Atomic Blonde (2017)

Atomic Blonde
Dir: David Leitch

Atomic Blonde is a neon-lit thriller adapted from the graphic novel The Coldest City that follows the journey of an elite MI6 spy Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) who, after the death of a fellow MI6 officer, is sent into the heart of war-torn Berlin. The murdered MI6 operative was in the possession of an encrypted list that would compromise many undercover agents which Lorraine is then ordered to retrieve. (This message will self-destruct in five seconds.) It can be said Atomic Blonde treads into similar territory to many other mainstream features. It collides the narrative plot points of Mission: Impossible (1996), the structural similarity to Bryan Singer’s Usual Suspects (1995) and the seductive qualities of Catherine Trammel from Basic Instinct (1992) for good measure. That being said, Atomic Blonde does give a fresh new taste to the conventional cuisine of mainstream thrillers. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly the strength of the cast gives Atomic Blonde a superb base for the film to thrive. Charlize Theron in the lead role brings a level of physicality that we have seen in films such as Monster and Mad Max. Theron is magnetic from the moment she enters the room to the moment she throws the last punch. Along with this, the introduction of James McAvoy as the accompanying agent in Broughton's undercover mission is a masterstroke. I am a huge James McAvoy fan and feel he rarely puts a foot wrong. In Atomic Blonde he matches the allure of Theron with his sharp smile and compelling delivery. John Goodman, Toby Jones and Eddie Marsan make up the rest of the excellent front running cast. Their inclusion brings a smile to my face as it is great to see such excellent and slightly underrated actors still receiving great roles in big features. Secondly, the soundtrack provides a crucial dynamic to Atomic Blonde. While intentionally subverting the Bond/Bourne thriller by starring a strong physical female in the lead role, the soundtrack adds significant weight to the entire narrative. The use of a pop soundtrack gives Atomic Blonde a distinctively stylish edge to accompany the typical bone-crunching set pieces.

Atomic Blonde is an enjoyable thriller with progressive themes and excellent performances typified by Theron’s seductively brutish presence. While the ending becomes slightly convoluted, those plot holes can be overlooked given the film devotes a sequence to nod towards Tarkovsky’s Stalker (1979) which is projected in the background – a clear way to seal my approval.