![]() Notably, Lorraine’s big sex scene with another woman doesn’t overplay her sexuality or linger in revealing closeups Leitch both revels in her physicality and treats it with respect. “Atomic Blonde” barrels forward in fits and starts, but it works best in pure B-movie mode, revising the action hero mold from a feminist perspective without overstating it. These scenes combine first-rate physical comedy and virtuoso filmmaking in one package, and there’s just enough of them to keep “Atomic Blonde” from sagging too deeply into its dreary exposition before bouncing back. But when Theron goes back to kicking ass, nothing else matters.Įvery battle has its own set of punchlines, and they’re usually punctuated by a gruesome gag or three, from Lorraine jamming a keychain into one attacker’s cheek to another villain hopeless attempting to yank a knife from his back. Oscillating between the relentless energy of “John Wick” and the dense plotting of a John Le Carré novel, “Atomic Blonde” never quite finds a happy medium between the two. Repeatedly interrupting the fast-spaced showdowns, their terse conversations mostly just summarize the flashbacks preceding them, and waste time on explaining a whole network of distracting ingredients. The framing device of “Atomic Blonde” takes place after the bulk of the action, with Lorraine forced into an interrogation session by MI6 investigator Gray (Toby Jones) and a stern CIA ally (John Goodman). That’s just enough detail to set in motion plenty of reasons for the enigmatic Lorraine to battle her way through the urban underworld, but Kurt Johnstad’s screenplay mistakenly accommodates additional plot details that distract from the main attraction. She’s forced to join forces with Berlin bureau chief David Percival (James McAvoy, fittingly cast as a zany, gun-wielding psychopath) even as she distrusts his motives and would prefer to get to the root of the situation on her own. Set in Berlin 1989 and adapted from the graphic novel “The Coldest City,” the movie unfolds in the days leading up to the collapse of the Berlin Wall, though the historical details are little more than aesthetic flourishes, an excuse for the snazzy nostalgic soundtrack and “John Wick” cinematographer Jonathan Sela’s neon-blue vision of the seedy Germany city.ĭespite the sprawling backdrop, the setup for “Atomic Blonde” is pretty straightforward: After a British agent is killed for mysterious reasons, Lorraine and her cohorts learn that the Russians may have their hands on nuclear intel that could extend the Cold War for decades. READ MORE: ‘Atomic Blonde’ Trailer: Charlize Theron is Not Messing Around in David Leitch’s Action-Thriller - Watch Where to Watch This Week’s New Movies, from an Expanding ‘Asteroid City’ to ‘No Hard Feelings’ It only falters when attempting to tie more story around her. The first solo effort by “John Wick” co-director David Leitch, “Atomic Blonde” exists in the same realm of hyperstylized action built around the cold ferocity of an unstoppable action star. This is not only the essence of “Atomic Blonde,” but a phenomenal show-stopping moment that makes the whole gambit worthwhile. Bullets, knives and fists factor heavily into this spectacular showdown, but nothing hits harder than the camera pressing in close to Theron as she glares at one of the vanquished men and growls, “Now you’re my bitch.” ![]() Later, she battles her way through another apartment building loaded with KGB goons, in a single, unbroken shot that careens down several flights of stairs, through the close quarters of a decrepit room, and into the confines of a speeding car. Among the many wild fight scenes in “ Atomic Blonde,” one finds Charlize Theron as MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton rappelling from a balcony using an incapacitated goon as her counterweight, and that’s not even the craziest bit.
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