The Old Guard 2 Is a Deeper, Yet More Frustrating Sequel

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Given how few opportunities women of color are given to helm tentpole-sized genre films with established fanbases, it’s particularly disappointing that Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard generated so little discourse when it dropped on Netflix five years ago. Netflix has never been particularly interested in promoting its non-award contending films, and even when theaters were empty in the summer of 2020, The Old Guard debuted to minimal fanfare. Being overlooked is perhaps the worst thing that could have happened to the adaptation of Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernándezs’ graphic novel series, as despite some notable pacing and tonal issues, there was a lot to discuss in The Old Guard. Even its most ham-fisted moments of melodrama, off-putting flashback scenes, and expository explanations of its complex mythology represented the type of authorial choices that are rarely seen within the disposable Netflix action films in the vein of The Gray Man, Back in Action, Heart of Stone, or The Mother.

Even if The Old Guard didn’t get the fanfare that an R-Rated comic book film with multiple Academy Award nominees in its cast should have, it seemingly hit the right metrics in order to spark interest in a sequel. Given how rarely Netflix has actually capitalized on its potential franchises (with Extraction and Murder Mystery being the rare exception), there’s a queasiness that comes from the half-decade break in between installments and the swapping of filmmakers, as Prince-Blythwood was replaced by the veteran television director Victoria Mahoney. Despite the unusual nature of its release, production, and distribution, The Old Guard 2 has the weaknesses and strengths that are common within action sequels. Although at times it shows a remarkable focus and weight that its predecessor lacked, it also falls victim to the type of cliches and convolution that tend to doom franchises gearing towards the development of still more installments.

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The Old Guard 2 was seemingly oriented to be watched by viewers that failed to click away after the credits wrapped on its predecessor on the Netflix home page, as the sequel assumes that its audience is already familiar with both the characters’ interpersonal relationships and the shocking twist that the first film had ended with. Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne) is now a fully-fledged member of a group of immortal warriors led by Andromache of Scythia (Charlize Theron), who take mercenary jobs around the world through the assistance of their mortal client, James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Nile may have grown more confident in her abilities, but the group is still divided over the decision to banish their former ally Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) to a century of loneliness after he betrayed them. Although Joe (Marwan Kenzari) goes behind the back of his lover Nicky (Luca Marinelli) to contact their former ally, the group is unaware that Booker had breached contact with Quỳnh (Ngô Thanh Vân), an immortal they had lost contact with after she was trapped in an iron maiden and cast into the sea. Although Quỳnh was thought to be the first immortal, an even older warrior named Discord (Uma Thurman) has begun amassing power with the intention of gutting Andy’s group from the inside out.

Although it would seem like a challenge to generate sympathy for characters that are literally impervious to death, The Old Guard has explored the tragic history of individuals who were forcibly assigned to a life of warfare, and had been burdened to watch mankind repeat its mistakes over and over again. Although there was still a difficulty in expression, as characters that were centuries old tend to speak in an overtly formal style, The Old Guard had managed to ground its more supernatural elements in a real world, in which military overreach and pharmaceutical greed were relevant issues. Instead of trying to intertwine the immortals with the fallible humans that also populate the planet, The Old Guard 2 opts to be more insular. Immortality in the sequel is not a given, as the plot revolves around the twist that these powers could be taken away at any point.

Perhaps the more tangible stakes somewhat undercut the thematic complexity of the first film, but The Old Guard 2 succeeds in establishing an immediacy that its predecessor lacked. Ironically, centuries of life has not made it any easier for Andy to open up to her colleagues, as she has hidden truths about Discord in hope of sparing them from trauma. There are certainly character actions that are made drastically for the sake of ramping up the plot, but they are still grounded in rational explanations; given that Quỳnh thought herself abandoned for 500 years, there’s reason to believe she would be primed to earn vengeance. The sequel reiterates the fact that although these characters are superpowered, they were once human, and thus have room to make mistakes and change their minds. While Booker’s betrayal may have seemed unforgivable, one transgression is less significant when he is given a lifetime to consider his decisions.

If there’s a missed opportunity in The Old Guard 2 it is unfortunately the depiction of Nyle, who oddly takes a backseat, despite essentially serving as the audience’s avatar in the first film during her introduction within the group. Although it’s gratifying to see how natural Layne’s chemistry with the rest of the group has become, Nyle has learned so much from Andy that their character arcs become too similar. Nyle is often tasked with being a dissenting voice within the group, but there’s little time to examine the consequences of speaking up. The tension between Joe and Nicky works much better; although there’s never the suggestion that the two would end their relationship, it’s rather significant that two men who have been in love with one another for centuries are forced to engage in a serious moral debate.

