I saw Atomic Blonde...

For the record, I'm a big-time Eric Stanton fan. Stanton, in the event one is unaware, was a cartoonist/illustrator who specialized in female domination and related fetish themes. (Awright, my secret is out, but then as most know, I do fancy the off-kilter.) Stanton's ladies were tall, beautiful and powerful as hell, enough to strike down their male opponents in an instant. (When need be, they'd also administer prolonged torture, but that's another salacious topic for another salacious time.) At any rate, I'm happy to report that this summer's latest, high-profile, action flick, "Atomic Blonde", embraces Stanton's swell tradition. 

Based on the Anthony Johnston/Sam Hart, Oni Press graphic novel, "Coldest City" (and not AC's Femforce character), "Atomic Blonde" has been refashioned by Johnston and screenwriter Kurt Jonstad for director David Leitch, who tested his cinematic prowess on the hard-edged "John Wick". All the same, "Atomic Blonde'"s format stacks Stanton's implacable influence in spades.

The plot (like the graphic novel upon which it's based) occurs 1989, just as the Berlin Wall is set to fall: a historic, Cold War cap, indeed (and an indirect means to give the context some Bond, Bourne and U.N.C.L.E. intrigue, while sparking the scene with pulsating, Reagan Era tunes), but the setting only exists to let the femdom antics zing and roll. It’s Charlize Theron's long-legged Lorraine Broughton we’ve come to see, and by gosh by jingo, do we ever get our blow-by-blow money’s worth.

As anyone who's witnessed the film's trailers knows, Broughton looks mighty, damn fine when destroying her opponents. For the sake of a feature-length film, however, it takes more than a few Stanton-like panels to fill the time. To pad Theron's provocative presence, we're offered plenty of exciting scene hopping (and yep, that ballyhooed stairwell/apartment/chase sequence lives up to the hype), as our explosive Mata Hari cuts through Berlin to unravel the death of a fellow spy and locate a wrist-watch encoded with double-agent info.

Characters bounce off and revolve around our heroine as the passages ricochet: nice fodder until we re-enter the lusty stuff. The supplemental gang consists of Daniel Bernhardt; James Faulkner; John Goodman; Sam Hargrave; Johannes Haukur Johanneson; Toby Jones; Roland Moller; Til Schweiger; Bill Skargard and Eddie Marsan (who's closely linked to the coveted dossier): quite a distinguished, character-actor ensemble, which brings the bridging pieces a nice sophistication. 

However, it's Sofia “The Mummy” Boutella’s sultry, French operative, Delphine LaSalle, who stands out from the supporting-player pack, engaging our heroine in the type of tryst that (for some) is as much a part of the fetish scene as femdom. Man, oh, man, when these gals get it on, does the temperature ever rise!

James McAvoy’s David Percival, on the other hand, bolsters Broughton's smoking drive as the story's leading man. For a time, his presence gives us fellas a snappy spy with whom we can identify...if we wish. I mean, it isn't really a necessity when one has Theron to ogle; besides, in the world of double agents, is any dashing gent all that identifiable?

Again, Theron's presence is the film's overpowering thrust, as much as Scarlett Johannson is in “Ghost in the Shell”, but "Atomic Blonde" takes its femme-fatale concept to a whole new level, rivaling even the sexy zest of Emma Peel, Honey West, Nikita (any version) and those gutsy gals of "D.O.A.", "Charlie's Angels" and "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!", if that can be believed.

Because of its provocative nature, "Atomic Blonde" could go down as Theron’s signature role, though the highbrows will probably prefer her ghastly guise in “Monster”. Sorry, but that look (though admirable for artistic cause) ain't my cup of tea. When one has such a stunning lady at one's disposal, it’s wise to let her beauty and strength shine through. (Okay, Theron was smudged-up in “Mad Max: Fury Road”, but that was in an exotic, not repugnant way; and even when she's bloodied and bruised in "Atomic Blonde", she pretty much resembles a goddess in abstract body paint--not at all unpleasing). I'm just glad that, in the glamour and violence departments, new Hollywood got it right for a change. 

There's no doubt that somewhere out there, dear ol' Stanton is beaming with approval.

Monster Team-up Reflection #34: I saw the Mummy...

I was pleased to see Karl Freund/Boris Karloff’s “The Mummy” referenced in a theatrical, promotional featurette for the '17 reboot. However, that “The Mummy ‘32” was highlighted doesn’t mean that the new entry, directed by Alex ("Star Trek"/"Spider-man") Kurtzman, is faithful to the cinematic foundation, whether in content or pace, but it at least confirms that Universal Studios acknowledges its classic past. In so doing, it additionally establishes that its new entry is but another in a long string.

“Mummy ‘17”, in this respect, is also an offshoot of Hammer Studios' bandaged antagonists; the Aztec Mummy imports; Steven Sommer’s movie-serial styled samplings; and all those among and in-between. 

The new film, however, is characterized by a beautiful, disinterred lady, not that such re-animated lovelies haven't graced such stories before. (Consider Bram Stoker's "Jewel of Seven Stars" and its various adaptations; plus the Universal inclusions of Imhotep's Princess Ank-es-en-Amon and Kharis' Princess Anaka.) Per screenwriters David Koepp, Christopher McQuarrie, and Dylan Dussman, the main difference this time (besides the addition of another classic, horror character within the structure) is that the revived female becomes the film's all-consuming catalyst. She is--no ifs, ands or buts--the Mummy, even if others of her more-or-less kind remain at her disposal. 

