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Netflix has been on a roll in 2020 with a great number of thrilling action movies and that continued with the July release of The Old Guard. Starring Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, and a number of other talented actors, the adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name electrified viewers with the engaging and powerful story of a tight-knit group of immortal soldiers who are forced to turn the tables of those who betrayed their trust.
But after watching The Old Guard, there are probably a lot of people out there who are looking for similar titles that contain some or all of the elements from this exciting action revenge thriller. So since none of us will be going to a movie theater for quite some time, here's a list of great movies to watch after watching one of Netflix's best offerings of 2020. There are some givens on this list but there are also a few hidden gems that will hopefully get some attention years and even decades after their release.
Widows - Max Go
Director Steve McQueen's 2018 female-led crime-noir thriller Widows tells the story of four Chicago women who must come together and pull off a $5 million heist to repay the debts of their deceased husbands before they too suffer a similar fate. Led by Viola Davis, who will is set to appear in The Old Guard director Gina Prince-Bythewood's next offering, the cast also includes Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and Carrie Coon in a scene-stealing performance.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: If the strong female cast wasn't enough for fans of The Old Guard, then this movie's intricate plot of murder, theft, and redemption should do the trick. Steve McQueen's masterful approach to the Widows' transition from grief to action is something to be seen. On top of that there is some great action which is made even better by impressive camera work.
Stream it on Max Go here.
Highlander - Amazon
The 1986 fantasy film Highlander tells the story of Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), an ancient immortal swordsman who must take on the villainous Kurgan (Clancy Brown), another immortal that aims to kill MacLeod and gain the power to enslave the human race. And remember, there can only be one…
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: Immortals, swordplay, ancient warriors living in modern times, and other elements from Highlander make it a perfect movie to watch after getting all jacked up with the happenings of The Old Guard. The movie can be cheesy at times (it is from the '80s after all), but its story showcasing the eternal battle of good versus evil is still great nearly 35 years later. Also, the movie features a random but amazing opening scene involving the Fabulous Freebirds in all their glory.
Stream it on Amazon here.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Starz
Based on Swedish author Steig Larsson's novel of the same name, David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo tells the story of journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) who turns to computer hacker and investigator Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) to uncover the mystery of the disappearance of a young girl some 40 years earlier.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: Fans of The Old Guard who enjoyed the movie's more investigative and fact-finding sections will really enjoy this 2011 English-language adaptation of the best-selling movie and film franchise. Both films contain a tightly-weaved narrative that leave viewers guessing at every turn, which is what makes both more than just normal action thrillers.
Stream it on Starz here.
The Town - Netflix
Ben Affleck pulled double-duty in the 2010 bank robber thriller The Town, which remains one of the best moves to featured the city of Boston. Following in the life of a group of Southies and successful thieves, the movie details how quickly things can change when a job doesn't go according to plan.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: Fans of The Old Guard and its central group of immortal soldiers will enjoy The Town for its depiction of a tight group of friends and criminals who think they're immortal. The action, tense moments, and undying bond of the core group are more than enough to hold fans over until we find out if The Old Guard 2 will materialize.
Stream it on Netflix here.
6 Underground - Netflix
Michael Bay's 2019 action thriller 6 Underground follows an elite squad of mercenaries who have faked their deaths in order to go off the grid and take care of the business world governments refuse to carry out. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Ben Hardy, and several others, the Netflix original film boasted insane streaming numbers despite a lukewarm response from critics.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: The concept of a group of highly-trained and perceived dead soldiers coming together to carry out some pretty impressive high-stakes jobs should be right up the alley for fans of The Old Guard. In addition to the close group and premise, fans will also like Michael Bay's approach the action movie, even if it has been done by the director many times over the course of his long career.
Stream it on Netflix here.
Watchmen - HBO Max
Based on Alan Moore's landmark graphic novel of the same name, Zack Snyder's 2009 Watchmen is set in an alternate America in the middle of the 1980s where superheroes are the norm. Picking up with the death of the masked leader of the Watchmen, the movie follows the rest of the team as they try to uncover the why and how of the mysterious death, but end up uncovering a more sinister plot.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: On the surface, both Watchmen and The Old Guard are adaptations of popular graphic novels. Besides that, both movies dive into conspiracies by unknown parties looking to toy and decimate their respective groups. Both movies also serve as character studies of the individual members, their motivations, and their troubled pasts.
Stream it on HBO Max here.
The Passion Of Joan Of Arc - HBO Max
Carl Theodor Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc remains not only one of the best silent movies of all time, but also one of the landmark moments for cinema as a whole. Based on the court records of the French heroine's trial and execution in the 15th Century.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: Much like The Old Guard, The Passion of Joan of Arc centers around a strong female warrior who remains true to her convictions even if that means death in an extremely painful manner. Similar to the treatment of Andy, aka Andromache of Scythia (Charlize Theron), Joan (Renée Jeanne Falconetti) is feared by those in power for what she represents and pays the ultimate price.
Stream it on HBO Max here.
The Punisher - Showtime
Based on the acclaimed Marvel Comics series of the same name, the 2004 violent action movie The Punisher follows Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) as he sets out on a path of vengeance following the brutal murder of his family. Armed with an arsenal of weapons and a thirst for revenge, Castle stops at nothing to see the man responsible for the hit pay for his actions.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: Fans of The Old Guard and its extremely visceral depictions of violence will be right at home with this gem of a Marvel movie. And unlike those films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Punisher has an R-rating, which gives the movie plenty of room for explosive action and extreme violence. And the story of betrayal and ultimate revenge is also worth noting.
Stream it on Showtime here.
The Matrix - Peacock
After being contacted by the very people he has been searching for, Neo (Keanu Reeves) is invited to join Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in the long-fought battle for humanity both inside and outside the Matrix.
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: Fans of the "fish out of water" element to Nile Freeman's (Kiki Layne) story in The Old Guard will appreciate watching Neo transform from a competent computer hacker trapped in the Matrix to the most promising hope for humanity yet. And plus, the movie still has some of the best action set pieces more than 20 years after its theatrical release.
Stream it on Peacock here.
Extraction - Netflix
Before The Old Guard came out, Extraction was the Netflix movie no one could stop talking about or stop watching as the movie broke all sorts of records for the streaming service. The movie follows Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), a former SASR operative turned mercenary who is sent out to rescue an international crime lord's son. But that's just the beginning…
Why The Old Guard Fans Will Like It: Fans of graphic novels, violence, and stories of redemption will be right at home with Extraction as this short and not-so-sweet action movie has it all. It would serve as a nice second entry in a double-feature alongside The Old Guard for those who have the time.
Stream it on Netflix here.
That should be more than enough to to hold fans of The Old Guard over for quite some time, but if there is something that I missed make sure to sound off in the comments section. There is no such thing as too many violent and entertaining action movies.
