I saw the new Bond 23 “Skyfall” last Sunday and loved it!
I’d heard Skyfall was good so I wasn’t worried walking into
the movie if I would enjoy it or not, which was a big relief because its
predecessor Quantum Solace was so dreary and violent it’s quite possibly the
only Bond movie I will never watch again.
Before we go any further I have to alert you to a couple of
slight spoilers. Please stop reading if you want to enjoy a complete surprise
at the movie theater.
First the flavor of Skyfall is so different I cannot compare it
any other Bonds. The film’s director Sam Mendes and indeed the entire production
team, work in perfect unison to take this well-explored franchise to a new
level and give it a stunning rebirth. Everything in Skyfall is familiar to Bond
fans, yet everything feels fresh as if we’re finally seeing the real MI6 and
it’s cadre for the first time.
Daniel Craig plays this Bond as emotional and insecure in
unguarded moments. He’s aging, injured and somewhat abandoned by his peers. He
doesn’t hold grudges against those who have wronged him and we see fleeting but
intense glimpses of a man who doesn’t care and doesn’t dare to care. He’s driven
to keep going because he’s walked through the valley of death and discovered
he’s not welcome there, not yet.
This movie is loaded with symbolism and Skyfall is so much
the richer for it. In one of the Hong Kong scenes we see the debonair Bond
wearing the classic tuxedo sailing into the mouth of a beautifully lit dragon
floating in the harbor. This is the glamorous side of his profession, the
gambling, the wit and the beautiful women. But beneath the floor of this glittering
Hong Kong casino lurks a real and very visceral Komodo dragon waiting to snatch
victims by the ankles and drag them into darkness. Metaphorically Bond gets
grabbed by the ankle, dragged down and must deal with the visceral elements for the rest
of the movie.
There are other interesting symbolic touches as well. The
megalithic structure of the MI6 building is destroyed in a bombing and a wounded
Secret Service is driven into hidden tunnels and bunkers below London and
forced to prove their relevance in court. The theme of rats driven by
desperation is explored and I’m sure you can guess which rat wins this battle,
but it’s still thrilling to watch the action unfold.
In Skyfall youth and the latest technologies not only fail
MI6, but also proves to be their greatest handicap. In the end it’s the
long-timers who know how to win a dirty knife fight who survive. I’m happy to
report Skyfall is nearly gadget free.
Skill, brains and heart count for everything here.
At the end of an action-packed opening sequence Bond is shot
and left for dead. We’re not shown exactly how Bond cheats death, but instead
are treated to a stunning reimagining of the opening title sequence. Skyfall
ditches the shopworn girly silhouettes and gun barrel animations to do
something far better. Instead we see Bond floating into the watery, viridian
green world of his own subconscious. His symbolic life flashes before his eyes
while Adele sings one of the best Bond themes ever. As Bond’s life force fades
away so does the color on the screen. The sequence ends in a stark cemetery
that feels centuries old. This is important because the theme of the past will
rise again and again especially when Bond tells M that to save their lives they
have to go back in time, and they do. MI6 adopts Winston Churchill’s old
bunkers and the company car is ditched in favor of the 63’s Aston Martin. I
don’t want to spoil anyone’s movie experience but Bond defeats the villain with
a very ordinary object. For Bond’s 50th anniversary everything old is made new
again.
The villain in Skyfall is someone truly worthy of Bond.
Javier Barden plays Raoul Silva an ex-MI6 wonder boy who has an uncomfortable
amount of things in common with Bond. In fact Silva is Bond’s evil twin—his
dark mirror image and you can sense how badly Silva wants to seduce Bond into
agreement with him. Bond and Silva behave like two brothers fighting to be recognized
as the favorite son. Silva is at first almost silky in his attempt to seduce Bond
to his side, but we also know Silva would be terribly disappointed to succeed.
Silva wants a worthy rival to challenge him and Bond provides it.
In Skyfall there is no hokey scheme for world domination.
There is threat of exposure and soul searching instead. Silva was once a
valuable MI6 operative and obviously once a great favorite of M whom he feels
abandoned by. Silva is vengeful and still smarting from being disowned by M. He
clearly comes off as a cruel and damaged man who can’t bear another betrayal.
When his gorgeous lover Severine leads Bond to his abandoned island lair, he
has her tied to a statue, pours her a drink and then literally offers her a
“shot”.
Skyfall feels like two movies. One is sweeping and glamorous
with all the trappings you’d come to expect from a Bond film and other is
intimate and personal, very personal. Bond returns under duress to a haunted place
from his past where he obviously does not want to be and many personal sacrifices
are made there. It is during these sequences that we feel the full strength of
Bond’s mettle. He truly is a hero and survivor here.
Skyfall is exceptional for treating the female characters
with respect. The women aren’t perfect and make plenty of mistakes and they
come off almost as complex and troubled as Bond himself, which is saying a lot.
I loved Naomie Harris’ character “Eve”; she’s smart and totally committed.
Judi Dench as M brings so much subtlety to this performance.
It’s one of her best. If there is a femme fatale to be named in Skyfall it’s
Judi Dench. For better or worse both Bond and Silva surrender their hearts and
souls to M in exchange for cold-hearted betrayal. Silva’s character sums it up when he says,
“Mummy was very bad.”
Dench’s “M” is synonymous with the great cosmic mother who
must be obeyed. A point which M herself blatantly exploits when she admits to
Bond that, “Orphans always make the best recruits.”
The look of Skyfall is wonderful. The scenes filmed in Hong
Kong are moving art. The stark mansion on the Scottish moor was perfect. Thomas
Newman’s original soundtrack works beautifully with the movie, always enhancing
but never overpowering the scene. The
humor is subtle and flows seamlessly with the action. There’s no stopping the
show to offer a corny joke.
Skyfall is a perfect balance of brain and brawn. Its takes the
gloves off and reminds us with both harsh and heartfelt actions why we fell in
love with Bond in the first place.
XXOO Kat
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