Atomic Blonde – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Atomic Blonde

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2017

35%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Stylish, brutal Cold War spy thriller that's all neon aesthetics and bone-crunching action—strictly for grown-ups who can handle the R-rated heat.

6.7/10

79%

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Atomic Blonde

movie

R, 2017

35%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Stylish, brutal Cold War spy thriller that's all neon aesthetics and bone-crunching action—strictly for grown-ups who can handle the R-rated heat.

6.7

79%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, Atomic Blonde is a slick, stylish action movie that knows exactly what it is: an R-rated Cold War spy thriller with killer fight choreography and a banging 80s soundtrack. Charlize Theron is phenomenal, the action is visceral, and the aesthetic is on point.

But let's be crystal clear: this is NOT for kids, teens, or even young adults who aren't ready for hard-R content. The violence is brutal and sustained, the sexual content is explicit, and the whole thing is soaked in cynicism and vodka.

For adults who want a stylish action fix? It's entertaining enough, though critics were more impressed (79%) than audiences (64%), and that gap tells you something—it's more style than substance. The plot gets tangled in its own double-crosses, and you might leave thinking it looked cool but didn't amount to much.

Bottom line: If you're an adult looking for a Friday night action flick with some visual flair, go for it. But keep this one far away from the kids.

Age Fit

This is strictly adult fare (17+, realistically 18+). The violence is brutal, the sexual content is explicit, and the themes are mature. Not remotely appropriate for teens, let alone kids. If you're looking for spy action for younger viewers, stick with Marvel or James Bond's PG-13 entries.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a hard-R spy thriller with brutal violence, explicit sexual content (including a graphic same-sex encounter), heavy alcohol use, and constant profanity. It doesn't model kindness or cooperation—it's a Cold War espionage story where trust is nonexistent and betrayal is the currency. The tone is dark, cynical, and adult throughout.

Imaginative

The film brings visual flair to the spy genre with stylized action choreography, a killer 80s soundtrack, and a distinctive neon-soaked aesthetic. The Cold War Berlin setting is atmospheric and the non-linear narrative structure adds intrigue. However, it's not particularly original in plot—it's a fairly standard spy-thriller with excellent execution rather than groundbreaking creativity.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this for 17+, and that's generous. This has intense, prolonged fight sequences with graphic violence (broken bones, stabbings, shootings), explicit sexual content, full nudity, pervasive strong language, and heavy drinking. There are surprise brutal moments throughout. This is emphatically NOT safe for younger viewers and would be shocking/inappropriate for anyone under high school age at minimum.

Enriching

As adult entertainment, it offers a stylish take on Cold War espionage with themes about loyalty, survival, and moral ambiguity in intelligence work. The female-led action is notable, and Charlize Theron's performance is compelling. However, it's primarily style-over-substance—entertaining but not particularly thought-provoking or meaningful beyond surface-level spy intrigue.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Charlize Theron delivers a badass performance with impressively choreographed fight sequences that feel visceral and real
The 80s Cold War Berlin setting is dripping with atmosphere, complete with a killer New Wave soundtrack
Female-led action that doesn't pull punches—literally—and treats its protagonist as a capable, complex spy
Visually striking with a distinctive neon-noir aesthetic that sets it apart from generic action fare

⚠

What to Watch For

This is HARD R-rated—graphic violence including prolonged brutal fight scenes, explicit sexual content with nudity, and constant profanity
The violence is realistic and bone-crunching, not cartoonish—people get hurt badly and it shows
Plot can be convoluted with the non-linear timeline and multiple double-crosses; style sometimes overwhelms substance
Heavy alcohol consumption throughout (though it's portrayed as coping mechanism rather than glamorized)

Conversation Starters

"What do you think about how the film portrays the moral ambiguity of spy work—are there really 'good guys' in espionage?"
"How does the Cold War setting compare to modern geopolitical tensions you've learned about?"
"The film shows a woman succeeding in a male-dominated, violent world—what did you think about how it handled that?"

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