The Old Guard

“When most action movies shy away from queer relationships, The Old Guard loudly proclaims them.”

Title: The Old Guard (2020)
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood 👩🏾 🇺🇸
Writer: Greg Rucka 👨🏼🇺🇸

Reviewed by Murtada Elfadl 👨🏽🇸🇩🇺🇸🌈

Technical: 3/5

An experienced and jaded warrior argues with a newbie over philosophical differences. They reach an impasse, just as a thrilling fight in a cramped and dangerous space ensues. This one happens to take place in a flying cargo plane, but we all know where this is going: The veteran will impart some kick-ass lessons and the youngster will get a little bruised but will be all the better for it, while viewers get to enjoy an electrifying melee. We have been here before.

But rather than the usual action stars like Tom Cruise or Chris Evans, novelty arrives through female leads in Netflix’s The Old Guard. The veteran is Andy (Charlize Theron), the leader of a group of mercenaries who each harbor a mysterious inability to die. Their original births range across time, but Andy has been alive for millennia. The newbie is Nile (Kiki Layne), a Marine who has just discovered her immortality and who must learn to cope, quickly. Nile joins Andy’s “old guard,” comprised of Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), a caustic French soldier from the Napoleonic era, and two lovers who met fighting on opposing sides during the Crusades, Joe (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marnelli).

The details of their mission don’t really matter, nor do the reasons why the nefarious antagonists Copley and Merrick, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Harry Melling, respectively, want to rule the world. What matters is that director Gina Prince-Bythewood and screenwriter Greg Rucka, who based the movie on his graphic novel series, deliver a couple of hours of diverting entertainment. And for the most part they succeed. Rucka’s mythology stays rooted within familiar sensibilities of comic book storytelling, making it easy for newcomers to follow along. Prince-Bythewood stages the action well and establishes a rhythmic narrative that effectively connects the film’s fight sequences.

However, the overall sense of weariness, expressed through brown landscapes, a lackluster soundtrack, and largely humorless characters, drag the movie down. I understand these warriors have lived for centuries and have witnessed humanity repeat its sins ad nauseum, but this is supposed to be a fun summer flick. A lighter tone and some more banter could’ve gone a long way to make The Old Guard even more enjoyable. And while the fight scenes provide ample interest, they come across as perfunctory and antiseptic. Yes, they’re well-choreographed, but to the point where professionalism supersedes naturalism. Our heroes never feel in danger, no matter how many goons come their way and what weapons they wield. Without tension nor levity, The Old Guard is easy to forget.

Gender: 4/5
Does it pass the Bechdel Test? YES

Female director Prince-Bythewood helms a crew that boasts an impressive share that’s 85% women. Passing the Bechdel test becomes the laughable joke the original “test” was always meant to be, when it was devised as a comic strip that poked fun at how movies seldom give women a chance to talk about something other than a man.

By centering its story around two women who span generational and racial lines, The Old Guard brings some much-needed feminism to the superhero genre. Unfortunately, the stories of Andy and Nile never go beyond skin deep. Their characterizations follow a shorthand that doesn’t allow for any complexity, and all we’re left with is a fatigued old-timer and a confused youngster.

Sure, the male characters feel just as two-dimensional. But it’s telling that men still dominate the cast. From villains to the rest of Andy’s team, to the many nameless henchmen who populate the bloody showdowns, The Old Guard disappointingly perpetuates the idea of men as power players. Andy’s previous teammate Quynh (Veronica Ngo) does get some flashbacks and is alluded to being a key character in future installments. But within The Old Guard, Andy and Nile feel like tokenized exceptions in a man’s world.

Race: 5/5

The world we see through the eyes of Prince-Bythewood, a Black woman, is inclusive and international. Balanced with parts for Black and brown actors like Layne as Nile, or Tunisian-Dutch actor Kenzari as Joe, I particularly enjoyed seeing Ejiofor—a Black British actor—play a villain with some interesting shading. His allegiances keep shifting and that allows Ejiofor to give a modulated performance that goes beyond the hero-villain binary. Quynh brings a level of freshness, too, played by Norwegian and Vietnamese actor Ngo who recently headlined her own action movie, Furie (2019). Additionally, The Old Guard takes us from Morocco to South Sudan to parts of Europe and the United States. It’s clear that Rucka and Prince-Bythewood do not see the world as monolithic.

Bonus for LGBTQ: +1.00

The Old Guard’s portrayal of the relationship between Joe and Nicky will endear itself to many LGBTQ viewers. While they arrive as secondary characters, heated looks and passionate kisses stay intact, reminding viewers that queer sexuality exists. In one of the film’s most affecting emotional sequences, Joe and Nicky unabashedly declare their romantic love for each other. Better yet, the heartfelt moment smoothly gets punctured by a funny joke and doubles in memorability, as one of the film’s rarer moments of lighthearted joy. When most action movies shy away from including queer characters or open acknowledgment of their relationships, The Old Guard loudly proclaims them.

Mediaversity Grade: B+ 4.33/5

The Old Guard sees the world as we live it: distinctly multicultural. Laudably, it expresses that diversity within the confines of the male-dominated comic book genre. However, the film misses the chance to expand that world further, thanks to uncomplicated characters and a somber tone that lessens the film’s overall enjoyment factor.

Like The Old Guard? Try these other action movies starring women.

Grade: BLiAugust 13, 2020Great for: LGBTQ, Female/Nonbinary Creator