Charlize breathes life into inert comic book action.

It’s been a long old road since Aeon Flux. Arriving just two years after her Oscar win for Monster, Aeon Flux was meant to be the making of Charlize Theron as a full-blown action hero. Unfortunately, it never quite turned out that way. Although the roles never dried up (and why would they with a shiny statuette on your shelf?), that film’s subsequent critical and financial failure really knocked the stuffing out of Theron’s action star ambitions.

Not one to give up the fight easily, however, this derailment was only temporary, as Theron battled her way back to full lead status by comprehensively outshining Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road with an intense, physically dominant performance as the mechanical-armed Furiosa. By this point, if there were any lingering doubts about Charlize Theron’s ability to front an action blockbuster, they’d been well and truly quashed.

Theron’s filmography is long and colourful, but in one perfectly pitched role, a whole new arena had opened for her to do battle in. And battle she did, as the years since Mad Max have established her as one of the premiere actors in Hollywood today.

Now at a point in her career where she can juggle life as an ass-kicking, cool AF spy in Atomic Blonde with an unnervingly accurate portrayal of Megyn Kelly in Bombshell without breaking a sweat, there’s clearly nothing she can’t do. So, while returning to the kind of comic book fare that almost toppled her career may seem like an odd move, it’s the kind of ballsy decision that makes Charlize Theron who she is.

After centuries of fighting to protect the world from the shadows, a covert group of immortal mercenaries, led by the fearless Andromache “Andy” of Scythia (Charlize Theron), are in danger of having their cover blown. With their extraordinary abilities suddenly exposed, it’s up to the team and new immortal recruit Nile (Kiki Layne) to eliminate the threat of those seeking to replicate and monetise their powers by any means necessary.

Incorporating elements from the likes of Wolverine, Deadpool, and even Highlander, The Old Guard’s core concept of unkillable warriors certainly isn’t an original one, however, it is one full of potential. With a platform like Netflix with its deep pockets and open-minded approach to filmmaking, a world of immortal super assassins starring Charlize Theron and based on well-regarded source material appears ripe with possibilities.

This potential, however, is only partially met, as the film manages to exceed certain expectations while simultaneously leaving much to be desired. Like many a Netflix Original before it, there’s a lot of good to come out of The Old Guard, pushing it above many likeminded big studio blockbusters, yet the film’s vanilla appearance leaves it somewhat lacking.

Despite an air of predictability, The Old Guard’s plot will have you hooked, offering exactly the kind of engagement level you want from an action film - working just enough of the grey matter to ensure your emotional involvement, while functioning well as a solid piece of entertainment. Add to this some good character work, at least in the case of Charlize Theron’s Andy, and you’ve got a decent, largely satisfying action blockbuster on your hands.

Backed up by solid turns from the always excellent Chiwetel Ejiofor and an enthusiastic ensemble, Charlize Theron is absolutely the star of the show, bringing her A-game and clocking in with the kind of shift that puts many of her fellow A-listers to shame. While some in the game would see this kind of star vehicle as an excuse to coast for the sake of headline billing and a pay check, Theron brings class, swag, and an incredible level of physicality to a film that wouldn’t work half as well without her.

It will come as no surprise to anyone aware of Theron’s work that her always impressive dramatic chops are matched only by her gung-ho approach. Carrying on where she left off in Atomic Blonde, Theron puts her all into The Old Guard’s action, throwing herself at it with an extraordinary gusto and never looking like she’s giving anything less than everything for the role.

This level of enthusiasm really is what ensures The Old Guard nudges itself above the level of comic book also-ran as, without it, the entire film could very well fade away entirely. Despite being well choreographed, The Old Guard’s action, however, echoes the entire movie’s nondescript energy, with director Gina Prince-Blythwood struggling to give things much of an identity.

Hinging on a string of highly jarring music cues that pull you out of things with every needle drop, the film’s action, while well put together, never pops the way it has potential to. There’s certainly some legs in the novelty of seeing our protagonists being repeatedly killed and resurrected, yet it’s certainly nothing we haven’t seen before in almost every X-Men entry, and it’s definitely not something that can sustain an entire film on its own.

With perhaps the most positive thing to say about The Old Guard’s look being that it fits neatly into Netflix’s house action style, Prince-Blythwood fails to find a truly distinctive look to back up the admirable depth she has imparted upon it. Which is a shame, as the director does a smart job of getting the film’s emotional core right, however, there’s no ignoring just how plain it feels, especially for such a fantastical concept.

Only really flirting with the source material’s gothic potential, The Old Guard’s lack of stylisation eventually takes its toll. Despite being well put together and not lacking in enjoyable, often visceral, action, there really isn’t a lot there to stand out in an increasingly crowded comic book movie marketplace.

Without wanting to dig into spoiler territory, it’s blindingly obvious that the film is desperate to tee things up for an ongoing franchise, and while that is all well and good, the game is certainly going to have to be upped if The Old Guard is to survive the long-haul.

Pinning much of its survival hopes on a typically superlative performance from its star, The Old Guard promises much, yet delivers mixed results. Backed up by a solid supporting cast, Charlize Theron gives absolutely everything, with yet more proof that she is undoubtedly the real deal, however, there’s only so much she can do to lift an enjoyable, smart, yet ultimately generic, comic book flick. Gina Prince-Blythwood certainly does a decent job in injecting her own distinct voice into proceedings, however, The Old Guard’s lack of style or discernible identity leaves it feeling a little lifeless.