After a long four year absence, and the financial troubles that faced MGM Studios (as well as the critically panned Quantum of Solace), James Bond has finally returned to theaters in a movie that reflects on mortality and the changing face of terrorism.
After having been “killed in action” on a failed assignment (not a spoiler, it was in the trailer) James Bond comes back for active duty when MI-6 comes under attack from a threat that seems to be targeting M (played once again by the incredible Judi Dench). As MI-6 comes under scrutiny, James Bond and M decide to defy government officials in order to restore the organization’s former glory.
Unlike previous Bond movies, Skyfall puts Dench’s M in the spotlight, as she becomes the target of rogue agent Raoul Silva (played masterfully by Javier Bardem). Wait, character development? In a James Bond movie? It can’t be!
Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road, American Beauty) takes over the director’s chair for the 23rd installment of the franchise. And the choice, I believe paid off for the Bond franchise, as Mendes spends quite a lot of the movie establishing character and developing the mystery surrounding the plot. (I should also point out that although Skyfall is an ‘action’ movie, it feels more like a mystery, with action pieces that fit in around it.) The movie takes its time with character development, unlike its predecessor, which focused solely on incorporating action scenes.
It also appears that Mendes had another influence while making this movie. He stated in an interview how director Christopher Nolan affected his style of direction. According to an article from Collider.com, Mendes says “What Nolan proved was that you can make a huge movie that is thrilling and entertaining and has a lot to say about the world we live in…that did help give me the confidence to take this movie in directions that, without The Dark Knight, might not have been possible.” (Check out the full article here: http://collider.com/sam-mendes-skyfall-the-dark-knight/204523/). While watching this particular movie, there are eerily similar parallels to TDK, such as the battle between Bond and Silva being one of intelligence, and how police fight crime on a modern-day basis. Even Silva’s mannerisms are similar to that of Ledger’s Joker, in that he’s a meticulous planner, always has a way out for escape and is exceedingly eccentric.
Surprisingly, Skyfall dares to break the traditional formulaic trend of previous installments by delving into the mysterious past of the secret agent, a topic which no James Bond movie has attempted to explain before. In addition, while discussing Bond’s past, the movie also introduces us to a new Quartermaster (Q), played by Ben Whishaw. My personal favorite Q was Desmond Llewelyn (who played the role from From Russia with Love to The World is not Enough, a span of 16 years), but Whishaw holds his own, playing a younger more computer savvy version of his predecessor. As he tells Bond, “I can do more damage on my laptop sitting in my pajamas before my first cup of Earl Grey than you can do in a year in the field.” While it’s nice to see Q reintroduced to the series, it’s better to see that the gadgets introduced in Skyfall are minimal and not unbelievable. Even Whishaw’s Q comments on the sometimes ridiculous nature of previous Bond gadgets: “Were you expecting an exploding pen?”
Craig, as usual, is fantastic in the role, playing the role of a tired, uninterested spy, who will do anything to protect his boss.
I say this as a compliment to Craig’s performance: Craig’s Bond looks and feels uncomfortable in a suit. That is to say, he doesn’t want to be a spy, it’s just something that he has to do.
Joining Bond on his journey are fellow agent Eve (played by Naomie Harris) and the mysterious Sévérine (Bérénice Marlohe), who both manage to pull off their roles. However, it feels that these two are more like secondary characters, whereas Judi Dench’s M becomes the real Bond girl of this movie: all the action transpires around her and her past. Additionally, Ralph Fiennes plays his role of Gareth Mallory, a high-ranking British Government official, with a lot of charisma and energy. Needless to say, I look forward to seeing him in future Bond movies.
But the real star of the movie is Javier Bardem, who plays Bond’s nemesis and M’s tormentor Raoul Silva.
“Why so serious, 007?”
Bardem plays the villain as a tormented soul, both physically and psychologically, and wants nothing more than to make M suffer for all his anguish. The way Bardem portrays him is brilliantly evil, making him, clearly, the best James Bond villain in the entire series.
One of the elements that I really enjoyed about Skyfall was the score. Although I do prefer David Arnold’s themes, Thomas Newman brought a fresh new beat to the Bond legacy. Adele’s theme for the movie fits perfectly in a title sequence (to which, thank God, series regular Daniel Kleinman returned) that was quite simply, stunning:
While Skyfall does celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise, its references to previous Bond movies are somewhat more subdued than those of Die Another Day, which were less of a hint and more of a jab-in-the-shoulder to the series age. Subtle references include the infamous ejector seat in Bond’s Aston Marton DB-5, as well as Q’s line about exploding pens (a key gadget in 1995’s Goldeneye). If this is Bond’s 50th anniversary, I look forward to another 50 years.
In my countdown of previous Bond movies, I would easily place Skyfall as the second best James Bond movie, narrowly beating out Goldfinger.
If you haven’t seen Skyfall, go out and see it. It’s quite possibly, one of the best James Bond movies ever made. The layers of mystery and depth that Skyfall reaches are quite remarkable for a Bond movie. It feels like a Rorschach inkblot test, wherein you see what you want to see in terms of the symbolic nature of the movie.
In short, Bond is back, and better than ever.
Final Score: 9/10
Rather Be A Nerd 