Skyfall (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
The question had been hanging in the air for a few years now: could Sam Mendes, the director of such thought-provoking films as American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Revolutionary Road, & the underrated Away We Go create a well-crafted, involving, & action-fueled Bond movie? The answer: a big 'ole yes. Not only did Mendes pull off 'Skyfall', he created one of the best Bond movies I've ever seen (top 3 maybe). From the thrilling opening action scene atop a moving train in Istanbul, to espionage scenes in Asia, to grim acts of urban terrorism in London, to the poignant final minutes at Skyfall, Scotland ... I thoroughly enjoyed it all.
As 007, Daniel Craig is more relaxed in the role without losing any of his cool-as-a-cucumber facade, hardened edge, or surprising introspection. The plot is straightforward with a running theme about Bond's loyalty to M (the great Judi Dench). Action begins in aforementioned Istanbul where Bond's mission is to keep a computer hard drive with British field agent names on it from falling into enemy hands. Everything goes awry, of course, & Bond is assumed to be dead. Months later, the British government is upset with M16 for losing said hard drive & tells M that she will be allowed to "retire". Challenging her authority is Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the new chairman. When Bond resurfaces, it's to a "Where the hell have you been?" from M, who returns him to active duty before he's ready & sets him on a global mission to locate that hard drive. Along the way, Bond encounters Q (Ben Whishaw) - an MI6 gadgets specialist who teases Bond for not being up on the times. And he beds not 1, but 2 Bond girls - fellow agent Eve (Naomie Harris) & exotic sex slave Severine (an alluring Berenice Marlohe).
Skyfall's greatest feat may be that it conveys the melancholy of loss & mortality while at the same time leaving us plenty of time to enjoy slick action & one of the most unhinged villains in Bond history. Javier Bardem nearly steals the show as our cyber-terrorist villain, Silva. Silva isn't your typical Megalomaniac, however, as he cares not for world domination. No, his goal is of a more personal nature; wanting revenge against M for leaving him for dead some years back (he was a prior MI6 agent, himself). Bardem embraces the bizarre, crazed inner core of his character & even provides a little over-the-top camp that is synonymous with many memorable Bond bad guys. Not to be outdone is Dench, returning for her 7th turn as M. Her relationship with Bond is the heart of 'Skyfall'; and Dench strikes an affecting chemistry with Craig. She also embodies M's ultimate tribulation -- that her past may be catching up with her.
Roger Deakins' cinematography here is GORGEOUS. I'm reminded of the scintillating confrontation btwn. Bond & an enemy with Shanghai's electrified skyline in the background. My mouth was agape at the visceral quality of the fight, as well as the beauty of how it was shot {goose bump inducing}. I also loved Bond's entrance in the beginning of the Macau sequence (lit with red & gold lamps on the water). And the vast Scotland scenes - culminating with the glowing orange sky ablaze from a fire - is absolutely astounding to see. The editing of this film is exceptional, too; making the 140 minute running time feel relatively smooth & swift. The production values are also noteworthy; making us believe that we were seeing Istanbul & Asia when it was really filmed in England. And Adele's opening song, "Skyfall," hearkens back to the John Barry/Shirley Bassey 007 collaborations of old.
One of the more interesting aspects of 'Skyfall' - other than it's psychological background on Bond (as evidenced in Scotland) - is showing that the world is now run by a new generation of spies who are adept at causing a stir with the flick of a finger on a computer keyboard. "This is a young man's game," says Bond. And Q is the 1st to cheekily express this, "Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't really go in for that sort of thing anymore". The push & pull btwn. the 'old' & the 'new' permeates the script; culminating in a great sequence in Scotland where Bond and co. are forced to fight terrorism ... the old-fashioned way. 'Skyfall' is everything a 007 film should be; encapsulating the best of all the eras (Bond girls, martinis, Aston Martins, and beyond). It's ultra-cool, yet still has time for light humor & camp (Bardem); respectful of tradition, but up to the times. I savor this movie, and yet, already can't wait to see Bond (and Craig) in action again.
As 007, Daniel Craig is more relaxed in the role without losing any of his cool-as-a-cucumber facade, hardened edge, or surprising introspection. The plot is straightforward with a running theme about Bond's loyalty to M (the great Judi Dench). Action begins in aforementioned Istanbul where Bond's mission is to keep a computer hard drive with British field agent names on it from falling into enemy hands. Everything goes awry, of course, & Bond is assumed to be dead. Months later, the British government is upset with M16 for losing said hard drive & tells M that she will be allowed to "retire". Challenging her authority is Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the new chairman. When Bond resurfaces, it's to a "Where the hell have you been?" from M, who returns him to active duty before he's ready & sets him on a global mission to locate that hard drive. Along the way, Bond encounters Q (Ben Whishaw) - an MI6 gadgets specialist who teases Bond for not being up on the times. And he beds not 1, but 2 Bond girls - fellow agent Eve (Naomie Harris) & exotic sex slave Severine (an alluring Berenice Marlohe).
Skyfall's greatest feat may be that it conveys the melancholy of loss & mortality while at the same time leaving us plenty of time to enjoy slick action & one of the most unhinged villains in Bond history. Javier Bardem nearly steals the show as our cyber-terrorist villain, Silva. Silva isn't your typical Megalomaniac, however, as he cares not for world domination. No, his goal is of a more personal nature; wanting revenge against M for leaving him for dead some years back (he was a prior MI6 agent, himself). Bardem embraces the bizarre, crazed inner core of his character & even provides a little over-the-top camp that is synonymous with many memorable Bond bad guys. Not to be outdone is Dench, returning for her 7th turn as M. Her relationship with Bond is the heart of 'Skyfall'; and Dench strikes an affecting chemistry with Craig. She also embodies M's ultimate tribulation -- that her past may be catching up with her.
Roger Deakins' cinematography here is GORGEOUS. I'm reminded of the scintillating confrontation btwn. Bond & an enemy with Shanghai's electrified skyline in the background. My mouth was agape at the visceral quality of the fight, as well as the beauty of how it was shot {goose bump inducing}. I also loved Bond's entrance in the beginning of the Macau sequence (lit with red & gold lamps on the water). And the vast Scotland scenes - culminating with the glowing orange sky ablaze from a fire - is absolutely astounding to see. The editing of this film is exceptional, too; making the 140 minute running time feel relatively smooth & swift. The production values are also noteworthy; making us believe that we were seeing Istanbul & Asia when it was really filmed in England. And Adele's opening song, "Skyfall," hearkens back to the John Barry/Shirley Bassey 007 collaborations of old.
One of the more interesting aspects of 'Skyfall' - other than it's psychological background on Bond (as evidenced in Scotland) - is showing that the world is now run by a new generation of spies who are adept at causing a stir with the flick of a finger on a computer keyboard. "This is a young man's game," says Bond. And Q is the 1st to cheekily express this, "Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't really go in for that sort of thing anymore". The push & pull btwn. the 'old' & the 'new' permeates the script; culminating in a great sequence in Scotland where Bond and co. are forced to fight terrorism ... the old-fashioned way. 'Skyfall' is everything a 007 film should be; encapsulating the best of all the eras (Bond girls, martinis, Aston Martins, and beyond). It's ultra-cool, yet still has time for light humor & camp (Bardem); respectful of tradition, but up to the times. I savor this movie, and yet, already can't wait to see Bond (and Craig) in action again.