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Discussion of The Old Guard (Netflix)
Youtube Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK-X2d0lJ_s
Netflix Link : https://www.netflix.com/title/81038963
Wikipedia page with plot summary : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Guard_(2020_film)
The wife and I watched this last night, it was pretty enjoyable. It's primarily an action movie, and the choreography is well done. Charlize Theron rarely disappoints. It also does a fair job of discussing the psychological impacts of being an immortal human in a world full of non-immortals. The loneliness, isolation, and sometimes hopelessness.
We got into a discussion at one point about how really, they're doing immortality wrong. The stated goal of the small group of immortals is "fight for what we think is right at the time". So they're ostensibly a force for good. Which, in my opinion as a mortal, they do terribly. They fight in battles and conflicts across history, making a skilled but still limited contribution to a fight that (as the film points out) have a ripple effect and do contribute to a better world.
But really, they're doing it wrong. There are many other examples in fiction of immortal beings slowly amassing power over centuries, and using it to influence world events to their own ends. The ability to fight and not die is pretty useful, especially in the past where life was a lot more dangerous. However to affect the maximum possible "good" in the world, I think an immortal human needs to think on a longer and larger scale than just "help Person 1 fight Person 2's army".
disclaimer: I have not yet seen this movie, but it is on my watchlist, I did watch the trailer tho
I really enjoy plots involving immortality, it is interesting to see how different people think of immortals, and how they would fare living across multiple generations.
I agree. However, this is assuming the immortal person really cares about doing good or about exuding power! When they have lived across so much time, what would their morality even be? That is one thing I find hard to grasp in a lot of these movies. When someone has lived such a long life and can continue to do so, why would they care about the petty squabbles of short-lived humans
Also, I think by amassing wealth/influence, you become a point in stories told by other people, which is something you may not want to do, especially if you do not want to advertise you are an immortal.
It is interesting that in this movie they have a group of immortals, and that may help with some social construct and support structure for them spanning across their long lives. If they were indeed going for a clandestine order of immortals, steering the fate of humanity (doesn't matter for good or bad, but for their own interests), I completely agree with you, the best way would have been by amassing power/wealth over centuries and being the puppeteer behind the scenes!
I think the movie Man from Earth dealt with a single human living a single continuous life all the way from pre-historic times to modern day really well.
This same line of thinking made me start imagining a story where there is a single human who is immortal and has lived for centuries. They have quietly and covertly amassed power and wealth, and they influence the world in subtle ways. They are the source of all the conspiracy theories about clandestine organizations that secretly control the world.
This person had long ago established a pattern of finding a mortal they could trust, confiding their secret, and then establishing them as a sort of "anti-sycophant". At some point one of these people established their own secret organization who's only job is to kill or dethrone the immortal if their morality is compromised. The main focus of the story is such an event, where the organization decides that the immortal is no longer acting morally and must be be taken out, despite having done much good in the world. The audience at some point learns that the immortal might actually acting morally given their long perspective on things. The story ends in an ambiguous way without declaring if the immortal is right or wrong. (I love ambiguous endings)
That sounds dope! I would definitely read it, if you finish writing that! :)
Oh agreed, I don't really have an issue with the movie's premise. My objection was more of a "well I wouldn't do it that way".
I think it depends a lot on how it's done (and in what culture). For instance, Alex mentions that for a time she was worshiped as a god. On the one side you do have some cultures who will burn you at the stake (England, witches, etc) and throw you into the ocean. However I think there's also a fair chance that you could establish yourself as a god of some flavor if you wanted to. Heck, you could start rumors and stories, let them persist for 100 years or so as a set of prophecies, and then show up 100 years later and fulfill them all!