{"id":4552,"date":"2017-07-27T18:38:24","date_gmt":"2017-07-28T01:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/?p=4552"},"modified":"2017-07-30T06:08:41","modified_gmt":"2017-07-30T13:08:41","slug":"review-atomic-blonde","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/?p=4552","title":{"rendered":"Review: ATOMIC BLONDE"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\"\"The Cold War has never looked sexier as Charlize Theron literally bears all in the ultra slick actioner \u201cAtomic Blonde.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Feeling very much like something of the 1980s infused with an even more retro but en vogue martial arts flair, Director David Leitch (the uncredited half of the \u201cJohn Wick\u201d team) attacks the graphic novel series \u201cThe Coldest City\u201d with unabashed, spirited cool. The story has MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Theron) dispatched to Berlin on the eve of the fall of the Wall. She\u2019s tasked with retrieving a list of double agents hidden in a wristwatch.<\/p>\n

This list, a typical espionage movie device, contains names and information that could upset the thaw in superpower relations. As familiar as this sounds, and it is familiar, the film is none-the-less fresh given the ferocity of the action set pieces and impeccable performances. \u201cAtomic Blonde\u201d is certainly a heck of an entertaining picture.<\/p>\n

The cast is impressive. While the film is led by Theron, more on her later, we also get a superbly sleazy James McAvoy playing flawed MI6 agent David Percival. The Brit\u2019s man in Berlin, Percival keeps you guessing, and McAvoy has fun with the various wardrobe changes one of which has him donning a East German officer\u2019s coat and hat as he makes his way from East to West.<\/p>\n

John Goodman and Toby Jones play spy masters of sorts that interrogate Broughton. The story is largely told in flashback as Broughton briefs Goodman\u2019s CIA Agent Emmett Kurzfeld and MI6\u2019s Eric Gray (Jones) as to her experiences in Berlin. Broughton sits in a sound-proof chamber, reminiscent of something from \u201cTinker Tailor Soldier Spy,\u201d and narrates the story. Their edgy conversations help structure the film.<\/p>\n

Leitch works from a screenplay by Kurt Johnstad (\u201c300\u201d) who smartly uses ground zero of the end of the Cold War as an amazing set piece. But as the opening title card graphic rudely reminds us, this is not a movie about those events. However, so much of the time period is on display, one can\u2019t help but want to learn more about the fall of the Wall, kind of like last week\u2019s \u201cDunkirk\u201d had many Googling the WWII evacuation. \u201cAtomic Blonde\u201d teases us with historical archived footage and a juke box score that acts as a pop culture way, way back machine.<\/p>\n

The musical score is thick with hits of the \u201880s timed perfectly to various action sequences. One particular car chase is really marvelous on all levels especially the lush use of a particular tune. In a way, Leitch\u2019s reliance on music rivals Edgar Wright\u2019s attempt at creating the musical action genre in \u201cBaby Driver.\u201d Still, Wright made the music part of the narrative, whereas Leitch uses the music more as a editing device, cutting on cue. Both films deliver exquisite action ballet.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s Theron. We meet her character early as she uncomfortably lounges in an ice bath. Understandably stripped nude, the 41 year-old is a feast for the eyes and the makeup work that covers her fantastic body with bruises enhances her fearless characterization. She\u2019s a sexy woman, no doubt, but Theron\u2019s intent is to prove that Broughton is a skilled brute of immense physicality combined with uncanny intellectual prowess.<\/p>\n

Theron\u2019s performance isn\u2019t just all action but one of layered intensity mixed with sexuality that has been ordinarily reserved for the guys. This film makes a strong case for Theron as the next James Bond, a move that could be mustered possibly without making gender the primary focus. Theron\u2019s Broughton might not just be able to kick your ass, but she might actually be smarter than you as well.<\/p>\n

The teenage fanboy in me whole-hearted endorsed \u201cAtomic Blonde\u201d even as I certainly recognized the manipulative nature of the exploitation in the narrative. Leitch trades well on Theron\u2019s features permitting the camera to leer almost uncomfortably. And the constant action might exhaust some viewers who want a breather. But for respite such viewers should look to some of the performances like that of Eddie Marsan who plays a key informant named Spyglass. A couple weeks ago, I reviewed \u201cThe Exception\u201d where Marsan played a chilling Heinrich Himmler. Here he\u2019s great giving us the kind of human expressions that help break up the tension created by all the frantic action.<\/p>\n

\u201cAtomic Blonde\u201d is a killer, explosive, thrill ride.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sex and Bullets and Theron\u2026 Read Jonathan\u2019s Review!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","no-thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4552"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4581,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552\/revisions\/4581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}