Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

The Old Guard

Play trailer 2:21 Poster for The Old Guard R 2020 2h 5m Action Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
80% Tomatometer 287 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A group of mercenaries, all centuries-old immortals with the ablity to heal themselves, discover someone is onto their secret, and they must fight to protect their freedom.
Watch on Netflix Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Old Guard

The Old Guard

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Old Guard is occasionally restricted by genre conventions, but director Gina Prince-Bythewood brings a sophisticated vision to the superhero genre - and some knockout action sequences led by Charlize Theron.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (287)
Soraya Nadia McDonald Andscape Given a team of highly regarded actors in Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor and KiKi Layne, Prince-Bythewood delivers both satisfying, high-octane fights and a proper storyline to stitch them together. Jan 20, 2021 Full Review Clarisse Loughrey Independent (UK) None of this would work without someone like Gina Prince-Bythewood behind the lens. Rated: 4/5 Dec 9, 2020 Full Review Robbie Collin Daily Telegraph (UK) It's a film that's rewarding to spend time with, with a substance-over-style approach that's entirely commendable, and all too rare in films of this type. Rated: 3/5 Nov 22, 2020 Full Review Terry Staunton Radio Times The result is an uninvolving, stop-start narrative that lacks the wit or flair of the Marvel superhero movie stable. Rated: 2/5 Jul 11, 2025 Full Review Bernard Ozarowski Loud and Clear Reviews The Old Guard is led by the ever excellent Charlize Theron and a strong supporting cast that showcases a smart take on IP action material. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 1, 2025 Full Review Sukanya Verma Rediff.com Director Gina Prince-Bythewood puts a fresh spin on the superhero genre in her adaptation of Greg Rucka's comic book of the same name. Aug 27, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (935)
Marco L (CASTELLANO) La vieja guardia cumple su objetivo como película de acción moderna con cierto trasfondo emocional. Tiene ritmo, entretiene y cuenta con una Charlize Theron poderosa, que carga con convicción el peso del relato. El grupo protagonista está bien definido, con dinámicas interesantes entre los inmortales y momentos de auténtica camaradería. La idea de unos guerreros eternos que se replantean su existencia añade una capa de reflexión poco común en este tipo de propuestas. Sin embargo, no termina de despegar. Le falta algo de ligereza, algo que contrarreste tanto gesto adusto y tanto drama existencial. La seriedad con la que se toma a sí misma no siempre le hace bien. El villano, Merrick, es plano, casi caricaturesco, y eso debilita la tensión en el tramo final. Algunos personajes secundarios quedan desdibujados y ciertas subtramas no aportan demasiado. Eso sí, las escenas de acción están bien filmadas. No son revolucionarias, pero están cuidadas y, en algunos casos, coreografiadas con elegancia. El uso de la cámara prioriza el movimiento sobre el impacto visual gratuito, algo que se agradece en una era de efectos digitales abusivos. Además, el intento por construir un universo coherente y con potencial para más entregas es evidente. No es una joya, pero tampoco una decepción. Su equilibrio entre entretenimiento, emoción contenida y buenas intenciones la sitúa por encima de la media en el catálogo de acción de Netflix. Se deja ver con agrado, aunque uno no puede evitar pensar en lo que habría podido ser con algo más de sentido del humor y un villano a la altura del equipo protagonista. (ENGLISH) The Old Guard delivers on its promise as a modern action film with an emotional edge. It’s well-paced, entertaining, and Charlize Theron carries the weight of the story with strength and conviction. The main team is well-defined, with interesting dynamics and a genuine sense of camaraderie. The idea of eternal warriors questioning their purpose adds a thoughtful layer rarely explored in this genre. However, it never quite takes off. The film could use a bit more levity to balance out the heavy existential tone. Its seriousness sometimes works against it. The villain, Merrick, feels flat and nearly cartoonish, which weakens the stakes in the final stretch. Some secondary characters are underdeveloped, and certain subplots don’t add much. That said, the action scenes are well executed. They’re not groundbreaking, but they’re carefully crafted and, in some moments, elegantly choreographed. The camera work favors fluid motion over flashy tricks, which is refreshing in an era of digital overload. The film also shows a clear intent to build a coherent universe with room for sequels. It’s no masterpiece, but it’s no disappointment either. With a balance of entertainment, restrained emotion, and sincere effort, it stands above average in Netflix’s action catalog. Enjoyable, but you’re left wondering what it could have been with a sharper villain and a touch more humor. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/10/25 Full Review Rodney V Funny actions . If you like fighting and hand to ha d combat. I tell you to watch Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/08/25 Full Review Audience Member Look, The Old Guard entertained me—don’t get me wrong. There’s Charlize Theron slicing through bad guys like she’s still mad from Mad Max, and the action sequences were solid. Definitely popcorn-worthy. But here’s the thing… I was also able to get up, grab snacks, answer a few texts, come back, and not feel like I missed a single major plot point. That’s not exactly a glowing sign of gripping storytelling. The movie kind of drops us into this semi-futuristic now-ish time, with ancient immortal warriors just... vibing. And while the concept is cool—immortal mercenaries fighting for justice—I couldn’t help but wish we started in the past. Like give me some deep historical context, sword fights in ancient Rome, betrayals in feudal Japan, something to root me in their pain and give me a reason to care about their immortal baggage. Instead, I got: “We’ve been around forever, trust us. Now watch us shoot stuff in cargo pants.” It’s not that the movie was bad—it’s totally watchable. But it felt like it wanted to be more profound than it actually was. Like it tiptoed up to the edge of emotional depth... and then backed away because there was a helicopter chase waiting. In short: a fun flick if you're into immortals, moody flashbacks, and Charlize not aging (ever), but don’t expect to have your mind blown. Great for background noise with occasional moments of “yo, that was cool.” Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/08/25 Full Review Kecerdikan M Ripping off other franchises like the Highlander and a lot of Bloodshot concepts was a bit too much. Now if they put in some good writing that isn't too bad but yeah mediocre at best. Immortal mercenaries versus a traitor. Except this movie substitutes high-tech machinery with lackluster firepower and fails to develop any of its characters in an interesting way. Also, the pacing had more downs than ups like a bad rollercoaster ride. If you are bored, it is nice to watch; just don't expect too much! Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/07/25 Full Review Sami R It's great stand alone movie. I loved the idea of this movie, actors were great and in general likeable movie. but it's not on list of watch it more than once in couple years. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/06/25 Full Review Max T An airplane movie at best. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/06/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Old Guard

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

The Old Guard

The Old Guard: Clip - Plane Fight The Old Guard: Clip - Plane Fight 0:59 View more videos
The Crow 21% 61% The Crow Watchlist TRAILER for The Crow Bunraku 18% 50% Bunraku Watchlist Officer Downe 33% 30% Officer Downe Watchlist TRAILER for Officer Downe Hellboy 17% 47% Hellboy Watchlist TRAILER for Hellboy Jiu Jitsu 27% 64% Jiu Jitsu Watchlist TRAILER for Jiu Jitsu Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis A group of mercenaries, all centuries-old immortals with the ablity to heal themselves, discover someone is onto their secret, and they must fight to protect their freedom.
Director
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Producer
A.J. Dix, David Ellison, Marc Evans, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Beth Kono, Charlize Theron
Screenwriter
Greg Rucka
Production Co
Dune Films, Denver and Delilah Productions, Skydance Media, Netflix, Image Comics
Rating
R (Sequences of Graphic Violence|Language)
Genre
Action, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 10, 2020
Runtime
2h 5m
Sound Mix
Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio
Digital 2.39:1
Most Popular at Home Now