The Old Guard

Now streaming on Netflix, The Old Guard, based on a graphic novel, takes a pretty good premise but wallows in formula and predictability. It relies far too heavily on violence. I'm not particularly averse to violence, but the body count in this film is way too high.

The premise is that there are is a small group of people who are immortal, and they have spent the ages fighting for just causes. The oldest is Andromache (Charlize Theron), who was a Scythian (points for history on this one, as the Scythians may be the origin of the Amazon legend). There are three others, two fighters who are on opposite sides of the Crusades but are now lovers, and a man from the Napoleonic wars (Matthias Schoenaerts). They discover, through their dreams, that there is another, a U.S. Marine (Kiki Layne), who is deployed in Afghanistan.

This newbie allows for an information dump, as Theron explains the reluctant Layne what's going on. There's no explanation for their immortality, but they can die, eventually, and of course Theron's wounds will start not healing. As with any story about immortality, I have questions. Do they need to eat? They are shown sleeping, so apparently that is a necessity (otherwise they wouldn't find others through their dreams). But what happens if their bodies are destroyed? If they get their head cut off do they grow a new one? If they were vaporized by an atom bomb would their molecules reassemble?

Other questions concern simpler things. At the beginning of the film Theron is reunited with her crew. What were they doing between jobs? Netflix and chill? And the whole concept of languages is intriguing--they all speak English, with only Theron not having the accent of her birthplace.

The plot has these warriors being kidnapped by an unscrupulous pharma CEO, played by Harry Melling, and clearly modeled after Martin Shkreli. He and his company are given the name Merrick, which is perilously close to Merck. He wants to test the immortals like lab rats so he can discover the key to eradicating disease. He's a bit like a Bond villain--at one point he shouts to his workers, "I expect results!" Is there any question about what will happen to him?

The film is basically a beat, then a fight, then a beat, then another fight. The film, directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood, does attempt to understand what immortality must be like--in the most arresting part of the film, a former colleague of Theron's is sealed in an iron maiden and thrown into the sea, where she drowns, is revived, and drowns all over again.

If the ending is any indication, and the film is popular enough, there will be a sequel or two. As an action-packed time-waster, it's not half-bad, but I was left wanting for something more.