The Old Guard Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

Ups...

5. It's A Unique Spin On The Superhero Formula (Sort Of)

Though much of its creativity is admittedly stifled by the run-of-the-mill script, The Old Guard nevertheless deserves credit for offering up a unique(ish) spin on the superhero movie formula.

It's most obviously indebted to the X-Men franchise, with its focus on a Wolverine-esque set of heroes who can "die" and return to life shortly thereafter, yet deviates just enough from the well-worn genre tropes we're all over-familiar with.

It could certainly have done far more to carve out a niche for itself, but despite its cynical efforts to lay the groundwork for a franchise of films, there is a clear desire here to be more than just another ensemble fantasy-action film.

Between its diverse cast of characters, their intriguing backstories, and the refreshing lack of mega-budget, CGI-heavy action sequences, it almost feels like a new breed of superhero movie - almost.

If the potential sequel can further distinguish itself from genre typicality, it could easily be a major improvement.