Atomic Blonde

Director David Leitch is making quite a name for himself in recent years. 

Previously a stuntman, now turned director, he's got an experienced eye for action as we saw with his directorial debut, John Wick (probably one of my favorite action films in the last 5 years or so), and John Wick: Chapter 2 as a producer.

Truth be told, he's a solution to many of Hollywood's action "problems". 

Or at the very least, a breath of fresh air. 

As he's already embarked on his next chapter (a highly anticipated follow up to Deadpool), Atomic Blonde reaches theaters, daring against superheros, Christopher Nolan, and f**king emoji's to create a female equivalent to Mr. Wick. 

Who better to kick off yet another badass action franchise? And who better than to cast in the titular role than resident blonde badass herself: Charlize Theron?

With Atomic Blonde, Leitch solidifies his place in my list of Highly-Anticpated-Directors as it's clear that he knows how to film action, but also give us unforgettable characters. And Charlize? She keeps doing what we all already know she can do: kick some damn ass. 

To try and describe Atomic Blonde's plot would A) probably do it a disservice and B) just end up ruining parts of the film. It's set during a slightly alternate universe in which the Berlin Wall didn't come down -- yes, it's in the 80s -- and British, American, and Russian intelligence are all working swiftly to obtain a "list" that contains the name of all operative agents on it. Something that would supposedly extend the Cold War for "another 40 years". The plot for Atomic Blonde is rather cliche in the world of spies and during that time period, but I really enjoyed the way the story was presented (much like last week's Dunkirk) even if the story itself isn't anything wholly original. The film does its best to confuse you, and at times it's a bit annoying. But for a film that I was almost positive would end sloppily, it ends up wrapping everything up in a nice, understandable bow. Because of that, I'd say I actually really dug the story, even if the film took too long to get there (by about 15 minutes). This, much like John Wick, is a character I immediately want to see more of and, given the low production costs of the film, I'm guessing we'll get that chance. Something else that just popped in my head -- it would be awesome to read some books (well done fan fiction) about these two characters. My next writing venture perhaps? 

"Your nose doesn't look so good..."
"Shut up, Bill!"

"So how did you get out of
that wheelchair again?"

Anyway, other than the film's length and some needlessly confusing tidbits, Atomic Blonde is yet another feather in the cap for woman-kicking-ass in 2017. The action here isn't as constant as John Wick (again, the easiest comparison given the approach taken), but when it's happening, it's a lot more rugged. Lorraine (Theron) isn't a headshot extraordinaire, but she is tough, assertive, and willing to do whatever it takes. The action is filmed spectacularly, with hardly any edits or cuts. For one scene in specific, if you told me that it was a solid 10-15 spanning shot, I'd believe you. David Leitch and his team know how action should be filmed. It's a Godsend in a day and age where *many* directors (not all) don't know which way is up during an action scene and end up editing it to death. Here, the choreography is fluid, brutal, and real. Given that Theron does many of her own stunts, it's beyond impressive and she deserves every bit of praise that she receives from this film. Much like Gadot in Wonder Woman, albeit this is a much more R-rated Wonder Woman, Theron commands the screen and has us all wishing we could fight half as good as she does.

The rest of the cast pale in comparison to the titular character really in design only. McAvoy is good as always as a fellow agent who's motives aren't clear, John Goodman has a small but effective role as the CIA liaison in our story, and Sofia Boutella impresses as a French operative with whom Charlize shares an intimate affair with. Maybe it's the "guy" in me, but when you make a spy/action movie with Charlize Theron kicking ass and making out with Sofia Boutella, I tend to find very little to complain about. 

Even the film itself is well made. I already spoke of the editing and pacing to a certain degree, but there are a lot of a strong cinematography shots here too. Mixed with a lot of drab colors among the neon of certain scenes, it's definitely a very 80's film. That could also be because of the awesome soundtrack that Blonde sports of a ton of 80's pop-songs. Truth be told, it's here that Blonde actually has a leg up on Wick as the songs play an integral role to the film's vibe and tone. 

You might say that she has everyone in this scene...whipped?
No? I'll see myself out.

Atomic Blonde is one of my favorite types/genres of films. It's a intertwining spy thriller with some R-rated, brutal action that's filmed with patience and professionalism. We all know I love some fitting music with my movies too and then you toss Charlize Theron in there you've created a winning combination of which I'll be there Day 1 for the sequel. And if there's ever a John Wick + Lorraine Broughton crossover, God help us all because that movie will have me as the conductor of the hype train. TOOT TOOT!

CONS

• Too long by about 15 minutes. This has more to do with the pacing than the scenes themselves as a few things didn't need to drag out as long as they did
• Tries to be overly confusing at a few points
• We don't learn a whole lot about Lorraine's backstory. I would have like to 

PROS

• Charlize Theron was a perfect casting choice and she continues to be one of the baddest women in Hollywood. She kills it here, both figuratively and literally
• David Leitch is solidifying himself as one of my favorite directors. He puts together interesting stories, memorable characters, and some stupendous action
• The remainder of the cast, even if they're in Theron's shadow, serve their characters well
• Each action scene is patiently filmed with very few cuts and it results in a handful of year-best scenes. One in particular is sure to make my Top 15 list at the end of the year
• Solid cinematography
• Interweaving spy narrative that features some twists and wraps up nicely at the end
• Fitting and awesome 80's soundtrack

Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10