When The Old Guard premiered on Netflix in the summer of 2020, it came as a welcome jolt during a time of uncertainty. The first wave of the pandemic had shuttered theaters, halted blockbusters, and shifted attention to streaming — and suddenly, here was an intelligent, emotionally rich action film that not only delivered solid hand-to-hand combat and globe-trotting thrills but also explored the loneliness of immortality. Led by a commanding Charlize Theron and bolstered by strong ensemble performances, The Old Guard offered something rare: an action film with soul.
Now, five years later, The Old Guard 2 arrives with much of the original cast intact and ambitions to build on the first film’s success. Charlize Theron returns as Andy, the centuries-old warrior weary of eternal life. KiKi Layne reprises her role as Nile, the newest immortal coming into her power. Also back are Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli as Joe and Nicky, the gay warrior couple whose tender relationship was a highlight of the first film. Matthias Schoenaerts returns as the exiled Booker, while Chiwetel Ejiofor reappears as the morally reformed CIA agent Copley.
But despite this familiar and capable ensemble, The Old Guard 2 struggles to recapture the balance that made the original so compelling. The sequel has all the right ingredients — star power, intense action, globe-trotting espionage, and ancient lore — but the final product feels like a competent genre exercise rather than an inspired continuation. Where the first film had grit and soul, this one is slick and serviceable, but rarely stirring.
What’s Changed: New Director, New Tone
One major shift between the two films is behind the camera. Gina Prince-Bythewood, whose nuanced direction gave the first film emotional heft, has stepped aside. Victoria Mahoney, known for her work on high-profile series and as second unit director on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, takes the helm this time.
Mahoney brings a clean, confident style to the action sequences, but the deeper emotional undercurrents feel thinner. The original Old Guard worked because it wasn’t just about cool immortals doing slow-motion combat — it was about the toll of eternity, the aching weight of loss, and the tension between power and purpose. Prince-Bythewood infused the film with a lived-in feel, allowing moments of quiet reflection to sit alongside the battles. In Mahoney’s hands, those moments exist, but they don’t quite resonate the same way.
Picking Up the Pieces: Where We Left Off
The Old Guard ended on several major cliffhangers. Andy had mysteriously lost her immortality, raising questions about what it means to be human after centuries of invincibility. Booker had betrayed the group and been banished for a hundred years. Meanwhile, a coda revealed the return of Quynh (Veronica Ngo), Andy’s ancient companion who had been condemned to an unthinkable fate — drowned and reborn endlessly for 500 years, locked in an iron coffin at the bottom of the ocean.
The Old Guard 2 wastes no time in showing us that Quynh is alive — and furious. Her hatred is rooted not just in what humans did to her, but in the perceived betrayal by Andy, who promised to stand by her “until the end.” It’s a compelling emotional setup, yet one the film only occasionally explores in depth.
The Action Starts Strong… Then Slows Down
The movie opens with a stylish, tightly choreographed action sequence set in a villa on the Croatian coast (filmed on Lake Como, Italy — and yes, it looks stunning). Andy and Copley infiltrate an arms deal while Joe and Nicky cause a distraction in vintage sports cars. Nile watches from a nearby boat before making a grand, last-minute entrance.
The fight choreography here is top-tier. Weapons clash, bodies fly, and the editing allows us to follow the action without becoming a blur. The stunt coordination and physicality are as good as ever, and the entire sequence has an energetic pulse.
Unfortunately, that opening becomes a high the rest of the film struggles to match. There are more fight scenes, and they’re all capably shot, but they lack the same adrenaline and narrative stakes. The midsection of the movie slows considerably as the plot pivots to exposition-heavy revelations, some of which feel more like franchise table-setting than essential storytelling.
Meet Discord: A New Immortal with an Old Grudge
The main antagonist this time is Discord (Uma Thurman), an immortal older than even Andy. Over centuries, Discord has amassed a fortune and immense influence by operating in the shadows. She is a myth among immortals — a ghost whispered about in old scrolls and dreams. She’s also the one pulling strings to reach Andy and the others through Quynh.
