Despite Harsh Reviews, The Old Guard 2 Becomes Netflix’s #1 Global Hit Starring Charlize Theron (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Netflix dropped The Old Guard 2 on July 2, and despite its low Rotten Tomatoes score, it’s taken the top spot worldwide. It is currently leading Netflix’s global movie chart with 37.5 million views and nearly 67 million hours watched in under a week, per Screenrant. That puts it ahead of titles like KPop Demon Hunters, Infinite and even the original Old Guard.
The story starts six months after the first film, where Andy (Charlize Theron) leads her team—Joe, Nicky, Nile, and Copley—to retrieve weapons in Split. Meanwhile, Quỳnh, Andy’s former lover who had been trapped underwater for centuries, is rescued by Discord (Uma Thurman), the first immortal. In Paris, the exiled Booker is abducted by Quỳnh (Veronica Ngô).
Andy and Copley seek out Tuah (Henry Golding), an immortal sage in Seoul, who reveals Discord stole books on immortal lore and had once been his ally. Nile learns she and Discord share unique birthmarks, marking them as the first and last immortals. Tuah theorizes immortality can be transferred or removed through injury.
Meanwhile, Discord and Quỳnh seize a nuclear plant in South Tangerang, threatening mass devastation. Andy’s team intervenes, but most are captured and Booker sacrifices himself to protect Andy. Nile strips Quỳnh of her powers but is captured. Andy confronts Discord, who reveals she is mortal and seeks to reclaim her immortality through Nile. After a brutal fight, Discord escapes and Andy and Quỳnh reunite and vow to rescue their team.
Victoria Mahoney directed the movie and the script comes from Greg Rucka, based on his own comic series.
Charlize Theron’s Legacy in Action Films
Theron has been a regular in action-heavy blockbusters, from Mad Max: Fury Road to Atomic Blonde and Fast X. Before all that, she made her mark in the late ’90s and picked up an Oscar in 2003 for Monster. She’s moved between roles that lean into action, and psychological complexity, including Tully, Young Adult and Bombshell, which earned her another Academy nomination.
As of now, The Old Guard 2’s critic score stands at a disastrous 23% on Rotten Tomatoes while the audience rating stands at 37%. But, even with critics unimpressed, the sequel has hit big numbers and pushed past plenty of other titles.
