The Old Guard 2 Leaves UK Film Club Podcast Feeling Lukewarm

In a review for their podcast, UK Film Club, critics Chris Olson and Brian Penn shared their thoughts on the new Netflix sequel, The Old Guard 2, starring Charlize Theron.

While acknowledging the need to watch the first film to fully understand the sequel's plot, their overall assessment was lukewarm, with both critics agreeing the movie was "competent" but ultimately forgettable.

Chris Olson initially sets up the film's premise, noting the return of Charlize Theron's character, Andy, who at the end of the previous film had lost her immortality. The sequel sees her reunited with the team, now living in exile, as they face the emergence of a "long-buried character." Olson is cautious about revealing too much, fearing it would spoil the film's limited twists and turns.

Brian Penn kicks off the critical discussion by labelling the film as merely "competent." He believes the sequel "goes by the numbers" and, unlike the first film, fails to take any chances.

A major point of criticism for Penn is the lack of character development. He argues that outside of Andy, the characters are not strong enough to stand out, and the film could have benefited from more fleshed-out character arcs. The film's central theme of immortal warriors protecting humanity is, to him, a familiar but underdeveloped concept.

Olson echoes Penn's sentiments on character development, stating that the film "wasn't fully fleshed out" and simply "skims along." He also criticises the antagonists, describing them as "melodramatic" and reminiscent of the villains in The Mummy (1999), but without the same level of charm. Olson feels the movie is "clunky" and heavily relies on Charlize Theron's star power to be watchable. He even questions if the film is worthy of Theron's talent, suggesting it's not one of her best choices.

Both critics found the film to be an emotionally detached experience. Olson mentions that upon finishing the movie, he simply "went okay" and didn't think about it again until the podcast review, suggesting a profound lack of emotional impact. He appreciates some of the action sequences and the banter among the group but feels that in today's cinematic landscape, great stunts alone are not enough to sustain a story.

A key point raised by both Penn and Olson is the film's wasted potential. They both believe the core idea of immortal warriors living through centuries is a fantastic premise that has been poorly executed. Penn suggests a better direction would have been to take the characters back in time to pivotal historical moments, such as the Battle of Waterloo, instead of confining them to a modern-day spy thriller format. Olson agrees, feeling that the modern setting makes the immortal premise feel "a bit pointless" and lacking in genuine threat.

In conclusion, Olson and Penn find The Old Guard 2 to be a serviceable but ultimately disappointing sequel. It's a film that is "fine and sturdy" in its execution but fails to achieve anything brilliant. They conclude that it never reaches a point where the audience feels a true connection to the characters or the stakes, leaving them with the impression that Theron's involvement was likely for the paycheck.

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