Review: Atomic Blonde

Set in 1989 as the Berlin Wall is set to crumble, Charlize Theron stars as an MI6 agent tasked with retrieving an important list of undercover agents wanted by interested parties in both the East and West. She’s also got a side mission of identifying and rubbing out a supposed double agent. James McAvoy plays a scuzzy-looking British Intelligence officer in Berlin, Sofie Boutella plays Theron’s love interest (and a novice agent in her own right), John Goodman is a CIA bigwig, James Faulkner is the head of MI6, with Toby Jones his number two. This should’ve been right up my alley.

 

An 80s-infused spy actioner with a smokin’ hot lesbian protagonist from the co-director of “John Wick”. How on Earth did this one end up a bit disappointing? Directed by David Leitch (who also gave us “Deadpool 2” and “Hobbs & Shaw”) and scripted by Kurt Johnstad (“300”, “Act of Valour”), this adaptation of a graphic novel series contains a frankly boring plot and a really disjointed structure that served to distance me a bit too much. I’m not sure I’m overly fussed with the twisty finale, either. It seemed a tad too clever by half.

 

Poor James McAvoy, Toby Jones, and John Goodman are underused, though the former two do what they can when they can (Goodman is saddled with a dull character). Still, there’s some things to like here. Sofia Boutella’s character is genuinely interesting and likeable. In fact, I’d like to see her character and Charlize Theron’s character play the leads in another film with a more interesting and better-structured plot. Theron is perhaps a touch too cool to the point of iciness, but she’s certainly well-cast here and a believable action heroine. The action is plentiful, if somewhat familiar in the “John Wick” mould, the use of a fridge door at one point especially choice though. The film has a cool, sometimes neon-lit look about it. The 80s soundtrack is cool, with one hilarious use of George Michael’s ‘Father Figure’ in particular.

 

“Salt” meets “John Wick” and not quite as good as either, unfortunately. It’s not bad, Sofia Boutella is especially good, but Cold War stuff isn’t my thing and my interest fluctuated. Great 80s soundtrack, though. Intermittently enjoyable, a sense of humour helps.

 

Rating: C+