Movie Review: In ‘The Old Guard 2,' Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman get half a movie
The promise of a showdown between The Bride and Furiosa may not justify the existence of this sequel, now streaming on Netflix, but it was something to look forward to nonetheless. And while they do fight, for a little, something even crazier happens not too long after: The movie ends or, rather, stops mid-climax. An ending was never part of the plan.
This might be an attempt at a cheeky nod to the life of an immortal — what is an ending after all, I guess? But unlike the first film, which merely left the door open for the possibility of a sequel, 'The Old Guard 2' cuts off mid-movie. Not only is there no option to 'continue watching,' there's no promise we'll even get an 'Old Guard 3.'
Moviegoers endure a lot of partial stories in these days of franchise filmmaking, ever desperate for a built-in audience. With some, you know a resolution is coming at a later date, as with 'Mission: Impossible' or 'Wicked.' With others, like 'Dune,' a part two or three might have been a question mark, but the intention was unambiguously there. There's nothing fun or enjoyable about being surprised that you've been watching a 'part one' the whole time, especially on a service that has helped train us to click next episode.
Perhaps that also has to do with the quality of 'The Old Guard 2,' which feels like a step down from the first movie, which provided much-needed escapism in the summer of 2020 as we met Theron's Andromache the Scythian (Andy, for short) and welcomed KiKi Layne's new immortal Nile.
It ended with Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) being exiled for a betrayal and the tease that Andy's old companion Quynh (Vân Veronica Ngô), was still alive. Quynh is, understandably, not thrilled that she was left at the bottom of the ocean for centuries. She wants to punish Andy the most — the movie heavily implies that they were more than sisters in arms, but never quite goes so far as to confirm that their love was romantic, which is especially strange given that it doesn't shy away from letting Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Joe (Marwan Kenzari) be an out gay couple.
One of the most significant behind-the-scenes changes is that Gina Prince-Bythewood ( 'The Woman King,' 'Love & Basketball') ceded directing duties to Victoria Mahoney, who has directed episodes of 'Queen Sugar' and 'You' and served as second unit director on 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.' Working off Greg Rucka and Sarah L. Walker's screenplay, the movies opens with a lively action sequence in which the immortals attempt to nab an arms dealer. Nicky and Joe are the distractors, getting their own James Bond-esque car chase, while Nile, Andy and Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) get more hand-to-hand combat on the property. It sets a fun tone and allows for some (mostly) welcome exposition — 'remember, you're not immortal anymore' — for those who might not have the best memory of something they watched at the height of the pandemic.
But the film never recaptures that energy again and devolves into an increasingly tedious meditation on time, death and the science of why Andy lost her immortality power (which is approaching 'Face/Off' levels of insanity). Thurman has a mighty good scowl as the 'bad immortal' who long ago decided she didn't have any desire to help the humans who persecuted her kind, but the movie seems to be saving her big moment for later.
Weekly
A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene.
Overall 'The Old Guard 2' is fine, a bit of a background movie that's probably easy enough to tune in and out of (though Schoenaerts, a standout, gives it some real pathos). Its greatest sin is the non-ending, which might have moviegoers engaging in their own rants about wasted time. Cliffhangers are a gamble — when the movie is satisfying on its own, it can leave them wanting more. In this case, it might just leave them angry. Audiences in 2025 deserve better.
'The Old Guard 2,' a Netflix release now streaming, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for 'sequences of graphic violence and some language.' Running time: 105 minutes. Two stars out of four.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
The 'poop cruise' was a floating nightmare. Now there's a documentary.
