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The Old Guard poster

Is The Old Guard OK for Kids?

ActionFantasy
16+
R⭐ 6.7 / 102020 · 2h 5m
Gina Prince-Bythewood

Where to Watch

United States

Stream

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Cartoon / Comedic
5
Action & Peril
2
Injuries & Death Shown
9
Graphic & Disturbing
  • The opening combat sequence features gunfire and blade violence with shell casings clattering to the ground as soldiers are killed
  • During a school rescue mission, soldiers are shot and killed with blood and casualties shown, and Nile has her throat cut in combat with extensive bleeding
  • Andy shoots Nile in the chest to demonstrate her immortality, and later Joe is deliberately shot and tortured by Merrick's team while Nicky is tortured with a Taser and physical abuse in a laboratory setting
  • Quynh's flashback shows her burned alive during witch trials and then locked in an iron coffin, drowning repeatedly for centuries at the bottom of the sea
  • In the climax, Joe breaks Keane's back, Merrick is thrown from a penthouse window, and an extended firefight with 30+ mercenaries fills the final building assault with multiple casualties shown throughout
  • Weapons include guns, blades, and physical combat; the overall tone is brutal and unflinching, with violence often shown in graphic, prolonged detail rather than implied
💬Language
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
10
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
25
Strong
(sh*t)
12
Extreme
(f**k)
  • Strong profanity is frequent: f**k/f**king is used 12 times, s**t is used 18 times, da**/godda** 5 times, and motherf**ker 2 times
  • Moderate language also appears: hell (4 times), a** (3 times), b**tard (1 time), b**ch (1 time), and p**sed (1 time)
  • The language is realistic military/action-movie dialogue rather than comedic, used in tense combat and confrontation scenes
👻Scary Scenes
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mildly Tense
1
Startling Moments
3
Genuinely Scary
3
Deeply Disturbing
  • Quynh's recurring nightmare of drowning in an iron coffin for 500 years is a deeply disturbing, nightmare-inducing image that recurs throughout the film
  • The extended torture sequences of Joe and Nicky in Merrick's laboratory are intense and difficult to watch, showing deliberate cruelty
  • Nile wakes up confused and terrified after being shot and realizing she cannot die, and later faces the frightening realization that she must live alone for 100 years
  • Booker's betrayal reveal is a startling twist that recontextualizes earlier trust between characters
  • The final building assault, with 30+ armed mercenaries hunting the group of five immortals, is sustained and intense rather than a single jump scare
  • Andy's realization that her immortality has ended and she can now bleed to death introduces genuine mortal stakes and tension
💕Romance
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Crushes & Holding Hands
2
Kissing & Dating
2
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • Joe and Nicky share a romantic reunion in a hotel room, embracing and kissing, and later have an intimate moment reminiscing about their shared history in Malta
  • Nicky delivers a tender declaration of love, saying his partner's 'kiss still thrills me, even after a millennia,' referencing their 1000+ year romantic relationship
  • Andy and Nile develop a mentorship/parental bond rather than a romantic one
  • No nudity or sexual content is shown on screen; romance is limited to kissing and emotional declarations
🍺Substances
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
2
Mentioned in Passing
1
Shown Casually
1
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • Booker casually mentions he 'probably slept with' the historical figure Rodin, implying past sexual encounters rather than substance use
  • Champagne is offered on a private plane in a casual, non-glorified social moment
  • Merrick's pharmaceutical company and its drug development plans are referenced throughout, and the entire plot centers on pharmaceutical experimentation on immortals for life-extension research, making this a prominent thematic element rather than casual depiction
⚡Stimulation
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
0
Exciting
6
Intense
2
Overwhelming
  • The opening combat sequence is fast-paced with rapid gunfire, explosions, and hand-to-hand combat
  • Nile's discovery of her immortality after being shot is described as an overwhelming, traumatic resurrection sequence
  • The final penthouse assault, with 30+ mercenaries against five immortals, plus the extended torture montage and chase through a collapsing building with explosions, create a relentless, high-intensity viewing experience not suited for sensory-sensitive viewers
The Old Guard — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being an action film, the laboratory torture sequences involving Joe being shot repeatedly for testing and Nicky being tased and beaten are unusually graphic and prolonged for the genre, and may be more disturbing than parents expect from the trailer's action-movie marketing.

About The Old Guard

The Old Guard follows a small band of immortal warriors led by Andy, who have secretly protected humanity for centuries, as they take in a new immortal soldier named Nile while being hunted by a pharmaceutical executive who wants to experiment on them. It's a hard-edged action thriller mixing gunfights, torture sequences, and centuries-spanning emotional drama about the burden of living forever.

👨‍👧
Best watched together
Teens 13-16 will benefit from a parent present to discuss the intense torture sequences involving Joe and Nicky and the heavy themes of Quynh's centuries-long drowning torment, as well as the strong language throughout (37 total strong-level words including 12 uses of 'fuck').

Family Takeaways from The Old Guard

What it gets right

  • ✓The film portrays a loving, committed same-sex relationship between Joe and Nicky spanning over a thousand years as normal and deeply affectionate, shown through their reunion embrace and Malta memories
  • ✓Andy's mentorship of Nile through her grief about losing her family models compassionate guidance during trauma

The Old Guard Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes
●LGBTQ themes

Joe and Nicky are explicitly portrayed as a married gay couple who have been together for centuries. Their relationship is central to the team dynamic and includes romantic scenes throughout the film.

Cast:Charlize TheronKiKi LayneVeronica NgôMatthias SchoenaertsMarwan Kenzari

Is The Old Guard Appropriate for Your Child's Age?

✗Age 5: Not recommended for 5-year-olds
✗Age 8: Not recommended for 8-year-olds
✗Age 10: Not recommended for 10-year-olds
✗Age 12: Not recommended for 12-year-olds
✗Age 13: Not recommended for 13-year-olds
✗Age 15: Not recommended for 15-year-olds
✓Age 17: Generally appropriate for 17-year-olds

Individual children may vary — use your judgment.

Parents also ask about The Old Guard

  • Is The Old Guard appropriate for a 16-year-old?
  • Does The Old Guard have violence?
  • Is The Old Guard OK for kids?
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