SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away key scenes from both The Old Guard 2 and Sinners. If you have yet to see either of these 2025 movies, I recommend that you proceed with caution if you choose to dance with the devil and continue to read on.
OK, let me just get this out of the way: The Old Guard 2 is easily one of my least favorite movies of the year so far. While I was a bit of an odd one out regarding its predecessor from 2020, which many seemed to enjoy, I agree with the sequel’s largely negative critical reception, feeling this latest adventure with Charlize Theron’s Andy and her band of butt-kicking immortals is kind of a lifeless slog.
However, I do not believe I completely wasted my time watching the fantasy action thriller with my Netflix subscription, because there is one scene that convinces me that it had some potential to be a creatively rich work of art. If not that, it at least called to mind my favorite scene from one of my favorite movies of the year so far, Sinners. Trust me, I understand how crazy it may sound to compare The Old Guard 2 to such a widely acclaimed masterpiece, but allow me to explain…
I Loved Andy’s Daydream Of The Eras She Has Lived Through
Roughly 40 minutes into The Old Guard 2, Andromache “Andy” of Scythia, rocking a mullet Theron’s kids cried over, arrives in Rome to see her former lover, Quỳnh (Veronica Ngô), for the first time in 500 years. On her way to the reunion, she walks through a corridor, where her imagination suddenly takes her on a tour of the various time periods she has experienced throughout her long life, including a glimpse at when and where she met the other members of her crew.
This was the one moment from this new Netflix movie that had me thinking, Well, that was pretty cool. I was genuinely, deeply impressed by the seamless transitions between each historical era that flashed before Andy’s eyes, and mine, as the camera kept her centered the entire time. I have been unable to find any behind-the-scenes information to verify it, but the sequence appears to be shot practically and all in one take, which are filmmaking techniques that I greatly admire, and, thus, I admire this moment from a film I was otherwise underwhelmed by. Of course, that is not the only reason…
The Old Guard 2 Scene Reminded Me Of Sinners’ Best Moment
Eric Eisenberg says in his Sinners review that he can’t tell if he loves Ryan Coogler’s vampire flick more as a period crime thriller or as a horror movie, and I certainly agree. However, the one moment from it that I love the most is not horrific and manages to thrill by its creative merits alone. I am talking about when the spirits of various musicians from various cultures and eras appear at the Juke Joint to join in on the festivities as Sammie Moore (Miles Caton) performs “I Lied To You.”
I would later revisit this unforgettable, inspiring, and transfixing moment when I rewatched Sinners with my HBO Max subscription, but before it became available on the platform, I was most unexpectedly brought back to it by the aforementioned scene from The Old Guard 2. Both offer a celebratory exploration of various eras in history and, as far as I can tell, all in one unbroken, practically captured shot. I imagine some might jump to the conclusion that director Victoria Mahoney ripped Coogler off but, not only is that improbable, but I was just happy to witness another astonishing scene such as this, especially in a movie I did not care for overall.
You know, there is a special episode of one of my favorite podcasts, Reel Spoilers, in which the hosts discuss scenes they enjoy that come from movies they otherwise do not like. I wish more people would show appreciation for diamonds in the rough like that, or at least would be more willing to look for the positives in even the most underwhelming cinematic experiences. As far as I am concerned, if I can find something great to say about The Old Guard 2 by comparing part of it to a scene in a masterpiece like Sinners, there is hope for any movie to offer some semblance of a positive response.