Sofia Boutella, who made a stellar splash as Jaylah in last year's “Star Trek Beyond”, plays Princess Ahmanet, a power-hungry Egyptian monarch who’s sprung from her Iraqi tomb inadvertently by mercenary Sergeant Nick Morton, portrayed with a devil-may-care edge by Tom Cruise. Abetted by his pal, Corporal Chris Vail (Jake Johnson), Morton has no qualms about transporting the princess and her artifacts for monetary gain.

It's on the jet trip home that the initial phases of Ahmanet's curse really unwrap, seemingly killing Morton, but not before he manages to dispatch his archaeologist lady friend, Jenny Halsey (Annabelle "King Arthur" Wallis) by parachute. Morton awakes in a London morgue, bursting through his body bag, his head full of questions and fears. How the hell did he survive and (of all extraordinary things) without an apparent scratch? 

It appears that the now emancipated princess has the hots for Morton, keeping him on a short leash (and as a handy, God of Death vessel), as she attempts to turn our world into a "dark universe", which leads to...

Russell Crowe's Dr. Henry Jekyll and of course, his alter-ego, Mr. Edward Hyde...  Jekyll is a cryptozootologist of sorts, an expert of "gods and monsters", if one will (and at various times, the movie's host/narrator). His dark side can be summoned easily enough, or so Morton comes to learn, but for the most part, the good doctor acts as the solider of fortune's congenial mentor, inspiring him to snuff the mummy's curse.

The Jeykll/Hyde/Mummy configuration is the film's most enjoyable element, but nothing new in the realm of storytelling. The combo appeared in Warren Magazine's Eerie #78, though the characters' overlap was more concise than in Kurtzman's film. 

As presented in the latter, the iconic personas appear with gradual nonchalance, as such characters would in a Jess Franco or Paul Naschy picture (but with only Jekyll, not ever Hyde, interacting with Ahmanet). This seeming off-the-cuff approach might likely be used for Universal's planned "House of Frankenstein"/"House of Dracula/"Van Helsing" quasi reboots. ("Dracula Untold" is no longer part of the equation.) Incidentally, Crowe would make a superb overseer for any monster rally, considering the suave credibility he grants his dual embodiment. 

Kurtzman's film presents an open ending, in obvious anticipation of a sequel, but what movie doesn't these days? In the meantime, the existing adventure offers lots of weird turmoil, dusty explosions, a harrowing underwater sequence and a spectral smidgen of "An American Werewolf in London", "Lifeforce" and "The Blind Dead". Through all this, Morton fervidly jaunts and for appearance sake, saves the day, along with the alluring Halsey, who acts as Ahmanet's fleeting competition. Ahmanet, however, is as hounded in her own right to regain her glorious past. Though there's every reason not to feel sorry for her, somehow or other, we do.

As far as Boutella goes, she's made history by simply being part of an extensive sub-genre. She's also an exotic gem to savor, though purists of classic Universal may find her story's roller-coaster intersections too reminiscent of Sommer's films. On the other hand, fans of the latter (i.e., later Universal) might find her movie's moody ambiance ponderous. Nevertheless, for those open-minded enough to taste from both ends, the new "Mummy" will entertain. To expand Ahmanet's story, therefore (as well as Morton and Jekyll/Hyde's), seems sensible, but only the film's box-office gross will determine whether another resurrection is bestowed.

Mummy 2017 Trailers Emerge!!!

Whenever it comes to monster team-ups, I can't help but get excited. Next year's "The Mummy" (directed by imagi-movie favorite, Alex Kurtzman, and headlined by the legendary Tom Cruise) is such a case in point. One can see from both the teaser and initial, full (very action-oriented) trailers, that the movie isn't a reboot/remake (hell, it doesn't even have anything to do with Imhotep or Kharis, for goodness sake), but it certainly includes a couple horror icons...well, one in truth a bandaged knock-off, but the concept still meshes. 

The film's title character, named Princess Ahmanet, is portrayed by Sofia Boutella, who made a huge impression on fans in this summer's "Star Trek Beyond", and prior to that, in the action hit, "The Kingsman". The film also features a man who has quite a diverse group of characters already under his belt, Russell Crowe, in this instance portraying Dr. Henry Jekyll. 

Now, I don't know if Eddie Hyde will make an appearance in "The Mummy", since the trailers only offer a glimpse of what's in store, and back-up marketing is even more secretive. (I'm assuming there are probably plans to introduce Hyde in a later Universal mash-up or solo Jekyll/Hyde feature, if either should come about.) Nevertheless, the simple fact that Jekyll harbors the essence of Hyde is enough for me to label this installment an official monster team-up, and I'm diggin' in my heels and stickin' to that notion. 

Maybe Kurtzman's approach (and of course, screenwriter Jon Spaihts') will be in line with Jess Franco's, presenting traces of iconic characters throughout (hints of potential developments, if you will), but we'll see. Whatever's in store, I, for one, will be waiting most anxiously...