The Old Guard Is A Breath Of Fresh Air

The Old Guard is perfect at what it wants to be. It’s an action movie with a tight fantastical premise and stellar execution. By chance, I saw a five-minute scene and was immediately hooked.

And that was because of smart storytelling in the scene, but once I had more understanding of the premise of the movie, it had me. I had to review it.

The Old Guard is about what I consider the best immortal variant. The kind that can die, and do die, but then heal and get back up in a matter of moments. This allows you to go absurd with fight scenes. Swords and axes are ridiculous against assault rifles unless you don’t care as much if you get shot.

The Old Guard Excellently Uses Its Great Premise

And that conceit is the tip of this frantic, beautifully choreographed, viscerally violent movie. Sure, they must do the usual “what it means to live forever” aspect of this plot type, but the rest is all cherries. There’s so much to like here.

First off, the acting is great. Marwan (Joe) and Charlize (Andy) are standouts for me, lending depth and humanity to the proceedings. The rest of the cast is good, but these two steal the show.

On top of that, the score is stellar and uniquely itself, and the effects—gore and otherwise—are all done well. It may be too much seeing face and stomach wounds stitch themselves together for some viewers, but it’s cool looking if you’re not squeamish.

This is, no joke, the best action movie I have seen in a long time. The Old Guard knows what it is, and what it is is exciting, energizing, and, most of all, fun in that way only an action movie can manage. If you need a summer blockbuster, and can’t go to a theater, this is that movie. Get the popcorn, make an event of it, because this movie is exactly what an action fan is craving.

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