'Atomic Blonde' Movie Review

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   Atomic Blonde is directed by David Leitch, and it stars Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, and Sofia Boutella. It tells the story of an undercover agent for MI6 as she is sent to Berlin during the peak of the Cold War. While there, she must investigate the murder of a fellow agent and track down a very valuable list that could change the tide of the Cold War. 

   Atomic Blonde may not be a masterpiece of a film, but it is a very enjoyable one that can provide a great experience in the theater. The film is directed by one of the co-directors of the first John Wick film, and that definitely shows through. This film has a lot of the same vibes that John Wick did. So in general, if you enjoyed John Wick, I think you’ll enjoy Atomic Blonde as well. Despite the stories being very different from one another, the two films almost feel as if they could take place within the same universe.
   The most notable similarity between Atomic Blonde and John Wick comes in the form of the action sequences. Never in the film is it more obvious that this is a David Leitch film than in the action sequences. They were all so insane and over-the-top, yet they were executed in a way that the audience could follow everything that happened. There’s one sequence probably about two-thirds the way into this film that was particularly impressive. It very heavily involved a staircase, and the most notable thing was how it was all one continuous shot. If I had to guess, it was at least five minutes, probably close to ten in length. The fact that they managed to get that entire sequence in one shot, or at least hide the cuts well enough that it looks like one shot, is a feat in and of itself.
   The soundtrack in this film was one of the most surprising things to me about it. The soundtrack in Atomic Blonde features the likes of Depeche Mode, David Bowie, The Clash, and Public Enemy. Pretty much every time a song came on in this film, I found myself really getting into it. The soundtrack to Atomic Blonde is probably one of the best soundtracks to a film I’ve heard since the first Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s a shame that it won’t get as much love Awesome Mix Vol. 1 since this film isn’t nearly as big as that one, but the soundtrack certainly deserves a listen.
   Where this film faltered quite a bit was in its story. The story of Atomic Blonde was too complex and overcomplicated for its own good. At times, it actually became hard to follow because you feel like you’re missing details of the story. That would be okay if the film purposely left out details to keep the audience engaged, but at times if feels like Atomic Blonde just assumes you know certain things, even though you don’t. I understand the appeal of letting the audience figure out things on their own, but when you give them such little information to go on, it becomes more of a nuisance. In the final minutes of the film they do kind of break it down and explain everything, and when they did, it made more sense. However, that doesn’t deny the fact that the plot through the entirety of the film was distractingly complex.
   Atomic Blonde and John Wick are the only two films released so far that Leitch has directed, and if you look at those two, it’s easy to tell that Leitch is certainly developing a visual style. He uses a very vivid color palette but often sets that against a bleak background. It creates a very strong contrast and is very interesting to see. His style works very well with Atomic Blonde. He frequently uses white neon lights and brightly colored spray-paint to give the audience information. It was different from most films, and it made this film a very cool film visually to watch. Leitch’s next film is going to be Deadpool 2, so I’m curious to see how much of his style will carry over into that.
   Overall, Atomic Blonde was a very enjoyable film. It had a fun soundtrack, intense action scenes, and it is certainly a very interesting film to look at. The story does become a little too complex at times, but by the end, it does make sense for the most part. This film has a very similar vibe and tone to the first John Wick, so if you found yourself enjoying that film, you’ll probably enjoy Atomic Blonde as well. I would recommend Atomic Blonde if you're looking for just a fun action film to see in the theater. It’s well worth your time.
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7.5/10

   So what did you think of Atomic Blonde? Do you think David Leitch’s style will mix well with Deadpool? Let me know by commenting on this post! Also, if you enjoyed this article, share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! Don’t forget, I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check back then for more movie reviews and other miscellaneous movie thoughts!
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