Skyfall

Sam Mendes’ “Skyfall,” the 23rd entry in the Bond canon, could be described by its opposites.

The bright, loud lights of Shanghai contrast with the wistful Scottish highlands and Bond’s twin loves. The greyed vixen M (Dench) and dragonesque Sévérine (Bérénice Marlohe) could be taken as tradition versus modernity, each fighting for his attention.

As for the fighting itself, there’s no doubt that “Skyfall” drastically outperforms its predecessor “Quantum of Solace.”

The action, like the opening motorcycle chase on the rooftops of Turkey, is focused and cleanly chaotic.

Much of it resembles the Bourne movies, with a dark atmosphere smacking of Christopher Nolan, although these associations run only skin deep.

Daniel Craig, a bit quirkier but as merciless as ever, proves quickly that Bond’s four-year hiatus has done nothing to diminish his prowess.

Unfortunately for the spy, an accidental bullet to the chest isn’t quite as harmless.

Within the first 20 minutes, Bond is out cold and presumed dead.

It is left to M to weather this blow while responding to disparaging remarks made against her department.

The espionage service has become, in the eyes of the prime minister, bloody old hat.
And if this wasn’t enough, MI6 and its agents are under attack from an invisible cyber terrorist.

A reluctant Bond returns from his brief spell and, looking gritty and bored, is promptly dispatched to find the threat, which turns out to be the former MI6 agent Raoul Silver (Bardem).

Silver, who giggles and massages Bond’s legs, is one of the franchise’s more delightful villains, less austere than “Casino Royale’s” Le Chiffre and creepier than “Quantum’s” Mr. Greene.

But very little of the film is devoted to their scuffle, and that’s a real shame.

At the heart of “Skyfall” is the desire to show 007 is more than a blunt instrument. This means we watch the gimmicks of exploring Bond’s childhood and developing his heady relationship with M.

It’s not a bad formula, but it’s predictable, and the story quivers on the border of sentimentality with some stilted dialogue thrown into the mix.

Mendes tries too hard to show us Bond’s humanity. Craig has to stare longingly at skylines and hug it out with M before we can believe he has any feelings.

“Skyfall” proves he does, though it does not come close to rivaling the emotional depth of “Casino Royale.”  

With Ben Whishaw (“Cloud Atlas”) as a neat and nerdy Q, Ralph Fiennes playing the severe Chairman of Intelligence and Security and Naomi Harris as Bond’s casual flirt, the movie’s new treats are ample and enticing.

It’s definitely a clean show for Bond’s 50th anniversary and one that will give viewers the scintillating, crisp feeling of a proper Bond movie.

By Brandon Cook