The Name’s Wick…Joan Wick
In undergrad I played intramural all-sports because I couldn’t bring myself to pick just one activity. As it turns out I’m great at some sports (whaddup volleyball) and terrible at others (sorry flag-football teammates). There were as many misses as there were hits that season, but overall I had a blast.

Atomic Blonde felt like that intramural season — it does everything it can with its runtime and suffers from a lack of singular vision as a result. Even so, the spy action film from stunt choreographer turned director David Leitch is a solid piece of summer action pulp, and to be honest I think we could all use a bit of mindless kickass fun right about now.

Leitch’s twenty years of stunt work in Hollywood pays off in this film, driving its action scenes with a perfect blend of fun and intensity. Witty repartees as smooth as Stoli evoke Connery’s Bond; diverse fight scenes with desperate choices in weaponry ring nostalgic of Jason Bourne. (The last person I saw kick this much ass with a garden hose was my mom — my brothers and I certainly did not find it entertaining.) There’s real weight and speed to the blows while the camera swings and dips with the action, yet whenever Leitch takes a more artistic approach, framing a stationary shot to focus on the action, the moves feel slow and choreographed. It’s an odd dichotomy that shows its face often throughout Atomic Blonde: the director has a bag full of tricks and seems to be more concerned with using them all as opposed to using them all well.
Ultimately, the issue with Atomic Blonde isn’t the fact that there is a variance to the styles and techniques used, it’s that little of it connects seamlessly together. Charlize Theron’s Lorraine is equal parts James Bond and John Wick, but one of those parts is water and the other oil. The suave, sultry, unwavering confidence Lorraine shows in every dialogue-heavy scene seems to come to a full stop before transitioning to the next action scene, and vice-versa. I found myself less interested in that dialogue out of anticipation for how she would punch her way out of the next assault. The premise is not groundbreaking — a British double agent tracking down a list of KGB operatives — and the plot progression felt shallow sandwiched between the intense action of what could have easily been a separate movie.

In praise of those fight scenes, I have to say that Leitch really knows how to ratchet up the excitement. A clear aspect of Lorraine’s character is that she is objectively better than any one individual she goes up against. To keep the threat real and action from getting stale each battle begins with her at some sort of notable disadvantage. It reaffirms the stakes each time she finds herself cornered in a building surrounded by enemies. These same stakes are somewhat dulled, however, by the fact that the story begins by telling you the protagonist survives the ordeal you are about to witness.
Above all, Charlize Theron’s physical performance demands recognition. The majority of the action in this film was performed by the academy award winning actress, with stuntwomen used only in the few scenes that exposed her to particular risk. Beyond the physicality of choreographed stairwell fights, her ability to evoke at once both the soft tones of seduction and the potential energy of a coiled viper makes her a captivating figure whenever she is in frame. James McAvoy’s performance as the swarthy, self-serving MI6 agent David Percival is on par with the intensity he bought to the screen in Split, and acts as an excellent foil to Lorraine. He is fiery, brusque, inelegant, and self-indulgent. Lorraine’s calm, vulcan-esque approach is highlighted and enhanced whenever they are on screen together.

Unfortunately, outside of these two the other characters leave much to be desired. Sofia Boutella’s potential is wasted on a character that exists only to show the audience that Lorraine is capable of real, human feelings. Well, that and to provide a scintillating sex scene that lasts juuuuust long enough to transition from a progressive, sex-positive moment between two strong women into the realm of base fan service. Most of the characters in this film feel hollow, as if they exist solely as racks to hang plot points on rather than bringing meaningful energy to the narrative.
The soundtrack was also a point of contention. The film takes place in the late eighties during the final days of the Berlin Wall and fills its scenes with a bevy of jukebox regulars. David Bowie, George Michael, The Clash, and many others round out a list of pop and rock super stars that make an auditory appearance. Consistent with other elements of this film, the song choices never really seemed to be in line with the movie itself. Rarely did a musical selection actually enhance the scene it was in. In fact, the music was often the most jarring aspect of a given scene. It felt as though the song choices were based more on what was recognizable and popular rather than what would actually enhance the moment it was used in. Imagine James Gunn’s approach to soundtrack selection for Guardians of the Galaxy, only lacking in any recognizable sincerity.
Atomic Blonde tries to do as much as it can with its time while it has your attention. Unfortunately, this also means that it often feels shallow and disconnected from itself. Is it The Bourne Identity; is it Tinker Tailor Solider Spy; is it Casino Royale; is it John Wick? I don’t know, though at the end of the day I’m not sure it really matters. This is still a fun film with some of the most authentic action you’ll see this year. If the notion of Charlize Theron breaking faces and looking sexy with the Berlin Wall as a backdrop is unappealing to you, you can give it a pass. Otherwise, take the time to watch and enjoy it for what it is at its heart: a fun, action-first, summer popcorn flick.

