Atomic Blonde (4½ Stars)

After watching this film in the cinema three years ago I'm finally returning to it. I don't know why I waited so long. It's an almost perfect film. I would have given it five stars, but I deducted half a star because the smoking in the film is excessive. If smoking doesn't bother you, there's no reason not to watch it.

Charlize Theron plays the MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton, who's on a mission in Berlin in the final week of the Berlin Wall, from 2nd November to 10th November 1989. Well, the demolition of the Wall didn't actually begin until 13th June 1990, so the images of people hitting the Wall with hammers are incorrect. What actually happened is that the border checkpoints opened on 9th November, allowing people to pass through without showing their passports. The film "Bornholmer Straße" tells this story. In my review of "Goodbye Lenin" I've listed the dates of the most important occurrences.

When Lorraine arrives in Berlin on 2nd November, Western intelligence services already assume that the opening of the Wall is inevitable, but there's something more dangerous. There's a list of all the spies in Berlin, western and eastern, that's been hidden on microfilm inside a watch. It's expected that whichever government receives this list will assassinate all the other spies and secret agents. Initially it's in the hands of a Russian spy, but instead of delivering it to his country he's attempting to sell it to the highest bidder.

Lorraine's has to work with David Percival (James McAvoy), the head of MI6 operations in West Berlin. He's an efficient agent, but very eccentric. Following the mission's guideline, "Don't trust anyone", he tells Lorraine as much as she needs to know, but lies about everything else. He warns her about an infamous double agent codenamed Satchel, who will do anything to stop the list being made public.

Bill Skarsgard plays a young man called Merkel. He's active in organising demonstrations in East Berlin, but he also assists the CIA if necessary. I hardly recognise him without his face paint.

This is a film that has everything: action, suspense, espionage and nail-biting intrigue. It's a shame about the smoking. Is that supposed to make the film more realistic? If there had been no smoking at all, nobody would have complained.

Rumours have been floated that a crossover between "Atomic Blonde" and the John Wick franchise is planned. That's interesting, but how would it work? "Atomic Blonde" took place in the 1980's, whereas the John Wick films take place today. Or do they? They have very old-fashioned technology, so it's difficult to date them. Lorraine Broughton couldn't possibly be a member of John Wick's organisation, because it stands above international politics. Or maybe she could join later after leaving MI6. She would be an excellent recruit. There are so many questions open, but in principle it's a good idea.

Success Rate:  + 1.3

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