Film Review: "Atomic Blonde" (2017).

"Talents can be overrated" in Atomic Blonde. This action thriller spy film directed by David Leitch, in his first solo directorial effort, adapted by Kurt Johnstad, and based on the 2012 graphic novel The Coldest City by Antony Johnston and Sam Hart. The crown jewel of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton is equal parts spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay alive on her impossible mission. Sent alone into Berlin to deliver a priceless dossier out of the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief David Percival to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies.

In May 2015, an adaptation of the graphic novel was announced with Charlize Theron as producer. Theron first came across the story five years prior, when her production company Denver and Delilah Productions was sent the then-unpublished graphic novel. Theron hired Leitch to direct after watching John Wick (2014). Leitch eventually left John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) to direct the film. In May 2015, the successful release of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) helped Theron gain momentum for the development of the film. In the same month, Theron was announced to play the title role. To prepare for the role, Theron worked with eight personal trainers to help her master her intensely physical performance. During the process, Theron cracked her teeth from clenching her jaw and had to get them fixed in surgery. She also bruised a rib during her training. As Theron's training for the movie overlapped with Keanu Reeves' training for John Wick: Chapter 2, the two developed a competitive relationship, which included sparring together. By late November, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and took place in Budapest, Hungary, and Berlin, Germany. From the start, Leitch felt that using the right songs for the project was crucial. Part of this was attempting to answer the question "How do you reinvent this stuffy Cold War spy movie?" The soundtrack uses a combination of 1980s songs as well as covers of them. The movie's producers were initially worried that they would not be able to get the rights to all the songs that Leitch wanted to use, but Leitch himself estimated that around 75% of his picks made it into the final product.

The film stars Theron, McAvoy, Goodman, Schweiger, Marsan, Boutella, and Jones. The cast gave juicy performances filled with pure kinetic energy and tender emotions. After a brief absence from the genre, Theron returns with an effortless, kinetic style that positions the film extremely well for any potential follow-ups.

Stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic, Atomic Blonde serves as a satisfying return to action for Theron – and what looks like it could be the first of a franchise. Harboring few ambitions beyond knock-your-socks-off action sequences, this crafty spy thriller delivers with so much style – and even some wit – that the lack of substance takes longer than it should to become problematic.

Simon says Atomic Blonde receives: