Atomic Blonde | Film Review

.

Gamelkateinthecinema | Atomic Blonde

Director: David Leitch

Release: 2017

Writer: Screenplay by Kurt Johnstad | Graphic novel series 'The Coldest City' by Antony Johnston

Genre: action/mystery/thriller

Rating: R-16 for sequences of strong violence, language throughout and some sexual nudity

.

There were a few pretty crap things in Atomic Blonde that I was totally willing to overlook because I thought it was all so fucking cool. This sexy, punchy and hyper-stylised big screen version of Johnston's graphic novel sees Charlize Theron, an English agent (with a very dodgy English accent), travel to Berlin to meet up with her undercover colleague (James McAvoy) to find out what happened to her ex-boyfriend, while kicking ass and look good doing it. 

.

What really made this movie for me was the soundtrack. And the clothing. But mainly the soundtrack. All to often I hear the 'soundtrack' to a film and think 'yes, this will be great', only to sit through sweeping orchestral backing music and have the so-called soundtrack playing with the end credits. You could feel that the cast and crew had so much fun making this movie, and were totally behind the bold statement that is Atomic Blonde. The music was almost totally period appropriate; packed with 80's new wave greats such as Sioux and the Banshees, New Order, The Clash, Nina Hargan, and Marilyn Manson... and that was in what felt like the first half an hour. Theron could have cut her arm off and welded on a chainsaw, and I still would have been invested.(If you didn't get my Army of Darkness reference that's ok, it wasn't in cinemas until 1992 anyway.)

.

I think I was willing to overlook a lot of the over-the-top violent action sequences and car chases as part of the overall package, for the reason that the original story was a graphic novel. Any less action than what appeared in the book would have done an injustice to Theron's character, and would have made the whole concept of a hard-boiled, well dressed, female undercover detective as boring and cliché. The excellent choreography and one particularly long and uncut fight scene involving a staircase proves this point. 

.

I could draw a rather thin parallel here between Atomic Blonde and Wonder Woman, as both characters are called their first name throughout. Has the name Lorraine become sexy again?? There's also a sequence with a yellow rope that is surely a nod in Diana's direction. And the over-the-knee boots seem to be the new fem uniform this year. I dig it.

.

Although (and I had the very same discussion after leaving the cinema), I think it is a big mistake to look at Atomic Blonde as another female super hero. Coming to screens in the same year as Wonder Woman has put a 'super' angle on all strong female leads, especially where slow motion fight sequences and killer costumes are involved. But I think the makers of Atomic Blonde, while making it clear that this woman does not belong in the reality we live in, is not a super hero either. We see her face beat up, taking ice baths, smoking cigarettes, having sex. Pretty much everything on the no-no list for superheroes. Apart from Thor, but technically he's a God, not a superhero. But whatever, my point is that Atomic Blonde isn't from any sort of superhero universe. She is a unique and stand alone character, she just knows how to throw a damn good punch.

.

Production and set design teams did an amazing job at bringing 1980's Europe to life. It is a sad sad fact that 'kids these days' see everything more than 10 years before they were born as old, musty and boring. Myself included, I think of the 70's as cheesy and involving a lot of mustard tones. The use of lighting, costume and props, together with that killer music I mentioned before, brought the 80's back in full force and, I hope, made it seem more interesting and relevant to all you millennial's out there that have no idea what the Berlin Wall even was.

.

 And the crap things? Oh, I can't really remember them now. A bit of a predictable plot, perhaps. Over-sexualising women. Terrible British accent by Theron. Too much violence. 

At one point, David Percival (McAvoy) says "I think I'm in love with you!" Yeah, you and the rest of the audience, mate.

 .

 Rating: 7/10

All images taken from the official Atomic Blonde Trailer 2017, copyright to Universal Studios. 

I do not own the rights to these images. All text is written by me and is my own personal opinion.