There is nothing quite like watching a well-made action movie. The high speed, gunfights, and everything in between creates an adventure that can’t be duplicated in any other genre. Action may appear to be a simple genre to make, but it’s actually extremely challenging (and usually very expensive and time-consuming) to create a great action sequence, let alone a whole action movie. There is a lot to take into consideration: compelling and emotional stakes, combined with careful fight choreography and editing, a lot of training, the use of stunt coordinators and actors, expensive insurance policies, meticulous sound effects, and much more. There are hundreds of movies of the genre being released every day, and they have to be special to stand out.
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David Leitch is an ex-stunt man turned director. Because of his clear knowledge of not only how stunts work but what makes a good action movie when he decided to step into the director role, it was clear that it would be in the genre. Leitch directed Deadpool 2 and co-directed John Wick, which he was uncredited for because of a Director’s Guild of America’s ruling. In the past several years, he has released two well-received action movies with amazing casts, Atomic Blonde and Bullet Train.
Leitch has some clear creative decisions that are seen in his movies and there is no denying how much he knows about the genre. Here is how his latest stories are similar and at the same time, diverge.
Bullet Train and Atomic Blonde
Focus Features
Atomic Blonde was released back in 2017. The movie has a powerful lead actress that is not unfamiliar with the genre: Charlize Theron, an action movie queen. Set in Berlin during the Cold War, the MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton is sent on a mission to investigate the murder of a colleague and recuperate a list of double agents. Bullet Train is Leitch’s latest movie and was released this year. On a train from Tokyo to Morioka, five hired assassins, with the focus on Brad Pitt’s character Ladybug, find themselves with very similar objectives inside the train.
Both movies are adaptations. Atomic Blonde is an adaptation of the comic book series by Antony Johnston, The Coldest City. Bullet Train is an adaptation of the Japanese novel of the same name, by Kōtarō Isaka. The stories have some clear correlations besides being made by Leitch. However, they diverge in very important ways, creating two completely different experiences for action movie fans to enjoy.
Neon Lights, Action Sequences, and Bullet Holes
Sony Pictures Releasing
The first similar element that can be found is that both films have main characters in missions that can’t bring attention to themselves. One is a secret agent, and the other is a hired assassin. Also, there are some extremely weird and quirky characters in both movies, especially in his latest one, which veers towards the comically absurd much more than Atomic Blonde.
The plots are constructed with great similarity, with the actual cinematic structure almost identical: oscillating between epic action sequences, film noir style dialogue, and a lot of secrets hidden from the audience. Unthinkable plot twists are given to the audience’s delight in both stories, creating a feeling of unpredictability that matches the characters and overall plot.
Moving to more visual elements, there are a lot of similarities between both movies. The cinematography and use of neon lighting and tracking shots are seen in both, though it feels more drastic in Atomic Blonde, since that film has dark gray undertones in the background, while Bullet Train has more color in all aspects, especially in the production design. The long action sequences create a particular bond between these stories, especially the ones that appear to have no cut; it’s obvious in each that a former stunt choreographer was in complete control of them.
There is an impressive one where Charlize has to fight multiple men, and it goes on for almost ten minutes. Even though there are about 40 cuts, the editing is so well done that it’s almost impossible to notice. Also, the action sequences and how they play out match the more comedic tone in Bullet Train, making them similar but at the same time very distinct from the slightly more serious spy movie Atomic Blonde. The action is also set to fun pop and rock music in each, but in a way that’s very culturally specifc — Atomic Blonde uses German versions of pop songs since it’s set in Berlin, while Bullet Train uses Japanese covers of pop songs because of its setting. On a more superficial level: the amount of blood spilled in both movies is equally alarming.
Diverging Tones
Even though the movies have various similarities, the most striking element of divergence is the tone of the story. Atomic Blonde, despite being very fun and heavy on the action, feels a lot more like the stereotypical secret agent movie in the Cold War, while Bullet Train couldn’t be more different. The latter is a funky film set in the present day which, like the train on which it’s set, is an extremely fun ride (with a great ensemble cast). The movie does not let itself be too serious and commits to this decision right to when the credits roll. Bullet Train has very similar elements to Quentin Tarantino’s films, including the non-linear cutting back and forth from the past, multiple storylines and characters, and of course, blood.
It is fascinating and a nod to the director that he’s able to create these two incredibly well-made movies that are very different in tone, yet have his creative marks all over them. Once you find out they are both from Leitch, the intricate and long action sequences just make sense, as well as the fast-paced storytelling. An action movie fan can enjoy either film without a problem, but rest assured, the action portion of both is superb.
