Atomic Blonde packed a vicious punch when it came out in 2017. With stunning cinematography and gritty action scenes, it remains one of our favorite movies from the year. Charlize Theron was incredible throughout, bringing a brutal physicality to the role which we definitely didn’t expect. If you’re on the hunt for more of the same, don’t worry we’ve got you covered.
Check out our list or video below for the best movies like Atomic Blonde:
1. John Wick
Kicking off our list of movies like Atomic Blonde, we’ve gone straight in with the John Wick series. If you think these two feel quite similar, that’s because they are!
Atomic Blonde and John Wick both share the same director and also the head of photography (David Leitch and Jonathan Sela, respectively). In fact, Charlize Theron specifically pushed to work with David Leitch after being impressed with his work on the first John Wick. If you’re looking for more brutal fight scenes and stunning visuals, John Wick ticks all of the boxes and then some. Enjoy!
2. Kill Bill
While our previous entry may feel the most like Atomic Blonde, we’ll admit – it’s also lacking in some areas too. Most importantly, it doesn’t have a bad ass woman leading the line. Kill Bill more than makes up for that! With Uma Thurman starring as an assassin on a mission for revenge, this classic by Quentin Tarantino will be one you’ll definitely enjoy. Technically, it’s more in the martial arts genre than a pure spy movie, but that doesn’t change the fact that’s it’s scintillatingly good. If you’ve never seen it before, we can’t recommend it highly enough. And you’ll also have the added bonus of a Kill Bill 2 to binge through as well.
3. Red Sparrow
Moving along with another entry into the modern spy triller, we have the 2018 release – Red Sparrow. If you liked the bluntness and raw spectacle to Atomic Blonde, then we’ve got a feeling you’ll love Red Sparrow too. Featuring a very underrated performance by Jennifer Lawrence and backed up with a stellar all round cast including Joel Edgerton and Jeremy Irons, there’s a good chance this could be exactly what you’re looking for.
4. The Raid
Next up, we have The Raid. If there’s one movie on this list that we could forget about and watch all over again for the first time, it’s The Raid. Easily one of the best action movies of the last few decades (we’re deadly serious), there’s a chance you might not have seen it yet. And if you have, well you already know what we’re talking about, we’re just here to give you another reminder of its sheer greatness. With a relentless onslaught of action throughout, it will definitely give you those Atomic Blonde and John Wick feels. Don’t even watch the trailer, just stick on it and thank us later.
5. The Raid 2
We’ve decided to give the second installment of The Raid it’s own place of honor on this list. It’s not that we’re not also big fans of John Wick 2 or Kill Bill 2, but there’s just something extra special about The Raid 2. With some breathtaking cinematography like Atomic Blonde, this movie may well be responsible for ruining every other action movie you’ll see after. While it wasn’t a box-office record breaker, in our eyes it’s hard to give it anything but a 10/10.
6. Collateral
Next up on our list we have Collateral. Tom Cruise and spy movies go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise this is an extremely entertaining ride. Another great pairing with Atomic Blonde, this movie may feel more reserved at times, but Cruise is every bit as deadly in his role as an assassin. In our eyes, it might be one of the most underrated movies on our list and definitely deserves another look at if it’s been a while for you.
7. Hanna
Continuing along with a superb entry, we have Hanna. Another one woman wrecking crew, in some universe it’s almost easy to imagine Hanna as the pre-story for Atomic Blonde. It’s slick, ferocious and isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty, if you’ve made it this far and are still undecided – then we’ve got a feeling that Hanna could be the one you’re looking for. Relax and settle in, there’s plenty to enjoy about Hanna.
8. Smokin Aces
Most definitely our *wildcard* entry, we’ve decided to include Smokin Aces. And for good reason too – it’s violently delightful. Perhaps one of the biggest movies that nobody remembers, its got an all star cast featuring the likes of Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds, Andy Garcia and much more! While it doesn’t take itself too seriously, its provocatively engaging much like Atomic Blonde. Add it your list for another time or watch it now, we’re pretty sure you’ll like Smokin Aces.
9. Haywire
If you’re specifically looking for movies that parallel the well choreographed fight scenes from Atomic Blonde, then look no further. Providing an abundance of authenticity, MMA fighter Gina Carano stars as a trained intelligence operative on the run.
Directed by the ever reliable Steven Soderbergh, this entry has more than enough visual punch about it to keep you entertained all the way through.
10. Salt
And wrapping up our list we have Salt. While many people will prefer Angelina Jolie’s action-comedy spy movie, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, we feel as though Salt is a much more fitting entry to consider. Like Atomic Blonde, it’s a high octane espionage thriller with sharp turns that will keep you guessing until the end.
Hopefully you found something that caught your attention! Let us know if you think we missed a crucial addition to our list!
