As a genre action movies tend to become pretty stale, tending to stick to a particular formula, and then every so often a movie comes along with something new. Before 1982’s First Blood action movies were either Dirty Harry clones or Kung-Fu movies. First Blood introduced the one-man-army formula, while the success of Lethal Weapon in 1987 produced a string of buddy cop copies.
Die Hard introduced the confined space actioner with films like Speed and Under Siege following shortly thereafter, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day established the action blockbuster. The genre then played off of these various formats through most of the Nineties, while the Noughties relegated action movies to direct-to-DVD fare starring Dolph Lundgren, Steven Seagal, and Wesley Snipes.
Bar the obligatory insertion of Parkour/Free Running into any ‘edgy’ actioner, or the ridiculous shaky-cam nonsense of <The Bourne Trilogy action movies were in a slump, that was until 2011’s The Raid. An action movie that blew away anyone who watched it, and quickly became a classic of the genre.
The Raid proved that if you create some truly exceptional action sequences, your movie can have the simplest of premises…and then there’s John Wick. John Wick took a simple idea, wrapped up in super stylish visuals, and packed with ridiculously cool action.
…and it appears John Wick directors Chand Stahelski and David Leitch may be here to revitalise the whole genre. It’s Leitch and Stahelski’s background in stunts that give them the edge, giving them a unique perspective of action, of what is possible and what would look spectacular.
John Wick star/producer Keanu Reeves head hunted Leitch & Stahelski, who he’d originally met on the set of The Matrix to direct the action sequences, with the hope they would want to take on the whole movie. A debut feature for them both.
Following John Wick’s success Stahelski has gone on to direct John Wick: Chapter 2 with a third chapter and reboot of the Highlander franchise in the pipeline. While Leitch, who dropped out of JW: C2 to make Atomic Blonde, was hired to direct Deadpool 2.
Atomic Blonde, based on graphic Novel The Coldest City, takes place in Berlin in the week before the wall came down. MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton has been tasked with recovering a microfilm that contains the identity of every undercover agent currently in the Soviet Union and find a double agent named Satchel.
The film looks and feels very much like it could exist in the world of John Wick, JW: C2 and Atomic Blonde linked so close together that Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron actually trained together to get movie ready for their respective roles.
Atomic Blonde also sports one of the coolest soundtracks since Guardians of the Galaxy, a mix of Eighties classics, originals and contemporary cover versions, and a score from Tyler Bates (300, Watchmen).
But most impressive of all, as you would expect, is the action, and in particular the much talked about ‘fight on the stairs’. A scene almost ten brutal minutes long, and shot in such a way it looks like it’s all filmed in a single take. A fight scene that then turns into a car chase before the illusion is shattered with some swift editing.
There are times when Atomic Blonde seems too cool for it’s own good, it tries a little too hard to be the kids at the back of the bus, but ultimately it’s a fun ride, and one you’ll be happy to ride again.
Have you Watched Atomic Blonde? What did you think?