Four mercenaries - three men led by a woman
(Charlize Theron) take on a job to save school girls kidnapped in Sudan.
But it turns out to be a set up. They are trapped in a room and mercilessly
machine gunned down by a pack of men. Their bodies ripped up by the fuselage
of bullets. The killers come out and kick the bodies and huddle to celebrate.
Then the dead begin to stir unnoticed by the men - and the real slaughter
begins. The four of them are Immortals having lived many human lifetimes.
Two of them met during the Crusades - on opposite sides - one was killed
during the Napoleonic wars when he discovered he was an Immortal. Andy (Theron)
goes back further - how much further no one knows but her giant ancient axe
indicates a lot. With all that time on their hands, they need a hobby, a
purpose - and that is to hire themselves out to kill the bad guys. But they
are always on the lookout for new talent - one comes along every few hundred
years - they are connected by dreams. When a female marine (Kiki Layne) is
killed in Afghanistan and comes back, they know they have another.
But someone knows about them. That was what Sudan was all about. Now they
are being hunted by Big Pharma - with a CEO clearly inspired by Martin Shkreli,
young and arrogant with no morals other than making money. Lots of well-choreographed
action. It could have been better paced but I get the feeling that it is
setting up further Netflix films to come by developing characters and background.
At least that is what the ending implies And I hope so. I quite enjoyed
it, like all the characters and I look forward to more of Veronica Ngo (Furie)
in the next one. Would I want to be near immortal - a theme that ran through
the Highlander films of outliving those you love and the loneliness of centuries
- probably not but it would be nice to have the option. And until you die
you never know if you are.
Theron is becoming a female action star with this one, Mad Max: Fury Road
and Atomic Blonde with Atomic Blonde 2 being planned. I like it when these
actors in their 40's or older suddenly are slotted into action roles after
years of drama. They bring a certain gravitas with them. She is fine here
as is the rest of the cast. Hope to see them again.
