Could it be? Is there finally a Netflix original that completely engrossed me from start to finish?
Yes!
The Old Guard is a fun, if flawed, watch.
Based off the comic book series of the same name, The Old Guard is about a group of immortal mercenaries led by Andy (Charlize Theron). For hundreds of years, they’ve fought in wars, killed terrorists, and helped humanity in other ways. However, being immortal comes with a heavy price.
While this premise is not groundbreaking, the film makes up for it with great action, interesting characters, and a neat premise. At first, I was skeptical of the stakes. If they’re all immortal and unable to die, how high could the stakes really be? But surprisingly, there are high stakes. While the mercenaries want to help people, they have to hide their strange abilities so they’re not exploited for it. Thus, the group has to stay in hiding so no one realizes they’re essentially Wolverine of the X-Men. Capture means becoming a living weapon devoid of autonomy.
I haven’t read the comics so I can’t say how faithful this film is, but it definitely got me intrigued in the series. Again, the plot isn’t groundbreaking, nor does it have many surprises. It’s actually a tad predictable, but the film is engaging nonetheless. The dialogue can come off cheesy, and the music during the fight scenes can be jarring.
As far as diversity goes, there’s solid representation. Andy is a strong female lead and kicks major butt even among immortal mercenaries. She sometimes fights with an ancient axe and it’s awesome. We also got Nile (Kiki Layne) a POC solider. She’s the latest to become immortal, and has some solid character growth. Two other main characters, Joe (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) are a gay couple, which is unique to see in an action film, rounding out our immortal mercenaries. Though, I admit that one scene between them is corny, but other than that, they have nice interactions.
Four undying warriors who've secretly protected humanity for centuries become targeted for their mysterious powers just as they discover a new immortal.
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Director
Charlize Theron
Andromache of Scythia / Andy
KiKi Layne
Nile Freeman
Veronica Ngô
Quynh
Matthias Schoenaerts
Sebastien Le Livre / Booker
Marwan Kenzari
Yusuf Al-Kaysani / Joe
Luca Marinelli
Nicolò di Genova / Nicky
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Copley
Harry Melling
Merrick
Natacha Karam
Dizzy
Anamaria Marinca
Dr. Meta Kozak
Joey Ansah
Keane
Trolls: World Tour doesn’t just pay lip service to diversity and inclusiveness. There is no white-washing of the voice actors. From the actual K-Pop group Red Velvet voicing the K-Pop Troll bounty hunters to Keenan Thompson playing the Tiny Diamond baby to Kunal Nayyar’s Guy Diamond, the cast includes more than just token minorities.
Sorry to Bother You ultimately speaks to the unfair advantages that the country’s power structures award to those with the resources to control others, as Lift’s easy access to the media allows his opinion to be the only one that matters in the eyes of the unsuspecting and easily impressed public. Moreover, it reveals the extent to which the American Dream has any true validity. It postulates how the promise of success and fulfillment as promoted by the American Dream more often than not leads to the undoing of the individual. Interestingly, in its revealing of the American Dream as merely a facade, Sorry to Bother You wisely questions whether or not anything can really be done to undo a system that has been accepted and in action for centuries.
Even without the messaging, Mercy does not hold up as a movie. It's sloppily done and the mystery doesn’t tie together at the end.
Films can alleviate alienation by presenting realities where the viewers feelings are shared by onscreen characters. The film 'Shrek' can be interpreted as a transgender story.
Life may find a way, but is it worth testing its fierceness and how far it will go?