Atomic Blonde
Directed by: David Leitch
Grade: C+
Charlize Theron is taking this action heroine stuff super seriously. She plays an MI6 agent sent to Berlin right before the Wall comes down in order to find a missing dossier full of super secret confidential information that will expose all the spies in the field and put their lives in danger.
I feel like that was a James Bond thing once. Why does this stuff keep getting written down in one place?
There’s a whole bunch of other stuff going on. A double-agent. A whole lot of double-crossing and nearly everyone has a secret. There’s a turncoat they need to get out before the Russians find and kill him. James McAvoy plays her contact who at best has gone native and enjoyed his power in Berlin just a little too much.
Honestly, I think McAvoy was my favorite part of this movie. He definitely seemed to be enjoying himself.
I was fifty-fifty on Charlize. I mean she kills the action scenes and I loved all her clothes but the character kind of grated. It made sense that she wasn’t the most emotional person in the world- save during one awesome fight scene and chase. There’s a twist at the end that left me like, “Okay, I get it. I just don’t entirely buy it.” More questions than answers.
Other pluses included the soundtrack and the supporting cast. (I keep waiting for a breakout role for Sofia Boutella. She deserves it.) I also really liked the look of the movie. It felt dark and gritty while also strangely hopeful. Much like they were presenting the city at that time.
So yeah, my biggest problem was definitely the been there done that story and an iffy plot twist. Plus what kind of idiot do you have to be to threaten a person that you know very well is dangerous (because you’re threatening to expose their secrets) and then stick in some headphones and wander around your apartment in your underwear that night?
Unfortunately, I feel like I’ve seen that before and it annoyed me.
Recommend: Wait for DVD. Good action and performances but the plot was a little to rehashed for me. Who would want to be a spy when it’s that easy to be exposed?
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