At least in 2020, going to the theater for a rollicking summer blockbuster is not a thing. It just isn’t. Part of the summer movie season is the feeling of watching a big budget flick with a cold drink, some popcorn, and the air-conditioning blasting as a refrain from the heat. Without that, there does seem to be a gaping hole for cinema lovers. Well, Netflix is stepping up, not with the feeling of being in a theater, but with a quality would-be blockbuster in The Old Guard, which fits just what you want out of a July release. The film is an action epic, based on the comic book of the same name. The title refers to a small group of covert mercenaries with a secret that has made them unbeatable in battle. Simply put, they don’t seem to be able to die, allowing them, under the leadership of a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), to protect the world for centuries (or even much longer, in Andy’s case). For the longest time, it has just been Andy, Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli), but that’s about to change. After the team is recruited to take on an new mission and their abilities are exposed by former CIA operative Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), they also have a vision of a new immortal in American marine Nile (Kiki Layne). Recruited by Andy, she reluctantly joins up, learning about the group and their history in the process. They’re going to need the new member, too, as a sociopathic pharmaceutical executive in Merrick (Harry Melling) is planning to replicate and monetize their gifts, by any means necessary. Gina Prince-Bythewood directs a screenplay by Greg Rucka, who also co-created the graphic novel. Supporting players include Joey Ansah, Anamaria Marinca, Van Veronica Ngo, and many more. Volker Bertelmann and Dustin O’Halloran teamed up to compose the score, while the cinematography is by both Barry Ackroyd, as well as Tami Reiker. Between director Gina Prince-Bythewood and star Charlize Theron, there’s a nice added touch of classiness to a gory and violent product like this. There’s a sense of sophistication you just don’t usually find in this sort of thing. To be sure, there’s also plot holes and events that only occur because we’re in an action movie, but still, the way this often takes a higher-minded approach to the story is incredibly admirable. […]