THE OLD GUARD Drops on Netflix This Friday – July 10

THE OLD GUARD releases on NETFLIX this Friday, July 10.

Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. But when the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed, it’s up to Andy and Nile (Kiki Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary.

Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (LOVE & BASKETBALL, BEYOND THE LIGHTS), THE OLD GUARD is a gritty, grounded, action-packed story that shows living forever is harder than it looks.

The Old Guard flips the conceit of immortality as being something desirable on its head: It instead focuses on the inherent tragedy of living forever. It’s also a superhero story that places the work of saving mankind firmly in the hands of two female warriors. “This is a story with mythological elements and themes of relationships, family, and love that were very appealing to me,” says Prince-Bythewood. “But at its core, the fact that I got to put two badass women on screen was everything. The script came to me at a time when I had been looking to move into a bigger sandbox and it ended up presenting me with the opportunity to do exactly what I wanted: To put female heroes into the world, one of whom is a young black woman.”

WAMG’s Cate Marquis says over on AWFJ, “Charlize Theron plays the leader of a team of spec ops mercenaries with very special skills in sci-fi action film The Old Guard. We’ve seen action teams led by women before but one thing that sets this one apart is that the rest of the team are men and she is the unquestioned leader, one they all call boss. Another thing that sets this band of four highly skilled paramilitary specialists apart this that only take assignments that do good, such as the mission to rescue some kidnapped girls. The movie has an intriguing science fiction premise but really, the emphasis is more on action and personal bonds between the team members, rather than the science fiction aspect. Theron’s Andy is the only woman on the team until they learn of new potential member, a young African American Marine (KiKi Layne), an addition that proves an adventure in itself. The Old Guard boasts a nice cast that includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Harry Melling. The adventure has an comic book action hero style, a uniquely diverse mix of characters and plenty of action. It’s pure escapist entertainment but it is fun.”

Published in 2017 by Image Comics, The Old Guard was written by prolific comic book author and screenwriter Greg Rucka (Wonder Woman, Lazarus, Stumptown), whose award-winning work has also straddled both the DC and Marvel universes. All of the volumes in the series are illustrated by acclaimed Argentinian artist Leandro Fernández (Punisher, American Carnage, The Discipline). For more on the film and comics, check out this video below.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81038963