Bad girls forever

Bad girls forever

The Old Guard fights for equal rights to kick ass

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Bad girls forever
A scene from The Old Guard. Photo © Netflix

What would you do if you found yourself just unable to die? For the soldiers of The Old Guard, they do what they do best. They fight. For centuries and millennia, this tight-knit group of mercenaries head to different battlefields and engage in countless dangerous missions, hoping they are doing something good for the world.

They may end up on the wrong side of history once in a while, but their heart is in the right place. Leading the group is Andy -- or Andromache of Scythia to be fancy -- who is pretty much the matriarch of the team, played with splendour and sensitivity here by the goddess that is Charlize Theron. The current men on her team are Booker, Joe and Nicky, played by Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli, respectively.

There used to be more people in the group, but a few did "die" along the way. And this mystery forms a part of an existential crisis for the immortals. They have no idea how or why they can live extremely long, although with no other superpower. Their wounds heal and they don't get old, but there is an expiration date to this Wolverine-like power. And just like mere mortals, this uncertainty looms, and no one actually knows when their time will come.

Over the years, these soldiers left and watched their loved ones die, which affect some more than others (as told in quick flashback). In their skirmishes, they wonder if they're doing enough, and why the world doesn't seem to improve. Their latest enemy is CEO of a pharma tech firm looking to unlock their genetic code and monetise it, which leads to an ambush, shoot out and lots of close combat goodies. But, despite all the action sequences the film serves up, the real war is perhaps the internal conflict. It's also what sets this story apart from other superhero action flicks with a mission to save the world. These soldiers are no more saviours than they are victims -- of mysterious fate and also of a stranger's greed.

Being abruptly thrown into this complicated setting is Nile (Kiki Layne from If Beale Street Could Talk), a US marine who is fatally attacked in Afghanistan. But instead of ending up in a body bag, she wakes up unscathed before being whisked away by Theron who is picking up a new kid on the immortal block (which leads to an impressive, narrative-driven fight scene on a plane between the two).

Women are the centre of attention and action in this story. From its leading ladies to the woman who directed it (Gina Prince-Bythewood of Love & Basketball), female power is palpable as we follow these capable fighters and leaders around.

While that is satisfying and revolutionary on its own, the story also packs a level of queerness rarely seen in other blockbusters in the genre.

Here, we see Kenzari and Marinelli playing a gay couple who've been with one another for centuries. It's not a phase, people. Gay men have been kicking some serious ass for hundreds of years. What's impressive here is the extent and emotional strength of their relationship that is included in the story -- all with a love proclamation and a kiss to shut up a homophobic taunt. It is very in-your-face and satisfyingly so.

Big movies have long been hesitant when it comes to the inclusion and representation of LGBTI characters, and any minuscule attempts were perceived and promoted as revolutionary. It is tentative ground not many are too willing to step on for fear of commercial impact and negative response from audiences in more conservative countries. For this reason, it's probably best for both the film and the audience that The Old Guard is on Netflix, which is a platform that has consistently been an inclusive, queer-friendly space.

While The Old Guard has a lot going for it, there are several aspects that could've been better executed. The villain Merrick, played by Harry Melling (aka Dudley from the Harry Potter series), is pretty half-baked. All in all, he doesn't pose that much of a threat, which is a shame. But at least it was fun to see him getting axed by Theron.

Also, as much as we love seeing Chiwetel Ejiofor, he really could have more meaningful stuff to do here in his role as Copley, former CIA agent and the group's contact.

With the way it's set up, the film felt almost like a prequel of a grander franchise to come. Sure, there are some cliches, some predictable moments. There's also that all-too-familiar, customary end-credit scene that teases viewers with a powerful foe in future instalments. But we've seen the chemistry between the cast. We've seen Theron and Layne kicking ass, and we wouldn't mind seeing more of it.

  • The Old Guard
  • Starring Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts and Chiwetel Ejiofor
  • Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
  • Now streaming on Netflix
Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT