A rushed blur of forgettable action, anemic storylines, and uninteresting new characters, The Old Guard 2 is a complete disappointment. While the first installment was fresh, engaging, and full of charm, this sequel has almost none of that. What we get instead is a clunky, half-baked mess where everything feels like it was thrown together at the last minute. And the pacing? Well, it is frantic, but not in a good way — it barrels through plot points without giving anything time to breathe. Not that the story was all that compelling to begin with. The action choreography is painfully by-the-numbers, and the camera work? Questionable at best. Visually, the film is bland and uninspired – “ugly” at worst. Perhaps the biggest sin is that it completely squanders its talented cast. This is especially true for newcomer Uma Thurman, whose presence should have been a “wow” moment but ends up being a forgettable “meh.” And yes, I get it — franchise type films like this love to tease the next chapter — but the ending here is a total slap in the face. The movie literally cuts out with characters running off on an unresolved "cliffhanger," leaving you wondering why you even bothered. Honestly, I wish I’d made a run for it before it started.