When walking into a James Bond movie you are fairly certain of what to expect, the formula has been rinsed and repeated for nearly two dozen movies. The recipe is a classic which revolves around girls, gadgets and an evil supervillain who will have his plan foiled last second as he explains his plan for world domination. Of course there has been variation but it’s remained mostly the same for every movie, and I love it. “Skyfall” is no different, and is probably the most definitive Bond movie ever.
“Skyfall” will throw you right into the action as James Bond is on what for him is a routine mission involving a motorcycle chase and a fist fight atop a moving train crossing a bridge 200 feet above the sea. This is the first scene and seems like what most movies would save for a climax. “Skyfall” doesn’t waste any time letting you know that Bond is back, and he likes it shaken, not stirred.
The past two Bond movies with Daniel Craig, who I think has been a stellar Bond, were criticized for distancing themselves from the classic espionage thrillers and going for a more edgy approach. The creative team behind this film listened to these criticisms and found a way to please everyone by making a masterful blend of old Bond plot devices, but with a modern twist to keep things interesting. There is a certain classic Bond object that appears later in the film that will make fans of the series go wild, and plenty of nods to past Bonds and characters that were tokens of the previous movies.
Another iconic aspect of Bond flicks are the always-insane villains who are varied yet familiar. Javier Bardem fills in this spot as Silva, an incredibly interesting and charismatic bad guy, who reminds us why Bardem is picked for such menacing characters (such as “No Country For Old Men”). Silva has a history with M, who is once again played by Judi Dench, and it is clear he wants revenge against her and the entirety of the MI6 special forces. Silva draws many similarities with the Joker from “The Dark Knight,” to the point that one part of the film felt like the writers just borrowed a plot point from Batman.
Bond films are not known for their cinematography, but “Skyfall” became an exception, containing admirable shots and interesting aesthetics. The opening title sequence is amazing with a song by Adele which is impressive even for non-fans. While “Skyfall” is a Bond film like many others, it adds enough depth to the characters and formula to make it worth watching not only by Bond fans but by anyone who loves action movies.
