‘The Old Guard 2’ Review: A Stumbling Sequel That Arrives Too Late and Hits Too Weak
Back in the depths of the pandemic, when the world felt impossibly small and we were starving for anything that resembled cinematic escape, “The Old Guard” delivered just enough spark to stand out from the typical Netflix mockbuster machine. Released in July 2020, it ticked all the usual boxes—big-name star, globetrotting action, and a franchise-ready setup—but still managed to feel like something more than disposable content. It resonated with audiences eager for distraction, becoming one of Netflix’s most-watched premieres.
But, like so many streaming-era blockbusters, its cultural impact evaporated almost as quickly as it hit. People binged it, moved on, and rarely looked back. So when a sequel was greenlit in 2021, many questioned whether it was really needed. Filming began in 2022, but due to a chaotic post-production ride, it’s taken three long years to finally surface. That wait hasn’t done it any favors.
Now, “The Old Guard 2” lands with the scars of delay and the weight of forgotten lore. Netflix even had to recruit the original cast to recap the first film—because, let’s be honest, most viewers barely remember it. And that’s a problem, because this sequel demands memory, diving headfirst into a convoluted mythology pulled from Greg Rucka’s comic series. Instead of a fun, breezy summer watch, it often feels like homework.
If there’s any saving grace, it’s Charlize Theron. An actress with genuine magnetism, she remains watchable even when the material isn't. Theron reprises her role as Andy, the immortal-turned-mortal warrior. In theory, this should raise the stakes during battle scenes—but in execution, not so much. Andy’s return is sparked by the reemergence of an ancient ally (Ngô Thanh Vân) and the rise of a new immortal antagonist, played with snake-like flair by Uma Thurman. Together, they push the old crew back into action.
At just under 97 minutes, the sequel is thankfully shorter than its 125-minute predecessor, but the pace is so frantic it feels more like a cleanup job than a film. The plot is rushed, underdeveloped, and messy, ultimately killing the franchise momentum instead of building it. It joins the ranks of other recent sequel misfires—like the underwhelming “M3gan 2.0”—and serves as a blunt reminder to studios: in today’s attention economy, timing and clarity matter.
The film also seems to forget what made the first one click. The shift from director Gina Prince-Bythewood to Victoria Mahoney brings a noticeable dip in the quality of action scenes, while the groundbreaking queer representation that defined the first film has been nearly erased. The original’s emotional kiss between immortal lovers (played by Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli) has been reduced to a tame forehead nudge. As for Andy’s relationship with her former flame, clearly romantic in the comics, it’s now shrouded in ambiguity and passed off as a mere “close companionship”—a baffling creative choice during Pride Month, no less.
Though Theron does what she can, the film wastes its talent. Chiwetel Ejiofor is back, but underused. Thurman, while fun in her villainous moments, barely appears enough to leave a lasting impression. She’s clearly being set up for a larger role in a potential third film—but here's the twist: no third installment has been confirmed. The movie ends on a jarring cliffhanger, not with a few loose threads, but with the entire narrative incomplete. It’s a move that reeks of studio overconfidence, and it threatens to make “The Old Guard” franchise the next Divergent, which famously died before its finale ever saw the light of day.