Review:
Skyfall is a great James
Bond adventure, filled with strong characters, nostalgic throwbacks and great
franchise moments. The film is about a washed-up Bond, severely injured on his
last assignment and maybe his heart is just not in it anymore. However, he is
called back into action when a man named Silva personally attacks MI6, and M
specifically. His loyalty to M is tested both because of her connection to
Silva and the role she played in his last assignment.
The Bond franchise has somewhat
changed in its fifty years and twenty-three films, but the general idea of what
a good Bond film should be has stayed mostly the same: Bond is a cold-blooded
spy, who has a way with the ladies and seemingly always gets his man (target).
Bond films thusly should be cool, with attractive women, stylish cars and neat
gadgets, and action packed – above all very entertaining. Bond films often have
huge action set pieces, multiple international locations and impressive sets
(innovated and imagined by the great
Ken Adam).
With
Casino
Royale, the franchise was rebooted to reflect a more modern and grittier
more realistic Bond (doing away with the pageantry and many of the characters,
like Q and Moneypenny; also gone were the gadgets, over-the-top super villains
and their lairs, and maybe even some of Bond’s swagger). The film presented
Bond as not being completely comfortable in his role (not exactly fitting the
lifestyle or being quite as cold-blooded – i.e. being affected by the death of
people around him).
Sam
Mendes’s Skyfall keeps the same Bond from Casino Royale (and its follow-up)
but feels much more like a classic Bond film. It is chock-full of references
and homages to past Bond films (especially those in the
Sean Connery era). The film even
brings back many of the staples of the franchise. Yet, it is again a very
personal story (like its two predecessors). Thus, Mendes has created a hybrid
of sorts: a more emotionally available Bond that the audience can connect with
on a more personal level (rather than merely just being a cool action hero)
mixed with the classic conventions that make the series great (especially for
its fans). It works very well.
Narratively, the film takes a
while to get going. As with the other films in the franchise, Skyfall opens
with a big action set piece prologue. However, Mendes wants to also include a
lot of character information into this sequence, but without losing all the
action. In Casino Royale and
Quantum
of Solace, the openings also had action and character information (which
was told particularly efficiently in the former), but in Skyfall the scene just
seems to go on too long. The audience is told that Bond does not agree with M’s
position on putting the mission ahead of her people and that maybe he is on the
back nine of his career (seemingly having lost a step). The best opening
sequences have showcased the character in sort of a cinematic vignette – the
audience gets a sense of the character (or actor’s style playing Bond) and sees
him do something exciting to draw them in and hook them in an efficient manner.
With the last two films, these scenes have just felt too long. The audience
does not know the stakes (especially in this film – at least with Quantum of
Solace it starts right where Casino Royale ends) and thus is not invested (at
least more than superficially, as they root for Bond because he is Bond and
they know the character going in), leaving the opening to feel boring (even if
the action is impressive) because it goes on too long. This is a classic case
in modern action films of quantity over quality. This opening could have been
much more effective if told more economically. There is plenty of time later in
the narrative for showy action. Plus, not only is the scene too long, but then
it goes right into the title sequence (dragging out the film even longer before
the audience really gets into the story).
However, even with all that said,
once Mendes gets into the characters and Bond on his mission, the film becomes
quite good. Mendes’s skill as a filmmaker is in getting wonderful performances
from his actors and creating dynamic scenes. Many of the most electric moments
in this film come from scenes in which two characters are just talking. Bond’s
conversation with Severine in the casino or his first meeting with Silva are by
far more engaging and thrilling than any action sequence in this film. This is
not a knock against the action set pieces. For the most part, they are great.
This is more in admiration for what Mendes has brought to the film (and
franchise). His characters are utterly compelling and well-drawn (which is
usually not the case in action films). Silva is among the best villains in the
series as a result of the care taken with his character and the performance
Mendes garnered. Story-wise, he is really no different than any other psychotic
that Bond is sent after. Silva is truly frightening. It is the approach Mendes
takes, treating him as a full character, that makes him great, and really what
makes the film great.
The dramatic journeys for the
film’s main characters have an emotional resonance to them. M seeks redemption.
