Overview
A group of immortal mercenaries battles to protect their secret and the world from those who wish to exploit their powers.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- propulsive
- sardonic
- melancholic
- action movie night
- superhero marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a sophisticated, progressive superhero action movie with compelling performances and knockout fight choreography, though genre conventions and a formulaic, sometimes slow structure limit it.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Andy and her centuries-old team are defined by the psychological and moral cost of surviving across human history.
Joe and Nicky's romance is openly expressed and treated as integral to the team's humanity rather than as a source of conflict.
The team's combat abilities, exhaustion, and exposure directly shape the hand-to-hand fights and ballistic set pieces.
The immortal mercenaries debate intervention, purpose, and the consequences of allowing others to reproduce their abilities.
Films like The Old Guard, and why
Highlander
immortal warriors, stylized hand-to-hand combat, and melancholy supernatural action
Atomic Blonde
female-led covert combat, brutal close-quarters action, and comic-book spectacle
Black Panther
ensemble superhero action, queer representation, and morally complicated exceptional fighters
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
violent modern fantasy, secret immortal beings, and franchise-oriented worldbuilding
Movie Details
- Director
- Gina Prince-Bythewood
- Release Date
- 2020-07-09
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (4974)
Cast
- Charlize Theron
- KiKi Layne
- Veronica Ngô
- Matthias Schoenaerts
- Marwan Kenzari
- Luca Marinelli
- Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Harry Melling
- Natacha Karam
- Anamaria Marinca
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Old Guard about?
- Centuries-old mercenaries who cannot die confront corporate exploitation while an inexperienced new immortal learns what their endless mission costs.
- What is The Old Guard like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Old Guard as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Old Guard violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Old Guard as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Old Guard?
- Critics broadly found the film a sophisticated, progressive superhero action movie with compelling performances and knockout fight choreography, though genre conventions and a formulaic, sometimes slow structure limit it.
- Which films are like The Old Guard?
- Films with a similar feel include Highlander, Atomic Blonde, Black Panther, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
- How long is The Old Guard?
- The Old Guard runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Old Guard?
- In United States, The Old Guard streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