It was the ship that launched a thousand headlines. A dozen years ago, the country was riveted — and, let's face it, entertained — by the plight of more than 4,200 people adrift in the Gulf of Mexico on the Carnival Triumph after an engine room fire. A new Netflix documentary, 'Trainwreck: Poop Cruise,' recounts the sordid tale, from the initial party atmosphere to the postapocalyptic scenes of passengers sleeping on pool decks, hoarding food and collecting biohazard bags to relieve themselves. By the end of the ordeal, news choppers were following the ship's slow journey back to shore days after the voyage was meant to end. The trip started in Galveston, Texas, on Feb. 7, 2013, and was meant to last four nights with a stop in Cozumel, Mexico, on Day 3. But on the third night, a fire broke out and the situation went from bad to worse to utterly bleak. While no one was injured, the fire knocked out power for most functions on board. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Sometimes there are those scenarios that come along that just grab everyone's attention,' former CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin says in the 55-minute film. 'We couldn't get enough. America couldn't get enough.' Here are eight big uh-oh moments detailed in the movie, part of a series that Netflix describes as 'some of the most gripping, bizarre — and sometimes even horrifying — events that once dominated the mainstream media.' The documentary includes videos and photos from the cruise along with interviews with several crew members and passengers. Passengers described a day of eating, drinking and fun in Cozumel. Some were hungover when a loud alarm and message summoning 'Alpha Team' blared just before 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 10. A former chef said he saw smoke coming from the sink's drain. Passengers recalled people banging on their doors and seeing flames from the signature red funnel atop the vessel. Some gathered on the deck in their robes. 'I'm like 'Oh my God, this is it, this is the Titanic, we're going down,'' said one guest identified as Jayme, a member of a bachelorette party. The cruise director, Jen Baxter, said she initially wondered whether crew would have to ready the lifeboats. But after learning that the fire was out, she can be heard assuring passengers that everything was under control just before 6:15 a.m. 'Go back to your cabin, go back to bed, go have some coffee, have some breakfast,' she says. The optimism was short-lived. 'I told my fiancée, 'Everything's going to be fine, we should go get some coffee,'' one man, identified as Devin, recounted. 'And then the lights go out.' Other passengers heard the air conditioning cut out. They realized their cellular service was no longer working. An even more unsettling reality would soon set in: With only emergency power available, most of the toilets weren't operating. By about 8 a.m., some tough conversations were playing out. In the documentary, the cruise director recounts the effort to come up with a plan for passengers' bathroom needs. The filmmakers play a recording of Baxter's instructions to former passengers as they grimace in recognition. 'As you probably know by now, the toilets are not flushing and it's going to start causing a little bit of a problem,' she says, telling guests to 'do a number one' in the shower. For further needs, the request was more complicated and included red biohazard bags to be delivered to the rooms. 'If you do need to do a number two, we ask that you please do it in the red bag and drop it off in the bins in the corridors,' she said. Cut to passengers' reactions: 'You want me to what?' said Devin, who was on board with his future in-laws. 'I'm not doing that,' said a man named Larry who sailed with his 12-year-old daughter. 'It was just like, 'What world are we living in?'' Ashley, a woman who was on her bachelorette party, said. She said she immediately started taking Imodium. Without air conditioning, passengers said they found little respite from the sun. 'Inside the boat it was even worse. I mean it'll just suffocate you in minutes because there's nothing stirring, no air at all,' Larry said. As night approached, passengers started setting up beds outside. The film shows people dragging mattresses down stairs, sleeping in common areas or taking over lounge chairs. In the film, a former chef identified as Abhi said the crew threw away perishable food and started making sandwiches with whatever they could find. Video footage shows long lines wrapping around the deck. 'You would have to wait in line for two hours, then when you got up to see what it was you were waiting on, it was like a soggy bread and tomato lettuce sandwich,' Ashley the bachelorette said. (Other cruise ships met up with the Triumph to bring more food for the passengers.) Despite the limited choices, passengers described their fellow guests as going into 'survival mode' and hoarding food to bring back to their makeshift camps. With fire damage making it impossible to steer the ship back to land, the initial plan was for the Triumph to be towed to Progreso, Mexico. But after the ship drifted north, Carnival Cruise Line had to shift to a new option – getting the ship to Mobile, Alabama, which would take much longer. 'This is going to add on a couple of days at least,' said a guest services manager identified as Stephen. 'My heart just dropped out.' After passengers were able to make cellphone calls thanks to the proximity of a ship bringing more supplies, their loved ones on land learned more about the conditions on board. News outlets started paying more attention. 'Now the cat's out of the bag,' says Buck Banks, a public relations consultant who described working with Carnival on the response. 'The snowball has started to roll, and there's no stopping it.' Passengers described how the news of the delay came as showers started backing up and bathrooms grew increasingly disgusting. Devin, the passenger on board with future in-laws, recounted his ultimately successful search for a working toilet to avoid the dreaded red-bag solution. One crew member said that — in light of Carnival's reputation as the 'Fun Ship' cruise line — someone decided to start offering free drinks at the bar. 'I was definitely against the idea,' Baxter said. While the booze distracted guests for a while, crew members and passengers said chaos followed, with some people urinating off the side of the ship, throwing their biohazard bags onto lifeboats and getting into fights. 'It just was like, 'We've got to put a stop to this,'' Baxter said. 'Close the bar.' As tugboats pulled the ship and rougher weather rolled in, guests said, the ride became more rocky. 'This was probably the tipping point,' Devin said. Videos showed people reacting to overflowing sewage and soaked carpets in one of the queasiest segments of the documentary. 'You're walking down the hallway and all of a sudden squish, squish, squish, squish,' he said. 'And you know what you're standing in.' The ship arrived in Mobile the night of Feb. 14, greeted by worried family members, many news cameras and the hashtag #cruiseshipfromhell. At least one passenger kissed the ground after walking onto land. Many praised the efforts of the crew. Carnival Cruise Line, which did not participate in the documentary, said in a statement that the 2013 incident 'was a teachable moment for the entire cruise industry.' The statement said an investigation revealed a 'design vulnerability,' which prompted the cruise operator to spend more than $500 million fleet-wide in improvements. 'We are proud of the fact that since 2013 over 53 million guests have enjoyed safe and memorable vacations with us, and we will continue to operate to these high standards,' the statement said. The cruise industry adopted a 'passenger bill of rights' in the aftermath of the ordeal, detailing what cruise lines will do for guests in case of emergency. They include refunds if a trip is cut short or canceled because of mechanical problems, the right to timely information and updates about itinerary changes, and the right to an emergency power source if a main generator fails. But some legal experts have told The Washington Post that the policies are 'meaningless' with no way to enforce the rights.
