What’s it rated? R
When? 2020
Where’s it showing? Netflix
Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights) directs this screenplay by Greg Rucka based on the graphic novel series he co-created with Leandro Fernandez, about a covert group of immortal warriors who’ve been quietly protecting humanity for centuries. Led by Andy (Charlize Theron), the soldiers have all the benefits (spontaneous healing and inability to die) as well as the travails (loneliness and watching your family and friends die) of vampirism without have to drink blood. What they are good at, however, is spilling blood. When they agree to rescue some kidnapped schoolgirls, it soon becomes clear their secret of immortality has been discovered, and now a Big Pharma company run by a cartoonish villain named Merrick (Harry Melling) wants to capture and capitalize on their special powers. Some effective action makes up for the hackneyed dialogue and story, and as someone hungry for first-run films, this was well worth the watch, but it’s essentially direct-to-video quality that would be total trash without Theron in the lead. (125 min.) Δ
This article appears in Best of SLO County 2020.