Movie Review: Atomic Blonde (2017)

Atomic Blonde boasts three standout elements: its savage lead, fantastic soundtrack, and brutal action scenes. It's a summer treat for those who want something darker. As a bonus, it also passes the Bechdel test.

Charlize Theron plays Lorraine Broughton, an MI6 agent sent to Berlin just before the fall of the Wall. She's a typical gritty spy protagonist: stoic, dour, brusque, competent, and hard-drinking. Her mission is to retrieve...something not terribly original (cf. Skyfall), but a secondary mission also emerges, and possibly a third? In any case, Broughton keeps her cards close to her chest as she punches, kicks, and throws her way out of hairy situations.

Theron is joined by a talented supporting cast: James McAvoy, John Goodman, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, and James Faulkner (Randyll Tarly!!!). Sofia Boutella adds her own je ne sais quoi to the proceedings as French agent Delphine Lasalle. In the spy business, "trust no one" is rule number one, and all the secondaries are appropriately shady enough to keep viewers guessing.

Atomic Blonde really shines when it comes to fight choreography. Broughton's fighting style is realistic, with lots of low blows, use of everyday items (e.g. power cord, hot plate), and plenty of throws. There's never the sense that she's a super smooth untouchable operative; she's often on the receiving end of hard hits, especially as her opponents become progressively tougher. My fellow viewers and I were gasping at particularly brutal moments. The biggest confrontation begins in a staircase of an apartment building; the trailers did not prepare me for the extended beating everyone endures here. Wow. Just wow.

The soundtrack is equally terrific. Queen, Depeche Mode, George Michael, and all the luminaries from that time period set the tone. 99 Luftballons makes a menacing appearance. And the color palettes add to the atmosphere of a murky world.

Alas, the writing is not as spectacular as the fights and music. The plot is predictable, and I thought the villain monologuing and misdirection at the end almost obscures Broughton's real purpose and motivations. But maybe that was the idea--that spies live in the shadows, so trying to assign a higher nobility to any of them is pointless. Maybe?

Overall, Atomic Blonde is a stylish action fest that makes excellent use of its star. It's more interested in portraying the turmoil of secret agents than on commenting on the Cold War. Having said that -- more Atomic Blondes, please!

TL;DR: It'll hold me over until the Black Widow movie. Your move, Marvel Studios.

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