Silva needs resolution in his twisted relationship with M, who is a mother
figure to him (and also to Bond in many ways). And for Bond, he must prove that
he not only wants to but also physically can remain a 00-agent, while also
working through his own issues with M. The film is so effective, because the
audience sees what the characters motivations are and gets to know them on a
deeper level (and thereby care about them). More so than other Bond films, the
audience has an emotional stake in the characters, which is more effective than
the grandest of action set pieces.
Going into the film with Mendes
at the helm, there may have been some concern about whether or not he could
direct an entertaining action film (due to no prior experience on this scale).
The action set pieces are mostly very good (not the best in the franchise, but
not the worst). Again, the prologue felt too long and
logistically/strategically the finale seemed poorly planned for a top agent
(for example: why did Bond not bring more weapons or call for backup on the
down-low? – maybe there was not time, even if there seemed to be, and maybe he
did not trust anyone; it just felt needlessly reckless). It also has sort of a
Straw Dogs/
Home Alone vibe to it, which
feels odd for a James Bond film. However, the finale works very well from a
character and narrative standpoint (which is more important). However, again,
the action scenes are really secondary, even in an action film (assuming the
film also wants to be actually good), to the characters and Mendes does
fantastic work with them.
Skyfall bridges the franchise
from (the reboot) Casino Royale (which is Bond’s first mission) to something
more along the lines for the classic Bond adventures fans are used to
(reestablishing many of the series institutions), while still keeping the
character more emotionally accessible to audience. It is among the best in the
series.
Technical,
aesthetic & acting achievements: Sam Mendes’s James Bond film feels
like an aesthetically and dramatically more impressive film than most in the
franchise. As expressed multiple times in the review above, he does a brilliant
job with the characters and performances, but he also gives the film a very
dramatically weighty tone. There is a real sense of peril for the characters
(and thereby the audience). This is not just a lightweight fun action romp. The
drama is powerful and the tension gripping. Probably unlike any Bond film
before, Mendes has made a film where the characters and their moments are more
thrilling than the action spectacle.
Thomas Newman’s score combines
moments from past Bond scores with his own original work. Many of the pieces
have sort of an adventure film vibe to them, while other conform more to the
typical Bond-style music. It is different than any other Bond score I can
remember, but still works well with the film emphasizing the dramatic moments
and action/character beats.
Dennis
Gassner’s production design fits well with Mendes’s blending of the ‘new’
Bond with the classic Bond (much like Newman’s score). The film still has a
very realistic look to it, but many of the sets have a great exaggerated and
grandiose feel to them (like the awesome abandoned island, which looks a bit
like the city Cobb and Mal created in
Inception,
but after the dream has collapsed). However,
Roger
Deakins’s cinematography blows everything else away (probably even
overshadowing the film). His work is beautiful and rich (from the sci-fi feel of
the action scene in Shanghai and the striking colors of the Macau casino to the
ghostly and weary glow of the moor in Scotland). It is easily among the best
work I have seen this year (if not the best hands down this year).
The cast is excellent.
Albert Finney,
Naomie Harris and
Ralph Fiennes are all good in
small supporting roles, while
Ben
Whishaw and
Berenice Marlohe
(her conversation with Bond in Macau is magnetic and fantastic) steal scenes
(also in support).
Judi Dench
is given her biggest and most dramatically compelling role in the series, and
does wonderfully with it. She appears more vulnerable in this than any other
film, but still with an overcurrent of strength and resolve.
Javier Bardem is just
brilliantly amazing at playing villains and having a blast with them. His Silva
far dwarfs any other in the rebooted Bond franchise (and maybe in the whole series)
in terms of bringing to life a character that actually seems like a legitimate
threat to Bond. Every scene with Bardem is better because he is in it; he is
completely captivating.
Daniel
Craig is again quite good as James Bond. He has a great physicality to him
that makes everything feel more realistic, but he also allows the audience to
see chinks in his armor, which gives them an in and lets them relate to him.
All in all, the performances in this film are top notch and well above what is
to be expected.
Summary
& score: Yes, Skyfall is the fun and entertaining James Bond film
the fans want (full of pithy wit, cool cars, beautiful women, and great
action), but it is also so much more. It has remarkably engaging characters and
enticing drama as well. 8/10
