Rated
PG-13 (Intense Violent Sequences Throughout, Some Sexuality, Language and Smoking)
Running
Time: 2 Hours & 23 minutes
Cast-
Daniel
Craig-007/James Bond
Javier
Bardem-Raoul Silva
Naomie
Harris-Eve
Judi
Dench-M
Ralph
Fiennes-Gareth Mallory
Ben
Whishaw-Q
Albert
Finney-Kincade
Bérénice
Marlohe-Sévérine
Rory
Kinnear-Bill Tanner
Ola
Rapace-Patrice
Helen
McCrory-Clair Dowar
Directed
by Sam Mendes
 |
| Daniel Craig returns as James Bond after a four-year absence in Sam Mendes' "Skyfall." |
Fifty
years, twenty-three films—now that is
impressive. To remain relevant in the public consciousness for this long is a
testament to James Bond's enduring appeal, and his appeal is legendary: women
want him and men want to be him. The action, the women, the gadgets; for half a
century, Bond has been thrilling audiences all over the world and now he's back
in "Skyfall" with Academy-Award winning director Sam Mendes at the
helm. Mixed reception aside, 2002's "Die Another Day" was a dismal
failure for Bond fans with its ridiculous plot and gadgets which included, of
all things, a giant laser in space and an invisible car. Even Roger Moore
thought it went too far, and this is the guy that made love in space
("Moonraker" anyone?)! The success of the "Bourne" films
and "Batman Begins" convinced MGM and Eon Productions to reboot the
Bond series, shedding over forty years of continuity and taking a 'back to
basics' approach. Daniel Craig was chosen to play the titular character and
when "Casino Royale" arrived in 2006, it reestablished Bond as a
darker, more vulnerable character. This was James Bond before he became James Bond. The film was a critical and
commercial success (95% on Rotten Tomatoes), with Craig being favorably
compared to Sean Connery. Unfortunately, the follow-up, 2008's "Quantum of
Solace," was viewed as a disappointment (64% on Rotten Tomatoes), although
I see it as underrated. Due to MGM's financial troubles, it took four long
years for Bond to return but the wait was worth it. Sleek, sexy, action-packed,
and full of brilliant performances, not only does "Skyfall" rank as
one of the best Bond films, it's also one of the best films of 2012.
007 James
Bond (Daniel Craig) and fellow MI6 agent Eve (Naomie Harris) are sent to
Istanbul, Turkey to retrieve a hard drive containing the names of every
NATO-allied spy currently in deep cover in various terrorist cells. Chasing a
mercenary named Patrice (Ola Rapace) to a speeding train, Bond fights with him
over the disk but is accidentally shot when M (Judi Dench) orders Eve to open
fire. Bond is subsequently declared 'missing, presumed killed.' Three months
later, M finds herself under political pressure to retire due to the mission's
failure during a meeting with Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the chairman of
the Intelligence and Security Committee. On her way back from the meeting, MI6's
computer system is hacked and an explosion occurs, leaving eight employees dead
and many more wounded. Bond ends his self-imposed exile when he learns of the
attack and returns to London. Despite not being physically or mentally ready, M
sends Bond back into the field to apprehend the person responsible for the
attack. Heading to Shanghai, China, Bond's search leads him to Raoul Silva
(Javier Bardem), a sadistic cyber-terrorist who has ties to M's past and is now
seeking revenge.
"Skyfall" is a landmark Bond film, not just as a
celebration of the series' 50th anniversary but also to finish what was begun
in "Casino Royale": reestablishing the character within a modern
context. As Bond himself says, this is a 'brave new world,' during his first
meeting with the new Quartermaster (Q for short), played by Ben Whishaw. The
central conflict isn't between him and Silva, it's against a more dangerous and
cynical world that views spies as antiquated, a relic of a bygone era. With a
rousing two-note introduction, an indistinct silhouette steps into view. The
figure strides forward with confidence before revealing itself to be Bond,
kicking off a thrilling action scene that ends with our hero being declared MIA
and presumed killed. It serves as a reminder that despite his considerable skills
and training, Bond is still flesh and blood. Following the terrorist attack on
MI6, he resurfaces and is forced to go through a series of tests to see if he
is physically and mentally fit for active duty but it soon dawns on Bond that
he is not at his peak. His hand visibly shakes as he aims with his trademark
Walther PPK. "Skyfall" puts Bond on a journey to prove not only his
worth but his relevancy in an age of superheroes and gritty superspies like
Jason Bourne, with Mendes taking all these familiar characters and evolving
them to the next level. In this way, it feels like a truer reboot compared to
"Casino Royale," which jettisoned the martinis and double entendres
in order to differentiate itself. At the film's heart is the relationship
between Bond and M. This is where Mendes takes the biggest risk by doling out
bits of Bond's past and where he came from. Some may complain that it
demystifies the character but this instead humanizes Bond, revealing that he
was an actual person before he became
a killing machine. He may openly flout her authority but M is the closest to
being a mother figure for Bond and by extension, this makes her the ultimate
Bond Girl. Raoul Silva even refers to M as 'Mommy' several times, and his
relationship to M is a twisted variant of Bond's. There's an amazing scene that
has undertones of Hannibal Lecter, where a captured Silva gleefully reminds M
of her mistakes, taunting her to 'think on your sins,' almost like a child who
is angry with his mother. This is someone who feels betrayed and abandoned,
which makes Silva more of a tragic character than an out-right villain. Neal
Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan's script is classic Bond through and
through, adhering to the formula but daring to explore new avenues with its
characters, something the franchise has always been afraid to do. Mendes
transplants Bond into a world where the lines aren't as black and white as they
once were and it's the reason why we need him now more than ever.
