Atomic Blonde really shouldn't work. The first third of the movie is an unevenly-paced mess that is way too committed to telling its middling international espionage story (hell yeah tracking down lists of government agents that have fallen into the wrong hands) and there's a grand total of zero characters that have anything that even resembles a personality. Despite the presence of these crippling hurdles, the film miraculously still manages to be a captivating hybrid of hyper-stylized action and spy movie absurdity.
For what Atomic Blonde lacks in a compelling storyline and charismatic characters, it makes up for in sheer style. Director David Leitch (John Wick) has put together a slick movie that has a completely different look and feel than any other action or spy flick that has come out in recent years. I mean can you name another movie that features an arms dealer's henchman getting his head stomped in to Nena's "99 Luft Balloons"? How about one that is set in the final days of the Cold War and features a striking color scheme that perfectly fits the mood of every scene? Or one that features a protagonist that actually makes smoking cigarettes look cool? The retro vibe Leitch establishes here possesses the lively spirit that his character's lack and gives Atomic Blonde the creative jolt it needed to standout in this perpetually crowded genre.
The allure of Atomic Blonde is also bolstered by its impressive fight scenes. Charlize Theron, who nails her role as a soulless killing machine, plays an MI-6 operative that specializes in hand-to-hand combat and the film wisely gives her ample time to show how off her special set of skills. Leitch handles his first solo directorial effort gracefully by staging a half-dozen or so manic, perfectly-choreographed fight scenes including a show-shopping, 12-minute long take brawl in a stairwell that turns into a car chase that deserves immediate entry into the action sequence hall-of-fame. There's a lot of joy to be had in watching Theron take out rooms full of enemies with hardly any practical weapons and I applaud Leitch for continuing to be an innovator in the underrated artform of elaborate cinematic fight scenes.
For my money, Atomic Blonde succeeds where the Bourne movies failed. There's enough crazy action setpieces, interesting visuals and general badassery here to make up for the uninspired, "twist"-filled story that ties all of the flashiness together. When it comes to pure exercises in style over substance, you really can't get much better than this.
For what Atomic Blonde lacks in a compelling storyline and charismatic characters, it makes up for in sheer style. Director David Leitch (John Wick) has put together a slick movie that has a completely different look and feel than any other action or spy flick that has come out in recent years. I mean can you name another movie that features an arms dealer's henchman getting his head stomped in to Nena's "99 Luft Balloons"? How about one that is set in the final days of the Cold War and features a striking color scheme that perfectly fits the mood of every scene? Or one that features a protagonist that actually makes smoking cigarettes look cool? The retro vibe Leitch establishes here possesses the lively spirit that his character's lack and gives Atomic Blonde the creative jolt it needed to standout in this perpetually crowded genre.
The allure of Atomic Blonde is also bolstered by its impressive fight scenes. Charlize Theron, who nails her role as a soulless killing machine, plays an MI-6 operative that specializes in hand-to-hand combat and the film wisely gives her ample time to show how off her special set of skills. Leitch handles his first solo directorial effort gracefully by staging a half-dozen or so manic, perfectly-choreographed fight scenes including a show-shopping, 12-minute long take brawl in a stairwell that turns into a car chase that deserves immediate entry into the action sequence hall-of-fame. There's a lot of joy to be had in watching Theron take out rooms full of enemies with hardly any practical weapons and I applaud Leitch for continuing to be an innovator in the underrated artform of elaborate cinematic fight scenes.
For my money, Atomic Blonde succeeds where the Bourne movies failed. There's enough crazy action setpieces, interesting visuals and general badassery here to make up for the uninspired, "twist"-filled story that ties all of the flashiness together. When it comes to pure exercises in style over substance, you really can't get much better than this.
4/5 Stars
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