It takes a little while to fully comprehend what is happening when The Old Guard starts to play on Netflix. Not because the narrative is difficult to follow (although, the film is not without plot problems), and not because it is poorly edited (although, on occasion, the action sequences move a little too fast). It’s because what we are watching is a big budget comic book movie, about people who are essentially superheroes, and it doesn’t follow the rules.

You know, the rules to which I refer. They’re the unspoken rules that we have come to expect from films of this type: The white male lead hero; the scowling woman who only expresses two emotions; the heterosexual love interest;...

Please subscribe to keep reading.