This has been the week that will not end. Once again, I’m writing up my post on only one movie at 11pm when I really want to go to be, but thankfully I’m at least feeling a little better. And not only am I feeling better physically, but I can’t wait for it to be the weekend so I can binge a bunch of films each day. One day at a time until then though.

The Old Guard (2020, Dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood)

I know I’m six months behind the times on this one. When it came out, I was in the middle of my coronavirus-induced, no-movie-watching depression, so that combined with it not being the type of movie I gravitate to caused me to pass up on it. Fortunately, it fits neatly into my February viewing theme, so it became tonight’s film.

As I mentioned above (and when I watched John Woo’s The Killer (1989) earlier this year), action films are not my go-to genre. So, when I say that I thought The Old Guard was fine, that’s a good sign from me. The immortal warrior is a concept that I feel has a lot of potential if played correctly, and while the film didn’t delve into lore too much, it clearly baited a sequel that I have hope will explore that aspect more. Unfortunately for me, the film felt a little to generic action film for me to really embrace it. That said, there was one thing about the film that absolutely worked for me, the lead.

At this point, it seems that Charlize Theron has attained Keanu Reeves level of cool in action films. When up against unsurmountable odds she sells making the miraculous look effortless. And while Reeves’s dramatic chops have grown with time, Theron has genuine dramatic chops that play just as well in the quieter scenes as her physical presence does stabbing an unnamed soldier through the gut with a sword. This film wouldn’t work without Theron, but thankful she is the lead and elevated a rather routine action film.