Theron’s performance is also quite textured, as reminders of Andy’s past force her to face the uncertainty and fear that she hadn’t experienced since first acquiring her powers. Where Prince-Bythewood relied heavily on flashbacks to establish backstory, Mahoney includes several extended conversations in which the characters are forced to recall memories that were literally lifetimes prior. It was a potentially dangerous choice, as the mythology of The Old Guard is quite dense, and can often feel a tad overwhelming when trying to keep the characters’ entire history in mind. Although there are moments of bumpiness in which the expository passages drag the pacing, it also allows performers like Theron to shine, as a character like Andy has avoided admitting these grievances for entire generations.

Although the returning cast works excellently in the group sequences, particularly when Mahoney allows the characters to hold a slightly humorous perspective on their wealth of experience, the standout performance of the film is ultimately from Schoenaerts. Booker had served as a compelling antagonist in the previous film as a result of his moral flexibility, but the sequel allows him to contend with the consequences of his choices and search for greater meaning. Many of Schoenaerts’ best scenes are with Henry Golding, who joins the cast as the immortal Tuah, who has safeguarded secrets of their shared history. While Golding isn’t quite given enough screen time to develop nuanced relationships with the rest of the cast, the conversations he shares with Schoenaerts about finding purpose are surprisingly profound.

The fact that many of the best scenes in The Old Guard 2 are dialogue-heavy isn’t a snipe at the action, as the sequel is largely faithful to Prince-Blythewood’s work with its slick, formal mix of martial arts and swordplay. Both films certainly make note that these characters have developed their combat skills to the point that they are instinctual, but at times the movements are so fluid that they feel over-choreographed. The Old Guard 2 is generally more successful with its more intimate fights, as the crushing brutality of each blow seems to get lost within the more densely populated set pieces. There’s also a notable lack of gunplay in the sequel; whether this was a deliberate choice in light of recent events is unclear, but it is refreshing after the non-stop firepower of countless John Wick knock-offs.

The weaknesses of The Old Guard 2 are tied to Discord, as Thurman’s scenery-chewing, deliciously evil performance isn’t quite suited for the grittier tone of the franchise. There is certainly a lot of joy in the bold proclamations that each character makes about their stated views, but Discord’s dialogue consists of rambling speeches about the nature of power that may have been better suited for James Bond (or Austin Powers, for that matter). The most interesting aspect of Discord is her manipulation of Quỳnh, whose ferocity makes her susceptible to radicalization. The complex bond between Quỳnh and Andy results in a supercharged emotional confrontation that shows the potential of the mythology, but it also makes the confrontations with Discord less compelling in comparison.

Although the kineticism of The Old Guard 2’s pacing marks an improvement from some of the laborious table-setting of the first film, there is a sense that some of the cultural awareness that Prince-Bythewood had introduced is lost. There are certainly a lot of international locations in The Old Guard 2, but they largely function as the setting for different set pieces, and do not meaningfully speak to the well-traveled nature of the protagonists. Prince-Blythewood may not have felt entirely comfortable with some of the more CGI-heavy moments, but there were certainly instances in The Old Guard that served as a reminder that she also directed Beyond the Lights and Love & Basketball. While it’s encouraging to see that Mahoney brings her own visual flare, The Old Guard 2 often feels like a big-budget streaming event in which functionality is more valuable than specificity.

As with many “Part II” films, The Old Guard 2 sets up a potential third installment that would presumably wrap up the pressing cliffhangers. Debates over how conclusive an individual installment installment in a planned franchise should be have been waged since The Empire Strikes Back, and to the credit of The Old Guard 2, it doesn’t suffer from the “half a story” conundrum that ended films like Wicked or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on such bitter notes. Nonetheless, there is certainly a moment in which The Old Guard 2 moves past a fairly satisfying ending and becomes a more overt teaser of what is to come. Whether this is a risk worth taking remains to be seen; The Old Guard 3 could very well take another five years to make, if it is ever even greenlit.

There’s a lot to like about The Old Guard 2, as at its best it beautifully visualizes the stylized artwork of its source text, and at its worst, it still features a cast of charismatic actors that are committed to the material, regardless of how silly it may seem if described in detail. It’s admirable that the film chose to deepen and expand on some of the ambiguities of its predecessor, even if many of its new components don’t receive the same precision. It’s clear that The Old Guard 2 deserves to be judged alongside this summer’s theatrical releases, as it is leaps and bounds above the “streaming event” it may have been promoted as. Nonetheless, The Old Guard 2 is not exempt from the issues that plague many sequels, and may require pre-existing goodwill from viewers to overcome some of its flaws.

Director: Victoria Mahoney
Writer: Greg Rucka
Stars: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Matthias Schoenaerts, Vân Veronica Ngô, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Uma Thurman, Henry Golding
Release date: July 2, 2025 (Netflix)

Liam Gaughan is a film critic, writer, and entertainment journalist with over twelve years experience writing about popular culture. His bylines include Polygon, Dallas Morning News, Dallas Observer, High on Films, Central Track, Collider, Taste of Cinema, Slashfilm, and Movieweb. He also posts ramblings and thoughts on Letterboxd and X at @TheLiamGaughan.