Film Review: Atomic Blonde (2017)

screenscenesuk (31)in #film • 7 years ago

Based on the graphic novel The Coldest City, David Leitch's Atomic Blonde is enormous fun from the get-go; Charlize Theron is DIVINE as MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton - kick ass, sexy and fond of ice baths. The film looks utterly glorious too - set in late 80s Berlin, it's a haze of neon, sleaze and James McAvoy in a sheepskin shearling coat.

It's a great action film, as we follow Lorraine being grilled in her Berlin mission debrief and exactly what went wrong by superiors Eric Gray (Toby Jones) and Emmett Kurzfeld (John Goodman). Lorraine is smart and always one step ahead, and through flashback scenes we see her up against brutal KGB agents where she gives as good as she gets. In one scene, you're left wincing as Lorraine and a Russian agent fight to the death; everything including the kitchen sink is used as a weapon. Kudos to the fight choreography in this movie - it's OTT and fantastic.

James McAvoy's character, MI6 agent David Percival, brings comic relief; he's 'gone feral' on his mission, and you can tell McAvoy is really enjoying his character like he did with Kevin in 2016's Split. It's always great to see him in a movie where he plays it with gusto like this. Theron gives Daniel Craig a run for his money, and if we were picking the next 007 we'd definitely know where to look.

The soundtrack's bloody great too.

Watch it for: Theron has never been better

Watch out for: Ouch. Everything looks like it hurts

7/10 BOY t-shirts