I Was Really Disappointed With The Old Guard 2, But How Quynh And Andy’s Relationship Is Watered Down Bothers Me The Most

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SPOILERS are ahead for The Old Guard 2, now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

In a departure from the overwhelming success of “The Old Guard” on Netflix, which climbed to No. 1 in their top movie chart over the weekend, I find myself aligning with the critical consensus regarding the sequel. While audiences have also shown mixed feelings (as evidenced by its 37% Rotten Tomatoes score), there’s a particular aspect that stood out as problematic for me: the sudden and unsatisfying resolution of Andy and Quynh’s romantic subplot.

I Wasn’t Expecting Andy And Quynh’s Relationship To Lose All Its Romance In The Old Guard 2

For five years now since its initial release, I vividly recall being impressed by the original film for featuring two queer relationships. The more overt one was between Joe and Nicki, while Charlize Theron’s character Andy and Veronica Ngo’s Quynh shared a more poignant and subtly romantic relationship. With Quynh breaking free from her underwater prison in the 2020 movie, I eagerly awaited to see where their characters would go next in today’s timeline, given that their romantic connection is established in the comics.

Sure, I can understand why Quynh might initially feel angry with Andy for not saving her and hesitating, but “The Old Guard 2” unfortunately seems to regress when it comes to developing the depth of their queer relationship. In my opinion, the movie doesn’t do enough justice to be included among the recent LGBTQ+ films being released. Even the relationship between Joe and Nicki is largely ignored, with only a single sweet scene between them.

Indeed, Andy and Quynh engage in a compelling fight sequence, fortunately resolving their differences by the film’s conclusion, leaving room for a potential third installment. However, unlike a sequel focusing on their romantic development, their relationship is subtly hinted at as more of an intensely close friendship that you might need to closely observe to perceive any romantic undertones.

I Think The Old Guard 2 Watering Them Down Is The Movie’s Biggest Upset

To put it simply, as previously mentioned, this film left many viewers feeling let down for several reasons, and I must admit that it may even be the poorest movie of the year for me. Interestingly enough, I had fond memories of the original production. However, what truly irked me was the missed chance to develop a romantic relationship between Andy and Quynh. Such an element would have significantly increased my emotional investment in these characters and provided additional layers to its unyielding premise. Despite the actors delivering commendable performances with their given roles, the script seemed disinterested in delving deeper than superficial storytelling.

If these two characters share a romantic past and haven’t met in five centuries, wouldn’t a bit of romance in the movie have made sense given their history? It seemed like the plot was building towards it, but it stopped short.

And, I’m Definitely Not Alone…

While browsing the internet, I came across a significant group of supporters rooting for these two entities, too, who also express similar concerns or complaints. For instance:

As a devoted film enthusiast, I can’t help but ponder what could have made that scene even more magical. Many fellow cinephiles and I have been eagerly anticipating the moment when our beloved characters would share their first kiss on the big screen in the third movie. Yet, it seems that this romantic moment may never come to pass.

And here’s one more that I really felt brought the point home. Check it out:

As a devoted film enthusiast, I can’t help but express my dismay over The Old Guard 2. Not only did it fail to meet my expectations for an engaging sequel, but it also seemed to undermine the rich and captivating queer relationships that were so beautifully portrayed in the original movie. In contrast to the vibrant queer identities that were deeply rooted in the comics, they were unfortunately diminished, resulting in characters that lacked the depth and intrigue I had come to appreciate.

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2025-07-10 13:07