This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of quite possibly the most iconic character and film series in British cinema history. Fifty years. Of Bond, James Bond. And I pray it continues for fifty years more. So to mark the occasion, of course a new addition to the franchise has arrived on the screens. The James Bond series is now 23 films strong (plus one unofficial entry) and every film brings something different. I can tell you confidently that this one holds true to that fact, and is certainly one of the best. Fifty years. Fifty years of legacy, of traditions, of Bond girls and Bond villains, martinis shaken not stirred, classic cars and classy tuxedos, unique action sequences and witty one liners. Ladies and gentlemen, Skyfall – Sam Mendes, 2012.
The film opens with a pre-credits sequence, which sees Bond, played for the third time so far by Daniel Craig, and another agent, Eve, played by Naomie Harris, on a mission in Turkey, trying to locate a stolen object of great importance to MI6. Straight away we are thrust into the action, a great chase scene involving motorcycles and later a train. As the action comes to an end the tension runs high, the final part being the kicker that grabs the attention of the audience and doesn’t let go for the remainder of the film.
The opening credits then roll, and in true, dedicated Bond fashion features a new theme song. Skyfall’s theme, performed by Adele, is reminiscent of older Bond themes and so adds a kind of traditional sound to the film. After the credits the film goes on, and without spoiling too much of it I can say that before the direction of the story is clear, we are given some good character development of Bond and M, played once again by Judi Dench. M has a more prominent role in this film, which becomes more obvious as the film continues. What’s important about these two characters is the relationship they have with each other. M is the head of MI6, James Bond is one of her top agents. But it’s not as simple as an employer-employee relationship; they have emotional ties to each other. This is one of Skyfall’s most important themes.
One of the things I would like to mention is the cinematography and set design. In one particular scene in Shanghai, there are some great visuals of the neon-digital cityscape, with bright colours and lights everywhere. One fight scene was particularly effective, not because of the choreography but because of the setting. Bond and his enemy are grappling behind a huge digital, neon-bright screen, which lets the audience see the two characters only as silhouettes. It fills the sequence with tension, as there are moments where it is not clear who’s got who in a headlock, and so keeps the audience wide-eyed, subconsciously hoping that it’s Bond who’s winning. There are other great uses of colour throughout the film, distinguishing perfectly the setting and mood of various scenes, be it the greys of London, the red of the Shanghai casino Bond visits, or the cold blue shades of the Scottish countryside in the third act.
No Bond film is complete without a Bond girl, and here it is the mysterious Sévérine, played by the lovely Bérénice Marlohe. She is connected to the primary antagonist, who at this point in the film has yet to be revealed, and so she is inevitably Bond’s ticket to meet the villain. After a quick fight scene, as is the tradition of Bond girls, Sévérine and Bond meet once again, in Sévérine’s shower. Shortly after this however, Bond, and the audience, finally gets to meet the unknown antagonist.
We are introduced to Silva with a fantastic single shot. He comes down in an elevator at the end of a very large, long room; Bond tied to a chair at the other end. From the viewpoint of over Bond’s shoulder, Silva slowly makes his way towards us whilst delivering a tale which becomes a metaphor. There is no music, no sound apart from Silva’s voice and his footsteps as he gradually gets closer and closer to us. It’s a brilliant shot, making audience members feel like they are where Bond is, making them feel uneasy as this villain steadily approaches.
Javier Bardem’s performance as Silva is splendidly memorable. He gives so much life to the character that it’s obvious Bardem was dedicated to his performance. Silva is a great villain, because he’s relatively simple. He’s not some super villain with an unrealistic grand goal; he is a broken man seeking revenge. It a simple backstory, but ultimately very effective. He commands every scene he is in, letting the audience know who he is and how he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
The third act becomes a sort of stand-your-ground scenario, and is a very good and full on action piece. Character development and emotion are wonderfully weaved into the action, highlighting the similarities between the protagonist and antagonist; where Bond ruthlessly defends and protects, Silva ruthlessly attacks and destroys. The climax of the action becomes focused on emotion, as a feeling of sadness quietly creeps in and takes hold of the scene.
Skyfall works so well because it has everything a James Bond story should have, and adds a little something too. It has great action scenes, an effective and memorable villain, and a plot the audience can invest themselves in. But Sam Mendes successfully increased the character emotion in this film compared to previous entries in the series, and it was a smart move. Not to mention the great performances of the secondary characters, Ben Whishaw as the new Q and Ralph Fiennes as government man Gareth Mallory.
This film is one of Bond’s best outings, reminding fans exactly why James Bond has such a proud legacy. Skyfall – 5 out of 5 stars.
BFFRAP 