Monday July 27, 2020

‘The old guard’ review The O’colly reviews a new netflix show

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C OV E R S T O RY

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REVIEW: NETFLIX’s The OLD GUARD J onat h an H arri n gto n ,

Staff reporter, @ ocolly

Netflix’s new action offering The Old Guard is desperate make it seem like its violence and dourness has a point. Instead director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s action film takes a solid cast, a cool concept, and some pretty scenes, and wastes them on a vapid, poorly constructed narrative that never rises out of its own misery long enough to be remotely enjoyable - let alone meaningful.

The Old Guard follows a small group of “Immortals” – humans who automatically heal their wounds and come back from the dead. “Andy” (Charlize Theron) leads the crew as they seek out a new immortal and, later, come under attack from a pharmaceutical company that wants to use their genetic material for profit.

This is a cool idea with a lot of potential, and indeed, moments in the movie live up to its concept – there are disturbing implications to an immortal existence that are explored in chilling ways. The choreography is especially impressive, as one might hope for fight scenes featuring immortal warriors: moments of impact hit hard, and takes are usually long enough for the action to feel seamless.

The cinematography overall is quite competent, in fact.

Apart from the fight scenes nothing is too fancy, but some locations are impressive, characters are well framed, and in general the presentation

MONDAY, JULY 26, 2020

draws you in. Unfortunately,

plores how the actions we have

aren’t compelling. Also worth

many scenes are filmed in dark

on the world do, in fact, have

noting is that actors mumble

or clinical locations, which

an effect, and how the impact

during the most crucial char-

naturally fail to stimulate and

of even singular relationships

acter moments of the movie,

contribute to the movie’s drab

can transform another’s life.

lessening the impact of the

tone.

It explores the acceptance of

rare surprises The Old Guard

duty.

has in store.

It is in its characters that The Old Guard really starts

These are powerful things to

to show its problems: none

explore. And indeed, character

Guard’s constant focus on

of the heroes are interesting.

decisions represent insight

abject misery is an attempt

The movie takes a group of

into these themes, themselves

to make the movie more

immortal super-warriors and

a product of where the plot

important, more meaningful.

turns them into mopey, miser-

brings the characters. The

This keeps it from being just

problem is that the ground-

a fun, campy action movie,

work is not laid appropriately:

but because of how poorly the

the plot meanders for half of

film is constructed, neither

the 2-hour run time, setting

is it a powerful, emotional

up characters, conflict, and

experience. It’s just kind of

stakes, but rarely putting the

depressing.

able, thoroughly uninteresting people.

This is most obvious with the leader of the immortals, Theron’s Andy. She is an angry, pessimistic realist who – when she isn’t killing everyone around her – can be found explaining unhappy truths or reflecting on her unhappy life.

Theron is a talented actress and has done well in previous action movies, but she plays Andy here with little to no charisma. Indeed, this character is frankly miserable to watch. Attempts to humanize her – Look! She likes dessert!

– just cannot accomplish their task when almost all we see of her is unhappiness and misery and a tortured past.

Don’t get me wrong, an immortal warrior is a hard character to humanize on pretty much every level, but focusing exclusively sympathy alone does not make a compelling character. And unfortunately, the other characters don’t contrast against her in any meaningful way. The Old Guard compliments its depressed action hero with – get this – other sad, serious action heroes.

A few of these characters

Netflix’s “The Old Guard” released the other day.

Netflix

have some sense of humor, at

somehow a bright spot in this

least, but their characterization

sea of emotionless dreck.

is based on a few token quali-

But here is the real problem.

ties to set them apart, rather

Movies are always about

than actual, engaging, unique

something: you cannot present

personalities. The actors play

a narrative, a series of events

them fine enough, but neither

with characters responding

do they succeed in the hard

to those events and influenc-

work of making them interest-

ing them, without delivering

ing. Matthias Schoenaerts as

insight about humanity. One

Booker comes closest, as he

way or another, the worldview

exudes something approaching

of those creating the movie

charisma.

will come out in how character

The other main character

decisions are presented, in the

is Kiki Lane’s Nile, a former

nature of the world the char-

Marine who must grapple with

acters occupy, and the people

being an immortal. She has by

who surround them.

far the most potential for com-

This leads movies to have

pelling character exploration

themes – human challenges,

and growth, but it is squan-

moral issues, political or social

dered pretty thoroughly - not

controversies – which are

least because she also is overly

explored by how characters in-

self-serious, her primary

teract with each other and the

character trait that she is a sad

world around them. Compe-

badass who – get this – has a

tent movies are aware of this,

tortured past.

designing their plot and world

The villains are honestly the

to best compliment character

high point of the movie. Chi-

development in a way which

wetal Ejiofer is as riveting as

most forcefully illustrates their

he ever is, and he gets the most

themes.

interesting character develop-

This is where The Old

ment in The Old Guard. Harry

Guard comes up short. The

Melling, as the president of the

film has pretensions of deep

pharmaceutical corporation,

themes: it is interested in the

plays his character with real

importance, inevitability, and

personality, his cheery sadism

acceptance of mortality. It ex-

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characters in positions where

Presumably The Old

Finally, there is the music,

they have to grapple with

which on all accounts is poorly

these questions or change their

done. Generic sad music is

mindset. Only Nile gets this

blasted during emotional mo-

chance, but she has so little

ments of the film, which ac-

agency as to make her devel-

centuates the film’s inability to

opment feel empty, and the

create actual emotion. Mean-

exploration of her grappling

while indie music plays during

with immortality feels rushed

more exciting moments, a

and predictable.