Toronto Sun
8 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Charlize Theron details 'f***ing amazing' hookup with 26-year-old
Charlize Theron attends Charlize Theron's Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) Block Party 2025 at Universal Studios Backlot on June 28, 2025 in Universal City, California. Photo by Presley Ann / Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Charlize Theron is opening up about a recent one-night stand she shared with a man half her age. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The 49-year-old actress was a guest on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast to promote her new movie The Old Guard 2 , but the two veered into the subject of love, sex and relationships. After a lengthy discussion about her approach to dating, Cooper asked Theron for her best sex tip, to which the Oscar winner 'almost choked.' She laughed: 'I am the last person to ask,' before launching into a recent escapade with a young mystery man. 'I'm sounding very cocky here, but I think it's because I found this freedom in my 40s where I'm like, 'Oh my god,' so I just want to say this in perspective,' she prefaced her revelation. 'I've probably had three one-night stands in my entire life, but I did just recently f*** a 26-year-old and it was really f***ing amazing,' Theron revealed. 'I've never done that and I was like, 'Oh, this is great. OK.'' Cooper noted: 'Let me just say that 26-year-old is the luckiest f***ing man walking on this goddamn planet. He's walking different today knowing.' Theron scoffed in response: 'He for sure is not, but thank you.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The single mom of two daughters — Jackson, 12, and nine-year-old August — has been in relationships with several actors, including Sean Penn and Stuart Townsend, as well as Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins. Theron raved about not having a man in her life, though she did admit to Cooper that she is happy to have casual sex with someone, but clarified that she does not 'have many' one-night stands. RECOMMENDED VIDEO 'I sound like I'm sitting here sounding like I do. So when I do, I'm like, 'Oh, f***, yeah, I should have done this in my 20s,'' Theron explained of having sex with no strings attached. Read More 'There's this notion that somebody like me must be missing out,' she added, but Theron insisted it couldn't be further from the truth. 'I'm having the kind of sex I never had in my 20s or in my 30s.' Editorial Cartoons Money News Sports Toronto & GTA Toronto Raptors
Edmonton Journal
a day ago
- Edmonton Journal
Still the One: Shania Twain arrives in Calgary while in midst of a career reinvention
Article content Warner said the past decade or so has seen Twain reinvent herself while asserting her place in music history and stressing that it was her, not Lange or industry power brokers, that steered her career. The Netflix documentary is a case in point. Article content 'The bio doc allowed her to set the record straight about things that people hadn't really known before,' said Warner. 'The fact that she was editing her music videos, the fact that she was the architect of all those iconic outfits. Article content 'Obviously there is a team there, but she is having a central role in everything. I think that had largely been missing. She hadn't taken necessarily public ownership of that information before, for who knows what reason. Article content 'Now she is here telling her own story. I think with her last record, Queen of Me, she really believed in that title and showed up on that album in a way that told us that she feels good about who she is right now. That's hard to do for any of us, let alone someone who has been extremely famous in the public eye. Article content Article content 'Just because you are beautiful and talented doesn't always mean you feel good about yourself. It's really wonderful to see her come into her own.' Article content Maybe she will drop in. Jesse Moffatt, NMC's director of collections and exhibitions, doesn't believe Twain has ever set foot in the centre, but she is well-represented within its walls, and rightly so. Article content Twain was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2011, but has not yet been inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. The National Music Centre is the physical home of both institutions. Article content Article content 'If you think of Canada's biggest stars, Shania is definitely one of the top ones,' says Moffat. 'I think by last count, hasn't she sold 100 million albums? To put that in perspective, Nickelback is huge and I think they are at 60 million. Article content Article content 'It's pretty impressive in what she has been able to accomplish.' Article content Among its hundreds of artifacts, the National Music Centre has both the Toronto Maple Leaf and Ottawa Senator-inspired outfits that Twain wore when hosting the 2003 Juno awards in Ottawa. Article content The centre also has a signed halter top that Twain wore during her first stadium tour in 1998. Article content The custom-made ball gown she sported at the 2018 Canadian Country Music Association Awards in Hamilton, Ont., is currently on display in the centre's Idols and Icons exhibit. Article content 'For someone who grew up in the 1990s, when she came on the scene she just exploded,' Moffat says. 'I think she redefined what country music could be. Article content
