SXSW 2017 Quick Review: Atomic Blonde

Chad Stahelski and David Leitch directed John Wick. Mr. Stahelski went on to direct John Wick Ch. 2 and Mr. Leitch went and brought us a new equally (maybe even more?) badass character to the screen. Based on the graphic novel The Coldest City, Charlize Theron plays a Cold War era spy thrown into a mission during the fever- pitch end of the Berlin Wall conflict. A soundtrack of top hits of the 80s pulse along with the action as Charlize blasts, cuts, pummels, and generally destroys all comers throughout. Many are labeling this flick as simply the "female John Wick" and that's not fair. This character stands on her own and that's proven by several truly brilliant fight/stunt sequences, including one of the most brutal, tense, exhausting one take brawls I've seen in recent memory. The story is kind of unnecessarily convoluted but the action and style on display makes up for it in bounds. Catch this one soon.-Kyle