SKYFALL

UK, 2012,
Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Rory Kinnear.
Directed by Sam Mendes.

It looks as though this is a James Bond film that you will have to see to make up your own mind. The critics have been generally very favourable. The box-office has been very good. But, the bloggers on the net have been devastating in their critiques and condemnations.

This review will be favourable.

While admittedly there are some plot holes and some improbabilities (and should you want details, the IMDb has more than 590 entries and counting, some growling about in minute detail and numbered lists, the flaws), this celebration of James Bond’s fifty years is quite entertaining. It is also a consolidation of Daniel Craig’s taking on the role. He is a rather unsmiling actor and has been tough and rugged in his previous two films. Here he is still rugged but has a little more debonair charm than before and does a lot of his confronting of villains wearing suit and tie. This is true of the opening sequence, chases in Turker and over the roofs (as in The International and Taken 2), car chases, pursuit on the top of a train (with the help of a bulldozer) and a sequence where he is shot and plunges into a river. And that’s just the beginning.

Fans have complained that the film is boring. Depends on what you want. If it’s non-stop bursts of action and guns, then it will be boring. However, there is much more to the plot. The list of agents has been hijacked and M and Gareth Mallory (Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes) are being pressurised by expert computer hacking and the blowing up of MI6 buildings. It’s about time for Bond to return – and he does.

In tracking down the villain, there is an assassination in Imax-like panoramas of Shanghai. There is a femme fatale (Berenice rather good in what turns out to be a small role) and, ultimately, a meeting with the arch-villain. His entry is most striking. A long shot as he walks towards a bound Bound, arriving in close-up as he explains himself. It is Javier Bardem as Silva. Barden won an Oscar for his oddly-coiffed assassin in No Country for Old Men. This time he is much quieter, somewhat camp in manner and conversation, blonde hair, a master narcissistic psychopath – whose motives are revealed and make sense in the contxt of MI6.

But, most of the final action is in England and, then, in Scotland. Silva, after being captured by Bond, is targeting both Bond and M and engineers an escape which sets him loose in London where he wreaks disaster (the Tube crash of a Wimbledon-bound District Line train) and death (especially at a parliamentary enquiry).

Bond decides that a showdown is needed and opts for the highlands (where Albert Finney turns up for an entertaining cameo).

While there are explosions and shootouts, the level of sex and violence is played down compared with previous films.

Women are to the fore in this outing. Naomie Harris has plenty of action in Turkey, action and glamour in Shanghai before she settles down as Miss Moneypenny. And, this is very much Judi Dench’s film, appearing right throughout the film and essential to plot development.

The film is long and there may be too much character development and talk for the action-only addicts, but Sam Mendes is a stylish director, the performances are fine, there is wit in the dialogue and some sentiment, with even Craig-Bond? shedding a tear at one stage.

And the late explanation of the title helps bring it all together nicely.

1. James Bond after 50 years? The tradition of the Bond films? Adaptations through the decades? the different actors as James Bond and their different styles? The adaptation of Ian Fleming stories, the later creation of new stories? The tradition of the credits sequences and visuals? The theme songs? 23 films?


2. This film as lavish, celebrating the golden jubilee, Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem and the cast? The range of locations?

3. The title, James Bond’s ancestral home and the culmination of the film there? Its memories for Bond, his memories of his family, their deaths, growing up? The theme song and its performance, mood? The visuals of the credits?

4. Daniel Craig’s Bond, rugged, physical, his accent, moving into stylish clothes, his manner? A tough 21st-century Bond?

5. Judi Dench as M, in control, ruthless, the information about the initial fight in Istanbul, the decision about shooting Bond, the risk? Her creating enemies? Silva and his animosity, his past career and his attitudes towards M? The control of Bond, relying on him, sending him to Asia? The bombing of MI 6? Mallory calling her to account? The parliamentary hearing? Her confronting Silva? Working work with her assistant, Tanner? Going to Scotland with Bond, in the house, getting ready for the attack, the climax, her being wounded, her death?

6. Headquarters, Mallory, his interview with Bond and encouraging him? Giving advice? His later becoming M? The Parliamentary enquiry, the minister and her harsh attitudes? The young Q, meeting at the gallery, not using old devices, the new, the gun and its hand-mould, the pen and location? 21st-century weapons?

7. The opening in Istanbul, the fight on the roof, the chase, Patrice as a killer, the killing of the agents, Bond finding them dead, collaborating with Eve, communicating with him and with M? The killer, on the train roof, the tunnels, lining up the shot, Miss Moneypenny firing, Bond plunging into the river? Seeking the USB and the information about the agents?

8. Honouring Bond, the funeral, the tributes?

9. His disappearance, his life, drinking, fighting, hearing of the explosions, his decision to return to London? Meeting M, meeting Mallory, the discussions with Q?

10. His going back on active service, going to Shanghai, the elaborate buildings, Patrice, getting the information, meeting Severine in the club, the death of Patrice? Going to the compound on the island?

11. Silva, the long take, his entry and speech, finally confronting Bond, Silva and his appearance, his head, clothes, taunts? Camp manner? Sexual implications? His wanting Bond to kill Severine, his brutality and killing her? His attitude towards M, taunting about Mummy, wanting to kill her? The helicopters, Bond’s device for location, capturing Silva?

12. Silva in the glass, Bond’s confrontation, M going to meet him, the explanations, his help outside his prison, his henchmen, the breakout, the explosion at the enquiry, going to the London Underground, the train, the derailment and the mayhem?

13. Bond and the decision to go to Scotland, taking M, driving, the house, meeting Kincade, memories of the past, Kincade and the guns, the priest’s hole, the preparation for the attack? The landing, the helicopters, the soldiers in the attack? Fights, the use of skills, tactics, explosions, deaths? The build-up to the confrontation between Silva and Bond, M dying, Silva dying?

14. The continuation of the series, Mallory becoming M, the visit with Bond, Miss Moneypenny, a sequel?