it becomes, the less uniqueness and intrigue it flaunts.
Due to our phenomenal cast, a plot progression that feels natural and plenty of action, The Old Guard 2 is an impressive sequel that effortlessly manages to carry over the themes, tones and overall feel of the first movie. It might struggle with character development for characters old and new, and our villain may feel familiar, but what it lacks in those areas, it makes up for in entertainment value. The Old Guard 2 isn’t as good as its 2020 predecessor, but certainly comes close.
