2014’s John Wick sent the action genre on a new trajectory. In the years before, shaky cam and loose fight choreography were the norms, with editing being used to hide the poor action design. But Chad Stahelski, David Leitch, and Keanu Reeves changed the game with the John Wick franchise, as the genre moved towards wide-angle shots and tight choreography that was all captured in long takes. The years that followed saw many action movies and franchises attempt to copy the John Wick formula. One of the best and most blatant John Wick rip-offs, 2017’s Atomic Blonde, was a major hit when it opened in theaters. But the film is about to find a second, action-packed life on streaming.
Atomic Blonde is now streaming on Hulu. The action movie was added to the platform as part of its new October line-up of films. There have been several high-profile John Wick rip-offs, but it’s hard to argue against Atomic Blonde being the best. Leitch directed the movie from a script penned by Kurt Johnstad, Antony Johnston, and Sam Hart. Set during the Cold War, the film stars Charlize Theron as an undercover MI6 agent who is sent to Berlin to investigate the murder of a missing agent. The official synopsis reads:
“Sensual and savage, Lorraine Broughton is the most elite spy in MI6, an agent who’s willing to use all of her lethal skills to stay alive during an impossible mission. With the Berlin Wall about to fall, she travels into the heart of the city to retrieve a priceless dossier and take down a ruthless espionage ring. Once there, she teams up with an embedded station chief to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies.”
Atomic Blonde was a modest hit when it opened in theaters in 2017. It grossed just over $100 million worldwide, against an estimated budget of $30 million, making it a decent financial hit. Critics and audiences also love the non-stop action film. It holds a very strong Rotten Tomatoes score of 79%. Audiences were slightly more critical of the movie, bestowing it with a 64% audience rating. However, in the years since its release, Atomic Blonde has become an action fan-favorite thanks to its success on streaming.
When Stunt Performers Make Action Movies
The action genre has always been one of the best and most engrossing of all the cinematic genres. But in the 2010s, former stunt performers and coordinators started getting behind the camera, and the results were incredible. Chad Stahelski directing John Wick is the main example, and he returned to direct the three follow-up movies (and potentially a fifth).
David Leitch was also a stunt performer who has now directed other hits like Deadpool 2, Bullet Train, and The Fall Guy. Another famous example from recent years is Sam Hargrave. The former Captain America stunt double turned his hand to directing with Extraction, which has since become a major action franchise for Netflix.
- Release Date
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July 26, 2017
- Runtime
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115 minutes