Uma Thurman brings a slinky menace to the role, but the character remains underdeveloped. Discord’s motivations are murky, her history hinted at rather than explored. For a villain meant to be the oldest and most dangerous of them all, she doesn’t leave a lasting impression. The long-anticipated showdown between Discord and Andy — two icons of cinematic female badassery — is oddly underwhelming.
In contrast, Quynh has more narrative weight. Her dynamic with Andy is charged with betrayal, guilt, and unresolved love. The film tiptoes around the possibility that they were more than friends, which raises a valid question: If the franchise has already embraced one queer couple (Joe and Nicky), why shy away from confirming the nature of Quynh and Andy’s bond? It’s a missed opportunity for deeper storytelling — and representation.
Themes of Mortality, Memory, and Meaning
As with the first film, The Old Guard 2 uses its immortal characters to explore human questions: What does it mean to make a difference in a world that never stops changing? How do you carry centuries of trauma? When you’ve lived forever, can anything still feel new?
Some of these questions are answered through Andy’s journey. Now mortal, she experiences vulnerability for the first time in eons. It gives her a different perspective — she’s still fierce in combat, but her stakes have changed. Her rapport with Nile also evolves. Where they once had a mentor-protégé dynamic, now they feel more like equals. Their relationship adds warmth and humor to an otherwise somber tale.
Booker’s return to the group — after a hundred-year exile is cut short — brings another layer of introspection. His guilt is palpable, and his redemption arc, while not particularly novel, is sensitively portrayed.
A new character, Tuah (played by Henry Golding), offers a fresh perspective. Once a fellow immortal fighter, Tuah has turned to scholarship, devoting his life to documenting the group’s impact on history. His library of ancient tomes holds secrets that shape the plot, and his scenes give the movie a welcome quietness.
Joe and Nicky: Still the Heart of the Franchise
Joe and Nicky remain the emotional core of the series. Their love — spanning centuries and forged in war — is portrayed with tenderness and a surprising lack of fanfare. They are simply together, as any other couple would be, and that normalcy is its own kind of radical.
Unfortunately, they’re a bit sidelined this time around. While they do get some early action (and a sweet moment of post-battle banter about snoring), they don’t have the same narrative presence as in the first film. The sequel lacks a defining scene like their truck kiss — a rare moment in action cinema that felt both intimate and defiant.
Still, their presence continues to anchor the emotional landscape of The Old Guard universe. They’re reminders that even immortals can find solace in love — a counterbalance to the loneliness that haunts characters like Andy and Quynh.
A Step Down, But Still Watchable
By the time the final act arrives — set in a shadowy, high-tech facility somewhere in Indonesia — the film starts to feel more conventional. Explosives are armed, enemies are dispatched, and a final battle looms. While the choreography remains polished, the climax lacks emotional payoff. The expected duel between Andy and Discord lands with a thud rather than a bang.
But despite its shortcomings, The Old Guard 2 remains watchable, thanks to its committed cast and the thematic ambition of the source material. Rucka and Sarah L. Walker’s script still explores meaningful questions, even if the answers are less resonant than before.
There are seeds planted for a third film, and a post-credits scene all but confirms it. If the filmmakers can recapture the urgency and depth of the first installment — and give its characters the emotional arcs they deserve — the final chapter could be a satisfying conclusion.
A Sophomore Slump, but Still Worth the Watch
The Old Guard 2 is a solid, if not spectacular, follow-up. It delivers enough action to satisfy fans, features strong performances (particularly from Theron and Layne), and continues to explore the emotional costs of immortality. But without Gina Prince-Bythewood’s guiding hand, the sequel lacks the spark that made the original feel so vital.
It’s a good streaming action flick — better than most — but it’s not the game-changer its predecessor was. Here’s hoping The Old Guard 3 brings the heat we know this franchise is capable of.