For context, I have just watched this film after being utterly disappointed in the Peacock attempt "The Continental". What I found in Atomic Blonde was a much more like John Wick effort even if it wasn't really a John Wick effort at all (or at least not literally).
While keeping us on all-too familiar turf, the Cold War era spy genre revolving around a threat to expose agents, Atomic Blonde turns almost everything else on it's ear.
Charlize Theron isn't playing a comic book character, she is playing a real woman, with real skills, but who is still navigating a physical disadvantage in a male dominated world. The fight scenes are fantastic, realistic and not cartoonish to the point of distraction. This is not a Wonder Woman story.
It is the story of a woman, like John Wick, descending into an absolute Viper Pit, almost from the word go, and told to trust no one (the viewer can't trust much of what they see either). She is sent to get the list (Cold War spy genre) a mission that merges with a seemingly Wick outcome of "kill them all".
James McAvoy is again (as he was in Wanted) the perfect side kick for the alpha female action genre. He's not overpowering - either physically or as an actor - but brings skill and credibility to his craft.
John Goodman gets a fun turn as a crusty CIA spy but this movie is all about the cloak and dagger between Theron and McAvoy. It is fast paced, entertaining and will keep you guessing until the end.
If there is one complaint it would be that the writer didn't "play fair" with the audience. I am not sure there were enough clues along the way to guess the ultimate outcome.
The best I can do is when Theron seems to deliver a line in an American accent (or without her character's British accent) in the middle of a fight scene. But I wasn't sure I heard it right or if it was intentional versus just sneaking out during a long, grueling take.
Either way, it's still a very enjoyable film, for me personally, particularly in light of the massive failure of The Continental series to capture the magic of John Wick.
While keeping us on all-too familiar turf, the Cold War era spy genre revolving around a threat to expose agents, Atomic Blonde turns almost everything else on it's ear.
Charlize Theron isn't playing a comic book character, she is playing a real woman, with real skills, but who is still navigating a physical disadvantage in a male dominated world. The fight scenes are fantastic, realistic and not cartoonish to the point of distraction. This is not a Wonder Woman story.
It is the story of a woman, like John Wick, descending into an absolute Viper Pit, almost from the word go, and told to trust no one (the viewer can't trust much of what they see either). She is sent to get the list (Cold War spy genre) a mission that merges with a seemingly Wick outcome of "kill them all".
James McAvoy is again (as he was in Wanted) the perfect side kick for the alpha female action genre. He's not overpowering - either physically or as an actor - but brings skill and credibility to his craft.
John Goodman gets a fun turn as a crusty CIA spy but this movie is all about the cloak and dagger between Theron and McAvoy. It is fast paced, entertaining and will keep you guessing until the end.
If there is one complaint it would be that the writer didn't "play fair" with the audience. I am not sure there were enough clues along the way to guess the ultimate outcome.
The best I can do is when Theron seems to deliver a line in an American accent (or without her character's British accent) in the middle of a fight scene. But I wasn't sure I heard it right or if it was intentional versus just sneaking out during a long, grueling take.
Either way, it's still a very enjoyable film, for me personally, particularly in light of the massive failure of The Continental series to capture the magic of John Wick.