Displaying items by tag: Matthias Schoenarts

THE OLD GUARD 2  

US, 2025, 107 minutes, Colour.

Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Chiwitel Ejiofor, Veronica Ngo, Henry Golding, Uma Thurman.

Directed by Victoria Mahoney.

Audiences who enjoyed the original The Old Guard will be eager for this sequel. Those who come across the sequel first may well be puzzled about who the characters are and what is going on.

The original film explained the old guards, old godlike characters from mythologies of the past, coming alive, missions in the present, champions, clashes, action adventures.

This follow-up has much more of the same – much more, and fairly complicated plots, the return to the past and the origins of the immortals, some steps back into more recent centuries and the plights of some of these old guards, successes, failures, disappointments, retirement.

And, a visit to Korea to consult one of the old gurus and to discover what is really happening – and who is behind a lot of mysterious and complicated goings-on.

The film has a very strong cast, some from the original, and the presence of Uma Thurman as Discord, a malevolent power behind the goings-on.

And, there is a lot of costume drama from the past, some down and out misery in the present, some travel to a range of countries in the present, a mixture of drama and escapism.

The ending and resolved – expectations for the next film?

1. Popularity of the original film? Welcoming this sequel? Its ending in mid-plot and the need for the third film?
2. The characters from the original film, the situation of the immortals, the origins of their immortality, the range of cultures, legendary backgrounds, no religious backgrounds, working together, clashes? Flashbacks to sequences in history? The surviving, the possibility of dying? Andy and her losing her immortality? Nile and her capacity for injuring people and their losing their immortality? Quynh, partnership with Andy, the battle, Andy and her decisions, Quynh and her imprisonment, the opening of the film and her being drawn out of the sea?
3. The range of locations, the Adriatic, Paris, Rome, Italian cities…? The touch of the exotic? And the quick ability to move from place to place! The musical score?
4. The situation, the arms dealing, the mysterious identity, the initial action in Croatia, the CIA connection with Copley, his role in the previous film, now aligned?
5. The action sequences, the fights, Andy and her martial arts skills? And the later fights with Quynh? The determination to find the mastermind?
6. Audience surprise that the mastermind was Discord, the tradition of immortality, her power, vengeance, losing immortality? Her lurking in pursuing? With Quynh, winning her to her side? The buildup to destroy Andy?
7. Booker, the past separation, alone, drinking, in Paris, Discord tracking him down, setting him up, his going back to Andy, the message, his change of heart, rehabilitated? Joining in the quest? His wariness of immortality, the fencing sequence, the three, wounded by Nile, willingly losing his immortality, his participation in the final confrontation, his death?
8. The visit to Korea, the character of Thua, immortal, his vast library, his activities, Discord stealing the books for studying, Thua and his joining the group, participation in all the activities and fights?
9. The buildup to the confrontation with Discord, her plans, the bomb, the plant, the timer?
10. Quynh, the sequences with Andy, the explanations, her non-forgiving, siding with Discord, with the timer for the bomb, the meeting and their talk, the decision against Discord?
11. The fights, the split second timing, the bomb, the various immortals involved? Andy regaining immortality because of Booker’s sacrifice? Nicky, her powers, not realising them?
12. The sudden ending, unresolved, need for a third film?