The Old Guard

◊ ◊ ◊

This film was, in many ways, the exact opposite of the last two I saw. It isn’t a towering work of art. It won’t win any awards. But it was surprisingly entertaining. In fact, it was a lot more fun than the two or three things I tried to watch before I gave it a go. Charlize Theron is becoming quite the action star with this, “Mad Max,” and “Atomic Blonde”. It makes me worry for her safety (apparently, she needing three surgeries after the film wrapped). I had just assumed this was another Atomic Blonde. I guess that is the advantage of living in a largely trailer-free world. I went into this film knowing almost nothing (and, if you plan on watching it, I would skip the trailer below). So, when things totally took a left turn 10 minutes in, I was pleasantly surprised. This was not the movie I thought it was. It’s actually smarter, more interesting, and more fun than I had expected. Now, don’t get me wrong; this isn’t Shakespeare (although Dudley Dursley does quote him at one point). It’s an action film, with all the plot limitations and lack of character depth that implies. But, as far as action films go, this one is pretty entertaining. And, if you enjoy it, cross your fingers, because it’s clearly set up for a sequel. And, given the character we meet in the final scene, I actually find myself just slightly looking forward to it. Who would have guessed?