Atomic Blonde (2017)

Elevator Pitch: In the days before the destruction of the Berlin Wall, Lorraine Broughton, an MI6 agent, is sent to Berlin after another spy is found dead, to recover a list of operatives working in the city; it includes the name of a double agent working for both the British and the Russians. The list has been lost but the German who provided it has memorised the contents, and so, with the help of the MI6 Station Chief, Lorraine must overcome the opposition and smuggle the German back into the west.

Content: Lorraine smokes continuously, drinks a lot of vodka and has a steamy lesbian affair with a French agent, so there is a bit of nudity. She also has many fights, using martial arts, knives and hand guns. The one time she has a machine gun she uses it to hit people with. The head of station is a dissolute character who seems to have gone native, and possibly can’t be trusted. The action is framed within a debrief by a Brit and an American after the job has been done.

A View: I admit I had to look at the Wikipedia entry to check on the plot. It did not really make it any clearer, and I was exasperated by the final reveal. And honestly, if you had seen “Dr No” would you ever come out of an airport and accept a ride from someone you did not know? But Charleze Theron looks terrific throughout, and mostly you can just go along with the action. It was quite well liked by the critics, and even if you prefer the gritty reality of Len Deighton and John le Carre probably still a watch for nothing.

Additional Info: It seems to have made money and a sequel was rumoured for 2018, although up to now (April 2019) it has not seen the light of day.