007 Rises

Rating: 7/10 (15 November 2012)

I don't want to add to the "Quantum of Solace" dog pile that seems to be forming by every other critic writing a "Skyfall" review, but what I will say is, next to Quantum, "Skyfall" should be considered as the Bond franchise getting back on track; with the help of an Academy Award winning director. With Daniel Craig (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)reprising his role as the best James Bond ever and Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal) reprising her role as M, "Skyfall" (in a curious turn of events) sees Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) taking the helm, directing the darkest and most beautifully shot film of the series. Known for his intimate dramas, Mendes' rendition focuses less on getting the "bad guy" or on Bond girls (I am aware that Bond has multiple affairs in this film, but none of them are very prominent) and more on the internal struggles of an aging Bond. And along with the new era 007 stable of script writers, but this time excluding Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) which is one of the missteps this film, "Skyfall" should be seen as an overall success...even if it leaves some audiences checking their watches.
The Plot: After a direct terrorist attack on the M16 building, Bond attempts to find out who is behind it all. But when he discovers that the perpetrator (played brilliantly by Javier Bardem) may have a direct link to M herself, his loyalty to her is truly tested. There is also a subplot, that only Mendes could get away with, dealing with British intelligence who are seen as unnecessary dinosaurs and Bond who has lost a step or two after a friendly-fire gunshot wound leaves him questioning his life as a Double O agent (I am not ruining anything that is not in the trailer or in an IMDb synopsis already). And if you think this subplot sounds a little too dramatic to be in a Bond film, then you may cringe when I inform you that this introspective storyline runs a majority of the show during the large gaps in action in the first hour or so. Suffice to say, the film does get much better after it's rather slow beginnings, culminating in arguably the best/most visually stunning final half hour yet.
Side Note: Even though "Skyfall" as a whole gets better as it progresses, I can soundly say that this is not the Bond film that will convert anybody who was not a Bond fan or British already. I am sorry to say, that due to some pitfalls this movie runs into along the way, some audiences may even find themselves becoming a bit bored.
Yes, "Skyfall" does pay homage to past (or future) films, it does contain the corny one-liners that are expected from a James Bond adventure (only this time they are even drier and more alienatingly British than in the past two Bond films) and Bond is still a womanizing, Captain save awell you know the rest. But there is an issue, which plagues "Skyfall" throughout. The disjointedness of many prominent scenes will undoubtedly cause confusion amidst Bond lover and novice alike. In fact, there is a major scene involving Bond, which happens within the first ten minutes (if you've seen it, then you know what I'm talking about) that is never explained, and really left me scratching my head as to what the point of that particular plot twist was (I wish I could say more, but I don't want to be accused of spoiling anything). Aside from this very distracting plot hole (one you could drive a truck through) there are other moments, when Bond ventures off on a mission and it takes two to three minutes into each scene to figure out why he is where he is, what the mission is and who the characters he interacts with are. These major lapses in story structure should be attributed to the lackluster script put forth by the normally witty Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan; a script that will mistakenly be interpreted as quite sharp because of its redeeming finale.
Javier Bardem: Playing not only one of the most scene stealing villains since Heath Ledger's Joker, as well as reviving what we know to be the classic Bond villain; when Bardem's character Silva is introduced around the second act, his uniquely flamboyant brand of villainy brings this movie back to life (no pun intended). I can't say this loud enough: Javier Bardem is the best part of this movie, and if anything, his flawless and award worthy performance is one of the only reasons I am recommending "Skyfall".
Final Thought: I am not claiming to be a Bond expert, or to have an intimate knowledge of Ian Fleming's characters, but as a member of the movie going public I would say that "Skyfall" contains one of the best Bond anthems of any Bond movie ("Skyfall" sung by Adele) the best villain of any Bond movie and the bravest/most visually interesting direction (mostly visible in the final half hour) of any Bond film to date. But is this the best Bond film ever? No. "Goldfinger" is better, "From Russia with Love" is better and "Casino Royale" is one of the best. As an overall film, "Skyfall" is good but not great...especially not as great as many of my fellow critics, blinded by Mendes' past work, are making it out to be.
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