'Atomic Blonde' film set in 1989

[Batgirl]

I saw the film, 'Atomic Blonde' set in Berlin in 1989.
It is as its preview suggests, an over the top violent spy film with characters who seem to have nine lives and miraculously fight impossibly long fight scenes where no one could really ever have got up and kept fighting. Those scenes reminded me somewhat of Jackie Chan films but this film takes itself seriously.




Berlin is dark and grimy with an underground charged feel.  It has a stellar cast.
Whether Charlize Theron could fight in a pair of stockings and heels doesn't really matter because she certainly can act. James McAvoy plays the undercover agent immersed deeply into the Berlin crime culture. Pleased to see John Goodman in a minor role. I've always thought he was a talented character actor.

Prior to this film the most recent release I had seen was 'Baby Driver'. Personally I didn't think much of that despite the huge fanfare over the indulgence of music featured throughout it. The cast wasn't engaging and seemed to be 'acting' rather than being believable characters.

BUT the music in 'Atomic Blonde' (is just right for this forum ) was brilliantly selected and dominate the scenes making it a graphic but effective time capsule of 1980s music. I enjoyed this film and I believe the music influenced my enjoyment.

Look at all the songs !

Cat People (Putting Out the Fire) David Bowie
Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst) – Peter Schilling
Blue Monday – Health
C*Cks*Cker – Tyler Bates
99 Luftballons – Nena
Father Figure – George Michael
Der Commissar – After the Fire
Cities in Dust – Siouxsie and the Banshees
The Politics of Dancing – Re-Flex
Stigmata – Marilyn Manson & Tyler Bates
Demonstration – Tyler Bates
I Ran (So Far Away) – A Flock of Seagulls
99 Luftballons – Kaleida
Voices Carry – Til Tuesday
London Calling – The Clash
Finding the Uhf Device – Tyler Bates
Blue Monday ’88 – New Order
Fight The Power – Public Enemy
Kack Zukunft – Ausschlag
Der Kommissar – After The Fire
As Time Goes By – Michael Parnell
Behind the Wheel – Depeche Mode
Tetris Theme
Drinking Song – Alfred Gluten
MTV News Theme – Thomas A.C. Weiser and Perry Geyer
Fastidious Horses – Vladimir Vysotsky
Under Pressure – Queen and David Bowie

[D.C. Burtonshaw]

I saw this at the cinema as I've always been interested in that sudden time period of Autumn 1989 and when the wall came down between the two Germanys and it looked an action packed film. This may also stem from enjoying the 8 part German made TV drama "Deutschland 83" which had a thread started on this forum last year. The second series "Deutschland 86" is due and being filmed. But I digress;

 

Yes the punch up scenes were a bit over the top and I was even actually getting bored of the long one in the building while the defector bloke was waiting for her! The amount of fake blood was veering into Tarantino territory!

Apart from that, the recreation of late 1989 Germany, set pieces, props, clothing, correct era cars and even a little bit of London was interesting (apparently the London scenes were filmed somewhere else) and well done and a great soundtrack much of which I remember in the UK then. (My first full year of working that time too and when I started driving lessons!).

Didn't understand why she had to beat the hell out of the West German police officers in the fracas in that block of flats when they turned up - they were on the US and GB side, and were only doing their job - Bit harsh! Errr, not unless they were commie agents in disguise and she knew that.

As others said, her character isn't likeable, but again she was not meant to be the beautiful charming spy woman (like in something made in the 60's) and is much more "real". Charlize Theron no doubt worked incredibly hard at the role and sounds like she's a bit of a method actor - getting physically injured in real life to make it look convincing, so yeah she can certainly act! Plot wasn't too complex to follow but not exactly "dot to dot" either which is not always what you want.

Didn't bother seeing Baby Driver though!

[Batgirl]

Sept 23, 2017 21:33:56 GMT D.C. Burtonshaw said:

 ....

Yes the punch up scenes were a bit over the top and I was even actually getting bored of the long one in the building while the defector bloke was waiting for her! ...................................................................................................................................................

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Didn't bother seeing Baby Driver though!

I too became bored by the building fight scene. I wanted them to get on with the story.
Wise move by you not to see Baby Driver. It had a red Dodge Challenger in it so that drew me in, but it wasn't on screen long enough.

[Charles Bronson]

I watched the first few minutes of this film earlier on, but I didn't like the extreme violence of the opening scene.

We watched some of 'Baby Driver' last week and liked that better. I will try and watch it again properly.

One modern film I did like recently was "The Founder' starring Michael Keaton, which was about the meteoric rise of the McDonald's chain.

Charles.

[OnTheBusesHugeFan]

I Have'nt Watched This Film Yet I Got It For My Birthday, Is It Any Good Because I Heard Alot Of People It is a crap film? but i gonna watch it at somepoint though.