A comedy/action film with fan favorite Christoph Waltz at the center as a past-his-prime contract killer sounds like a clear home-run on paper. The addition of Cooper Hoffman as the cocky young foil to Waltz’s elder authority, and Lucy Liu as a peppy club manager slash conflict resolution specialist also implies greatness. As one more cherry on top, director Simon West has previously helmed a handful of fun movies that blend hybrid genres seamlessly, such as 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Con Air, and The Mechanic. So then, what went wrong here? The aptly-named Old Guy attempts to blend the aging assassin trope with multi-generational banter. However, a major lack of energy, uninspired visuals, and zero character development make it a dull and forgettable entry into the spy/thriller genre, despite a promising cast.
Seasoned assassin Danny Dolinski (Oscar-winner Waltz, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained) has been pulled back into duty by The Company. His mission involves training whiny Gen Z, alcohol-free Wihlborg (Hoffman, Licorice Pizza, Saturday Night) in the field. Can Danny’s old-school technique gel with Wihlborg’s more reckless and showy skillset? To no one’s surprise, the old versus young dynamic immediately emerges front and center as Dolinski remarks that he cannot tell the difference between Millennials and Gen Z. When a generational clash is your script’s sole focus, it could be time to go back to the drawing board.
Nevertheless, from the moment they are teamed, Dolinski and Wihlborg are repeatedly underlined as being polar opposites. Danny’s experience and cynicism awkwardly juxtaposes with Wihlborg’s youthful arrogance and naïveté. In theory, this dynamic has potential. Unfortunately, in its exploration, they fail to go any deeper than surface-level quips. Their relationship, however at odds, still feels better developed than the one both men share with Anata (Liu, Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill). Anata feels underwritten. At one point, she discloses to Wihlborg that she could never see herself romantically involved with Dolinski; in practice, her actions tell another story. Her purpose to uplift the men in the movie rather than anything substantial acts as an insult to Liu, who is more than capable of being a total badass onscreen.
The action and visuals are particularly frustrating, not to mention altogether bloodless. A whole lot of Dolinski and Wihlborg taking people out with silencers comprises the majority of the excitement. West simply show events happening onscreen rather than having any kind of punchy moments. The sequences themselves are notably flat, free of tension or any sense of flair. A lack of color leaves the overall look rather desaturated and bland. To make matters worse, as an audience we feel minimal danger or catharsis to any of this. Perhaps much of the flavorlessness could be attributed to missing a memorable villain. Old Guy cares more about the odd coupling of its central assassins than in crafting them a formidable opponent to take them down.
As much as I adore Waltz and everything he does, a second season of The Consultant would have been preferable to this middle of the road shoot-’em-up. Wasting an actor with so much charisma should be viewed as a cinematic crime. There are some clever lines of dialogue, and a chuckle or two in the face of agist jokes. However, the sheer star power of Christoph Waltz can only go so far. Unless a true comedy/action completionist, Old Guy makes little argument for taking the journey alongside its tragically wasted cast of megastars.
Go on a high-octane silencer shootoff with an Old Guy, exclusively in theaters on Friday, February 21st.
