"Atomic Blonde" Charlize Theron's uncompromising Fury Road

An amazing one-shot that shows off the climax

Thanks to the endless efforts of these staff and Theron, the density and precision of the action steadily increased. Witnessing this scene, director David Leitch began to think, "Maybe she can pull off this special 'reckless idea'." This is the super action of the climax, which can be said to be the highlight of this film.

This long sequence, which is woven throughout the ruins of a building, follows the fight from inside the building to the stairs, with the handheld camera following closely. According to the press materials, the long take is seven and a half minutes long, and if anyone makes even one mistake, they have to start again from the beginning, so the tension is high. The director shouted, "We're going to get it on this take!"

Film history is full of masterpieces that incorporate such "long takes" or "long-look" shots. Going back in time, there's Hitchcock's " Rope ," Altman and De Palma's works, as well as "The Children of Men Is Always Here," which is now legendary among filmmakers, Johnnie To's " Breaking News ," and even " Birdman ," which was made to look like a single shot from start to finish. More recently, I remember seeing it impressively used in the opening scenes of " Spectre " and " Baby Driver ."

But what's amazing about Atomic Blonde is that it doesn't just let the scenery pass by like a picture scroll while the camera rolls. The heroine herself becomes the center of the storm, relentlessly fighting off enemies one after another. Rarely does that last for such a sustained period.

"Atomic Blonde" (c) 2017 COLDEST CITY, LLC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Moreover, she is not a superhero. She is a life-sized human being. Every time she fights, she gets hurt and broken, but she still gets up, raises her fist against her opponent, opens a breakthrough, and somehow tries to escape the situation. Her performance and physicality in the film are so exciting that it is hard to put into words, and I can't help but feel a sense of boundless respect. This is the culmination of the rigorous training of the action team and Charlize Theron. Every moment is imprinted with the way physical creativity is pushed to the limit. And thus, Theron has once again won the battle in Fury Road, where she is putting her career on the line.

Perhaps in the action movie genre, this film is only a stepping stone in a sense. In the future, the members of 87 Eleven led by David Leitch and Charlize Theron will surely push their limits even higher. But for now, I would like to praise the innovative action of "Atomic Blonde" and the efforts of those involved through the screen. This film is a gem of a visual experience that is worthy of that praise.

Text: USHIZU ATSUNOBU

Born in Nagasaki in 1977. When he was 3 years old, he saw ``Superman II'' with his father and became fascinated with movies. After The Graduate from Meiji University, he worked for a movie broadcasting channel and then became a movie writer. Currently, in addition to writing for Eiga.com, EYESCREAM, Real Sound Movie Club, etc., he also contributes to media press and theater programs.

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Official website: http://atomic-blonde.jp/

Distribution: KADOKAWA

(c) 2017 COLDEST CITY, LLC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

*Information as of October 2017 article publication.