Stars Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella, Eddie Marsan, Roland Møller, with Til Schweiger, Toby Jones and John Goodman Directed by David Leitch This is a raucous action-packed spy-thriller that’s also (whisper it) a comic-book movie. Not your typical super-hero stuff but based off an One Graphic Novel, The Coldest City by prolific writer, Antony Johnston (and you really should look up his other works in various genres too). Set in Berlin during November 1989 as the Wall was coming down, the plot kicks off not unlike James Bond’s Dr No adventure. Our spy here, Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) has been dispatched by MI6 to investigate the death of James Gasciogne (Sam Hargrave) and the moment she lands in Berlin (as like Bond arriving in Jamaica) her picture is taken, her cover is blown, and the enemy makes their move almost immediately leading to a close quarter brawl in a car. Her contact, ‘their man in Berlin’ David Percival (James McAvoy) has been entrenched for so long, he’s ‘gone native’ and not likely to be trusted. Her mission is simply to retrieve a list of coopted agents that Gasciogne was supposed to retrieve. Unlike, Bond, there’s no megalomaniacal maniac with a metal hand waiting in the wings. The setting of the end of the cold war creates a cold atmosphere in which the story takes place, but also gives us an almost bleach blue hue throughout reflecting the time and world Lorraine has to navigate. The 1989 setting also gives an excuse for some awesome 80s song to rock the soundtrack, and while the stars mostly hold up the story, we’re really here for the action set-pieces. Coming from ex-stunt coordinator and one-half of the directors of John Wick (2014), the action smartly builds up from the quick and dirty brawl in the car at the beginning to a bravura extended take towards the end. And I say ‘extended’ take because it’s designed as a single take shot, and it mostly is for the first 3/4 of the set-piece, but if you know what to look for, there are a few subtle edits in there for stunt-person replacement or effects work; similar to Hitchcock’s ‘behind-the-back’ editing for his extended take real-time movie, Rope (1948). For those who have been crying for a female James Bond, this is it. Charlize Theron owns the role and plows through the scenes with aplomb and skilled assurance in the stunt work. The double act with McAvaoy works well and there is a fizzle of chemistry there, and also with Sofia Boutella as rookie French agent Delphine Lasalle. Some of the bigger names such as Toby Jones, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Bill Skarsgård, Eddie Marian, all pop in and out at times just to bring an air of sophistication, but still deliver the goods (or not: Schweiger is a clandestine contact, so no action scenes for him) as one might expect of them. All that being said, there is a turn in the tale that might turn some people off from the whole endeavour, but it would hardly detract from the entertainment value as an action movie. If this is the start of a new franchise for Theron, it’s a decent start (and keep in mind Bond didn’t really hit his stride until movie 2 or 3). If not, it’s still a decent action spy thriller with a slightly drawn-out plot or story. For those of you keeping track, Leitch’s next film is Deadpool 2. Rating ***1/2 / 5 Find the best online deals here. | Barnes and Noble | Google Play Store | Book Depository Discover more about the books here. Please Support.
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