The Old Guard Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

3. The Compelling Character Development & World-Building

Theron's fine work aside, what really provides hope that The Old Guard could sustain a couple of sequels is its enticing approach to both its characters and the world they reside within.

Even if it often gets too expository for its own good, Rucka's script is clearly invested in its central team, ensuring the most of the key players have intriguingly dark, tortured backstories.

Flashbacks are employed liberally to explain how the heroes made it to this point, succinctly suggesting that being immortal isn't all it's cracked up to be, but instead simply another terrifying tier of existence with its own set of drawbacks.

It is this commitment to the human element - a facet so often lost in the chaos of superhero films - which provides the most promise for any future installments. In the very least, the film ends with some compelling plates left spinning.