"Skyfall"
doesn't forget that it's an action film, shot with a steady hand thanks to the
return of Alexander Witt as second-unit director. The set-pieces are paced
organically with Mendes having a firm grasp of the surroundings he's working
with, allowing him to fully take advantage of every location, be it the London
Underground or the mansion in which the film's massive climax takes place. By
the way, that is one big explosion
that Chris Corbould, the special effects coordinator, set off at the end. Roger
Deakins' gorgeous cinematography makes "Skyfall" one of the best
looking films to date. Every scene is meticulously chosen and shot, creating
dazzling visuals that include an aerial view of a neon-drenched Shanghai and a
casino in Macau decorated with glowing lanterns in the shape of dragons. The
highlight is when Bond pursues Patrice to a large skyscraper, culminating in a
furious struggle that's drenched in shadow, with the only light coming from the
burst of the mercenary's sniper rifle. Mendes replaces David Arnold with
frequent collaborator Thomas Newman for the score. It's a somewhat jarring
change but Newman eventually grows on you; he knows how to get the adrenaline
pumping and I welcomed the use of the James
Bond Theme, which Arnold avoided in the previous two entries except for the
end credits. The opening number, also called Skyfall, is sung by Adele and has a decidedly old-fashioned tone and
actually reveals the meaning behind the film's title if you listen to the
lyrics closely.
Despite the four year gap, Daniel Craig hasn't lost a step in
his third outing as James Bond. This is Bond at the end of his rope and Craig
appropriately brings a sense of weariness to the character, using his piercing
blue eyes to reveal an emptiness that Bond futilely tries to fill with a steady
stream of one-night stands and a repeated flirtation with death. However, the
charming wit and confidence that embodies the character is more pronounced
here, allowing Craig to enjoy himself with a ready quip while also smashing
through walls as the 'blunt instrument' introduced in "Casino Royale."
Almost stealing the film from Craig is Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva. With his
bleached hair and accented, effeminate voice, Bardem straddles the line between
intimidating menace and self-parody, delivering a theatrical and charismatic
performance that recalls Heath Ledger's Joker from 2008's "The Dark
Knight." He certainly makes quite an entrance with his monologue of rats
eating other rats and quickly establishes himself as one of the most developed
and memorable villains in the Bond franchise. Equally impressive is Judi Dench
as M, who's often relegated to pre-mission briefings and exposition in the
previous films but she plays a larger role here, fighting not only on behalf of
Bond but also for the future of MI6. Her conviction comes through with an impassioned
plea during an enquiry where she is to defend her actions and M does this by
quoting Alfred Tennyson's 1833 poem Ulysses.
It's a moving scene that's juxtaposed with Bond chasing Silva through the
streets of London. Ralph Fiennes and Ben Wishaw also shine in their roles; I
enjoyed the younger Q's penchant for dry humor as he tells a disappointed Bond
that they don't do 'exploding pens' anymore (fans should immediately get the
reference). Bond Girls have always been an essential ingredient in these films
but the women here don't exactly interact with Bond in any meaningful way.
Naomie Harris is fine but her screen-time is too limited to make much of an
impression while Bérénice Marlohe's Sévérine is only used to move Bond from
point A to point B in the story. Albert Finney also pops up as Kincade, a role
that was originally written for Sean Connery as a nod to the 50th anniversary
of the series. As fun as that would be, it would've been a little jarring
seeing two Bonds interacting
on-screen so I'm glad Mendes decided not to pursue this.
"Skyfall"
was released on November 9, 2012 to overwhelmingly positive reviews with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed
it as 'a smart, sexy, riveting action thriller that qualifies as one of the
best 007 films to date.' It has already made a killing (no pun intended)
overseas with $323 million and it's on track to become the highest grossing
Bond film to date. Audience reaction was enthusiastic at the advance screening
this past Wednesday. Thankfully, the noise level was kept to a minimum despite
the amount of high school students in attendance (Do they even know of Bond's
history in film?). "Skyfall" is an excellent Bond film, a triumphant
return that celebrates the very best of its 50-year tenure. I will be looking
forward to James Bond's return, even if it takes another four years.
Final
Rating: 5 out of 5
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