"Skyfall", the latest offering from the James Bond
series, has been touted in initial reviews as probably the biggest and best
Bond movie ever. So I was definitely excited going in for the show. On watching
the movie, however, I am conflicted in my opinion. It is definitely a worthy
addition to the franchise, but it is not without its flaws.
Directed
by Academy Award winning director Sam Mendes, and starring Daniel Craig as James
Bond, "Skyfall" continues with the gritty tone that has been adopted by the series since
"Casino Royale". Injured after being shot off the top of a moving
train in the thrilling opening sequence in Istanbul, a struggling Bond must
race against time to save MI6 and tough-as-nails "M" (Judi Dench) from
the diabolically brilliant Raoul Silva (played with relish by Javier Bardem), who
bombs the MI6 headquarters and plans to publicise the names of undercover MI6
agents to exact vengeance on M for her past 'misdeeds'.
"Skyfall" impresses on multiple levels - the
direction is top notch, and Mendes is able to pull off the balancing act of
capturing the essence of the Bond franchise, without compromising on the storytelling.
A major reason for this is that the acting is top notch - Judi Dench plays
M with her usual flair, and Ralph Fiennes is a suitable addition to the series.
The Bond girls, Naomie Harris (playing Agent Eve) and Berenice Marlohe (Severine)
are good but don't have much to do. Ben
Whishaw as the new "Q" isn't bad. Daniel Craig slips in comfortably
as 007, and gives probably his best performance as Bond to date. But the star
of the show is Javier Bardem, who steals every scene he is in. I cannot help
but highlight his introduction scene, which was absolutely chilling despite
being very simple. I'm not sure many actors would have been able to pull it
off, and he is definitely one of the most memorable Bond villains.
The movie is more in line with the 'traditional' Bond movies
as compared to both "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of
Solace"; and there are clear indications that the franchise will be going
in a different direction. Which looks like a good thing for sure. It's nice to
see Bond smile for a change, and Daniel Craig works his charms effectively. The
humour is also welcome. The movie also pays tribute to vintage Bond (the
franchise is celebrating 50 years), which is done well. A special mention to
the oh-so-sexy classic Aston Martin. I also enjoyed the light hearted jokes on
the earlier Bond movies. For instance, the scene where Q says to Bond "Were
you expecting an exploding pen? We don't do that anymore" - a direct
reference to the exploding pen in "Goldeneye". All of this definitely
adds to the movie - which could have easily run the risk of taking itself too
seriously.
The action sequences are great - the makers have been able
to make them grand yet realistic, and also been able to preserve the tension
and gritty feel that is so much better than superficial stuff that is so often
seen nowadays. The climax was also well done, though I couldn't help getting a
feeling of watching "Home Alone" in some scenes - I get that they
were showing Bond's resourcefulness, but I for one found it a little
"meh". Of course, like Bond, I too was disappointed that there were
no fancy gadgets this time around for Bond to play with. That said, it means
Bond needs to flex his muscles a bit more, and I don't think anyone can
complain about that.
On the downside, "Skyfall" does feel slow at
times, and is quite lengthy. Some tighter editing would have helped. I was
personally disappointed that so much time was spent setting up the movie that
Javier Bardem does not come in until almost half the movie is done. Also, I
would have liked it if the makers had shown why Silva was such a terrifying
villain and had built up his introduction. It is a testament of Bardem's
ability that he can instil a sense of terror from the word go. I also felt that
some interesting plot points and moral dilemmas could have been explored
further (I won't list them out since that would include spoilers - but would
definitely like to talk about it later). Most of all, it was disappointing to
see a talented actor like Albert Finney being cast in a thankless two bit role.
To sum it up, "Skyfall" is a good movie, but it
could have been much more. For all its positives and negatives, the highlight
of the movie is Javier Bardem's performance. My verdict - catch
"Skyfall" in the theatre - despite its imperfections, you will not be
disappointed.