stylistic choice that clashes

The narrative remains

with the tone of literally ev-

inadequate once the plot kicks

erything else in the movie and

into gear. Relationships central

serves only to distract from the

to the theme of individuals

scenes it tries to enliven.

transforming others’ lives

The Old Guars features

feel contrived and rushed, as

so much talent and so many

are characters’ acceptance of

fascinating ideas, yet it throws

mortality. And the recognition

it all away thanks to the ag-

of one’s positive impact on

gressive mediocrity of the

the world hardly matters to the

characters and narrative. Do

movie’s events. There is less

not get me wrong – the movie

development in these areas

does enough right to be an

than there are abrupt changes

acceptable quarantine watch

in characters’ mindset, which

for those absolutely starved for

are only sometimes tied to the

big budget action movies, and

plot. This makes the movie’s

maybe it delivers exactly what

crucial moments feel unearned

it promises: a cool premise,

and uninteresting.

impressive production values,

And again: the impact of the

and a few cool fights. But for

film is lessened because the

the most part it is simply mis-

characters on their own simply

erable, for no reason at all.

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Horoscope

FOR RELEASE JULY 27, 2020

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Today’s Birthday (07/27/20). Strength, fitness and health expand this year.

Consistent efforts win the prize. Professional plot twists abound. Realizing longheld dreams this summer inspires new directions with your work and fitness.

Winter brings community challenges requiring adaptation, while love, family, fun and romance flower. Build healthy practices.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Work together to overcome a financial challenge with a joint venture. Vague rumors or illusions dissipate upon inspection. Follow rules carefully. Provide stability.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Share the load. Get around an obstacle by collaborating and coordinating your moves. Reality doesn’t match a rosy fantasy. Adapt to messes in real time.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Physical action gets results, although barriers block the path. A fantasy dissipates in the light. Watch the road ahead carefully. Slow for tight corners.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — A romantic fantasy doesn’t match the current reality. Laugh at absurdity when it reveals itself. Adapt to unexpected circumstances. Share and support each other.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — Listen to family to find out what’s needed at home. Make a repair or upgrade to keep systems flowing. Unplanned interruptions require attention. Enjoy something delicious.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Misunderstandings slow the action.

Patiently untangle a mess with a creative project. Clarify and shift the message to suit current conditions. Issue statements.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Words and actions could collide. Slow down to maintain positive cash flow. Send invoices and statements. Pay bills and debts. Rushing leads to mistakes.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Adapt to changes with a personal project. Things don’t look the way you planned. Polish and beautify. A style upgrade goes a long way.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Complete old tasks. Sort and organize to clean up a mess. Clear past projects from your workspace to make room for what’s ahead.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Things work better together.

Cooperation is integral to navigate current uncertainties. Provide a steady shoulder for a friend to lean on. Help each other.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Create your own professional breakthrough. Old dreams seem distant, while new opportunities hide under challenges. Observe and prepare. Dress the part.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Investigate options for exploration.

Wait for better conditions to embark. Thorough preparation is essential. Traffic and delays discourage travel. There are many ways to connect.

Level 1

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7/27/20

Solution to Saturday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

© 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

ACROSS 1 Really easy task 6 Serious cut 10 Sect. on a concert ticket 14 In flames 15 Brink 16 Dodgers or Cubs 17 Chicago-based improv group, with “The” 19 Semester 20 Bit of memorabilia 21 Bee secretion 22 Camera type, for short 23 Imagined barrier between actor and audience 28 Old fast fliers 30 Dallas region inset on a Texas atlas page, e.g.

31 Really tiny 32 Photographed 33 Fingers in a lineup 34 Beethoven’s “Pastoral” or Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” 38 Philip of “Kung Fu” 39 Regrets 40 Barely make, with “out” 41 Pool stick protector 43 Lat. and Ukr., formerly 45 Musical symbol also called a quaver 47 Hoopla 50 Fairway position 51 Mattress you can “float” on 54 Fellow, to a Brit 56 When Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, in a classic 1990 bout 58 Fastening device 59 “Not a __”: “No idea” 60 Pasta sauce herb 61 Online craft shop 62 Conks on the head 63 Outlaw, to a sheriff

7/27/20

By Matt McKinley

DOWN 1 Oak containers 2 “It’s my opinion ... ” 3 More kind 4 Farm yield 5 Farm cluckers 6 Lizards like the Geico mascot 7 French farewell 8 Cpl.’s superior 9 “Psst!”

10 Canada’s capital 11 Check out again, as a patient 12 Train unit 13 “I’m thinking” 18 Bonkers 21 If 24 Obama chief of staff Emanuel 25 Stadium in St. Pete, with “The” 26 Gaga or Godiva 27 Record albums, briefly 28 Census datum 29 Unvarying fee 31 Cabernet holder 32 NES part: Abbr.

34 Feng __

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

35 “Quiet!”

36 Observed 37 Approves 38 Royal flush card 42 Marked by contentiousness, as a game 43 Idaho and Iowa 44 Actor Rogen 46 Admit (to) 47 Seriously overdo, as a privilege

7/27/20

48 Dungarees fabric 49 “Strange to say ... ” 52 Kathryn of “Law & Order: C.I.” 53 Equine hue 54 Michael of “SNL” 55 Stetson __ 56 Getting the job done, initially 57 “Xanadu” rock gp.