After director Gina Prince-Bythewood delivered one of Netflix’s most surprisingly effective original action films in 2020 with “The Old Guard,” the streaming giant has done what it does best—churn out a sequel with alarming haste that lacks any understanding of what made its predecessor work. Before further punishment of the immortal beings continues, let’s check out the trailer.
Victoria Mahoney steps into the director’s chair for this follow-up, but her workmanlike approach feels like instant coffee compared to Prince-Bythewood’s more artful sensibilities. Where the original took time to explore the psychological weight of immortality and built genuine character dynamics, this sequel operates as a rushed assembly-line product designed to capitalize on brand recognition rather than tell a meaningful story that deepens these relationships.
Netflix’s tendency to fast-track sequels to successful properties has become increasingly problematic, prioritizing content volume over creative development. “The Old Guard 2” exemplifies this approach—a film that exists solely because its predecessor performed well in viewership metrics, not because anyone involved had a compelling story to tell about these immortal warriors.
Six months following the events of the first film, Andy (Charlize Theron) leads Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Marinelli), Nile (KiKi Layne), and Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to retrieve a weapons cache from a secure compound in Split. The opening action sequence shows promise—Matthew Schmidt’s editing and Barry Ackroyd’s camerawork create an intense, well-choreographed scene that culminates in Nile crashing a speedboat through a window. It’s the film’s high point and suggests the potential for what might have been.
While in hiding, Nile experiences dreams of a mysterious woman incapacitating someone in a library before stealing ancient books. Meanwhile, the exiled Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) is abducted by Quỳnh (Veronica Ngô), Andy’s former partner who spent centuries imprisoned beneath the ocean. Andy and Copley track down Tuah (Henry Golding), a sage-immortal in Seoul who reveals that his books containing immortal knowledge were stolen by Discord (Uma Thurman), an arms dealer who has become the film’s primary antagonist.
The plot mechanics become increasingly convoluted as Andy and Quỳnh have a tense reunion in Rome, where Quỳnh blames Andy for abandoning her. Discord reveals herself as the first immortal while Nile is supposedly the last, with the power to strip or transfer immortality through wounds. This leads to a climactic showdown at a Chinese-owned nuclear facility in South Tangerang, where Discord and Quỳnh’s mercenaries have planted charges that could irradiate millions.
The fundamental problem with “The Old Guard 2” isn’t poor acting or cinematography—it’s the complete absence of the character depth and world-building that made the original compelling. Greg Rucka’s script feels underdeveloped and rushed, establishing very few character arcs while barely acknowledging the outside world that supposedly allows these once-secret immortals to roam freely despite being exposed six months ago.
Charlize Theron remains committed to Andy, but the script gives her character nothing meaningful to explore. Despite losing her immortality six months prior, Andy never expresses substantive thoughts about mortality. We get a throwaway joke about hangovers and see her moving slightly slower, but no psychological or emotional complexity emerges from this monumental change. It’s a fascinating premise treated as mere formality.
The supporting ensemble, once integral to the first film’s success, largely disappears. Joe and Nicky, the franchise’s lovable queer couple, vanish for long stretches. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Copley lacks any memorable scenes or defining purpose, and his role in the first film was poorly constructed as he had them killed to hopefully prove they’re all immortal? Mentally unstable logic, like a Lex Luthor plot… and crying about your wife dying of cancer isn’t going to get any audience sympathy. At least not from this viewer.
KiKi Layne’s Nile exists primarily as a plot device for the immortality-transfer mechanics rather than a fully realized character. Even Uma Thurman’s Discord feels like a tinny one-note villain who barely receives substantive motivation beyond generic world domination.
Victoria Mahoney’s direction lacks the visual poetry and character intimacy that Prince-Bythewood brought to the original. I wouldn’t even say that Mahoney handles the action competently, feeling more like a revised fighting style in the vein of “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” in places. Mahoney fails to find the emotional core that made audiences care about these immortal warriors in the first film. The film’s best moment comes when Andy walks through Roman alleys that transform back to ancient times for her reunion fight with Quỳnh—an eloquently choreographed sequence that elaborates on centuries of hurt between these women more effectively than any dialogue. More scenes like this might have saved the film.
Barry Ackroyd’s cinematography, known for his work on “The Hurt Locker,” brings appropriate grit to the action sequences but can’t overcome the script’s fundamental emptiness. The globetrotting locations feel perfunctory rather than purposeful, existing only to provide exotic backdrops for increasingly generic set pieces.
The score lacks the memorable themes that could elevate the material, while the production design creates functional but unremarkable environments. Where the original film excelled was in its exploration of what it means to live for centuries—the weight of accumulated loss, the challenge of forming connections knowing they’re temporary, the burden of fighting endless wars. “The Old Guard 2” abandons this thematic richness for generic action beats and plot mechanics about transferring powers.
The film’s approach to its nuclear facility climax exemplifies its problems. Instead of creating meaningful stakes through character development, it relies on the threat of mass casualties to generate tension. When Booker sacrifices himself to protect Andy, the moment lacks emotional impact because the script never bothered to properly rebuild their relationship after his betrayal in the first film.
Netflix’s content strategy has increasingly prioritized quantity over quality, rushing sequels into production based on algorithms rather than creative necessity. “The Old Guard 2” feels like a product of this approach—a film made because Netflix needed content to fill its pipeline rather than because anyone involved had a story worth telling.
The original “The Old Guard” succeeded because Prince-Bythewood understood that superhuman abilities mean nothing without human stakes. She grounded the fantastical elements in real emotion and genuine character relationships. Mahoney’s sequel treats these immortal warriors as chess pieces moving through plot mechanics rather than complex individuals grappling with existential questions.
While there’s potential for this franchise to explore deeper themes about time, loss, and what makes life meaningful when death isn’t permanent, “The Old Guard 2” squanders that opportunity in favor of generic action spectacle. The film isn’t unwatchable, but it’s profoundly unnecessary—a reminder that not every successful property needs immediate sequelization.
In an era where streaming platforms churn out content at unprecedented rates, “The Old Guard 2” serves as a cautionary tale about what happens when business considerations override creative vision. Until Netflix learns to prioritize story development over content quotas, audiences can expect more rushed sequels that diminish rather than enhance their predecessors’ legacies.
Letter Grade: C