Charlize Theron's Critically Panned Action Sequel Dominates Streaming Charts Despite 25% Rotten Tomatoes Score

What was The Old Guard 2 going to do, not top the Netflix streaming charts? It was never going to happen. The action sequel debuted ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, and promptly jumped to the top of the viewership rankings despite poor reviews. Unlike its predecessor, The Old Guard 2 didn’t get any support from audiences either. Released in 2020, the first film was a runaway hit thanks to its engrossing world-building and slick action. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood didn’t return this time around, however, handing over the reins of the series to Victoria Mahoney.

According to FlixPatrol, The Old Guard 2 has been Netflix’s number one movie across the globe for three days in a row, accumulating a total of over 1,800 points so far. Thanks to its success, the original The Old Guard also witnessed an uptick in interest. It claimed the third spot on July 4. Starring Charlize Theron, the first film was based on the comic book written by Greg Rucka and illustrated by Leandro Fernández. Rucka also wrote the script for both films, which also feature Chiwetel Ejiofor, Luca Marinelli, Marwan Kenzari, KiKi Layne, and Matthias Schoenaerts, among others. Theron leads a team of immortal warriors who’ve dedicated themselves to protecting humanity from ominous threats.

The first film debuted to critical acclaim. It holds a “certified fresh” 80% score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “The Old Guard is occasionally restricted by genre conventions, but director Gina Prince-Bythewood brings a sophisticated vision to the superhero genre – and some knockout action sequences led by Charlize Theron.” The Old Guard 2, however, opened to terrible reviews. It’s currently sitting at a “rotten” 25% score on the aggregator website. The film’s audience score isn’t much better, at 40%. In his review, Collider’s Shawn Van Horn described the movie as “utterly lifeless.”

‘The Old Guard 2’ Was Delayed Because of Behind-the-Scenes Issues

The sequel welcomes Uma Thurman to the franchise; she plays Discord, the first-ever immortal, who concocts a plan to bring Theron’s Andromache “Andy” of Scythia down by brainwashing her protégé, played by Layne. Meanwhile, Andy must also deal with the return of her long-lost lover, Quỳnh. The Old Guard 2 was green-lit immediately after the first film’s success, but was significantly delayed and temporarily shut down after being shot because of a regime change at Netflix. You can watch the movie now, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.