Netflix’s original category has been on somewhat of a decline in recent years. Sure, there’s a gem here and there (notably 2025’s Havoc and KPop Demon Hunters), but the streaming giant is increasingly becoming known for bland, boring original media with barely serviceable writing and production value. Sadly, The Old Guard 2 (2025), a sequel to the 2020 film starring action icon Charlize Theron, fails to change that narrative.

In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I came across a film based on a comic book series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández titled The Old Guard (2020). The premise was compelling enough to watch: a small group of immortal warriors fighting for humanity and keeping their eternal secret hidden.

While nothing groundbreaking or even remarkable, the film was a fun action-fantasy largely carried by a killer performance from Theron. It was a great way to escape the crushing boredom and stress of lockdown despite a bloated runtime. Imagine my surprise when the film received news of a sequel. Sure, there were some loose ends that could be explored and a decent critical reception, but the film came and went just as any barely inspired action film would. 

The Old Guard 2 is a mess. Its visibly rushed script leaves much to be desired and fails to engage critically with its characters due to a multitude of different plot threads hanging. As it attempts to give equal attention to each one, the film becomes increasingly confusing and never-ending. Before the audience knows it, the film finishes on a cliffhanger that feels both undeserved and underwhelming. 

Many moviegoers are subjected to the two-parter nowadays, with one of the most notable being last November’s Wicked. What made that film’s first part work so well is that it left the possibility of a sequel in the air while making the first film feel complete. The same principle applies to other iconic first halves of two-parters such as Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (2023). The problem with The Old Guard 2 is that there simply is not a fan base or desire to see an Old Guard 3. Leaving audiences on such a monumental cliffhanger without any intent to tie up the loose ends is a slap in the face and can be very dissatisfying.

A notable part of The Old Guard 2 that felt as good as the first film (though that’s not saying much) is the opening action sequence in which an arms dealer is taken down by Andy’s (Theron) group of immortal warriors. The sequence sets an energetic tone for the film, and I hoped it would continue, but as soon as the group leaves the villa, they invade, and the film slows to a snail’s pace. Sure, action sequences here and there bump up the momentum enough to keep the audience invested, but it simply isn’t enough when the more dramatic sequences are so horribly paced. The action sequences in the first film were much better in terms of how they worked to keep it moving. 

The supporting cast largely works despite a few performances that feel phoned in. I was delighted to see Henry Golding in an action film again, but that might be because I’m one of the only people who enjoyed Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021). Uma Thurman as the film’s antagonist is the biggest surprise, and I was excited to see how The Bride and Furiosa would duke it out on screen. Unfortunately, their showdown was also vehemently underwhelming and left me dissatisfied. Theron is the biggest standout, with her arc easily being the most developed out of the film’s lead, and I enjoyed seeing KiKi Layne on screen again with her badassery is on full display that matches Theron flawlessly. 

Unfortunately, The Old Guard 2 is a half-finished mess. Its commitment to beginning plotlines and not finishing them, combined with a story that trudges along to a two-part set-up, is baffling in the year 2025. Theron carries the film once again, but it feels as if she is the only redeeming quality in an otherwise sour second chapter. Should a third film ever be released, I can only hope that Netflix pulls itself together and releases a film that has a definite beginning, middle, and end.

Review Courtesy of Nadia Arain

Feature Image Credit to Netflix