WARNING: spoilers below
When it comes to movie series, there are few that are as old, iconic, or as universally beloved as the Bond films, with the outlandish adventures of the secret agent managing to transcend their British origin, in order to consistently thrill audiences all over the world for over half a century now. However, while this lofty pedigree has been a gift to the franchise, it's also been a curse as well, with the baggage of overly campy or lackluster entries (lookin' at you, Quandumb Of Solass...), hopelessly dated sexual politics, and the question of whether the films can dodge cultural irrelevance all serving to continually challenge Bond. However, rather than dodge these serious issues, series newcomer Sam Mendes instead choose to boldly tackle them head-on with 2012's Skyfall, resulting in what is not just one of the best Bonds of the Craig era, but also just one of the best entries of the entire franchise, and a vital, necessary shot in the arm for a supposedly outdated series.
It opens with Bond in Istanbul, as he tries to recover a stolen hard drive, one that contains the identity of every NATO agent currently embedded in a terrorist organization, only to fail and nearly die in the process, a rare example of weakness on the part of the super-spy. However, while licking his wounds in Turkey by indulging in non-stop boozing and womanizing (well, even more than usual), an attack on the heart of MI6 brings the presumed dead Bond back to life and duty, although the question of whether he's still up to the task lingers in the air, as he and M must fight side-by-side against a specter from the latter's past, a vengeful reminder of her "sins" who won't rest until he sees the spymaster dead and buried, just like all the other agents she grimly sent to their deaths beforehand.
Through this story, Skyfall serves as a clear meta-commentary on the overall relevance of Bond, both the character and the franchise as a whole, which is a very fitting touch for the 50th anniversary of the franchise (a detail that's subtly pointed to when Bond drinks some fine, 1962-vintage scotch that's as old as he is), with characters and situations continually questioning whether the fieldwork of the retro, analog-era spy is still of use next to the technology of the modern digital age, only for Bond to reaffirm his utility by repeatedly rising to the occasion. In this way, the film both tributes Bond’s past (particularly with the reappearance of a certain iconic Aston Martin), while also updating him for the contemporary cinematic landscape, proving that the secret agent's adventures are still just as thrilling (if not moreso) as any superhero flying around in the theater next door.
In addition to that, Skyfall excels through its combination of style and substance, with the former coming courtesy of cinematography legend Roger Deakin use of grand, sweeping shots, extremely deep shadows, and moody, monochromatic lighting, crafting an aesthetic experience as sleek as Bond himself, with each scene's striking imagery feeling both grounded in the real world, and "heightened" at the same time, easily bumping the film a notch or two above the typical Bond movie in terms of style.
As for the substance, that's derived from Skyfall's strong, sharply-written characterizations, both with Javier Bardem's "Raoul Silva", a cyberterrorist who radiates a quiet, oddball menace throughout (think Anton Chigurh meets The Joker), and who adds a personal nature to the film's stakes, as well as with the central pairing of Bond & M. Throughout the film, they share an uneasy tension, due to the way that M's "judgement call" in Istanbul caused Bond's initial failure there, with plenty of passive-aggressive remarks and second guessing flying both ways throughout, only for that trepidation to give way to a reaffirmation of their relationship, as M's unwavering faith in Bond is ultimately justified in the end, with our faith in him as an audience being redeemed in the process. In this way, Skyfall reminded us that this series was more relevant than ever before, bringing 007 back with a vengeance, and further securing his already formidable cinematic legacy in the process, so, just in case it slipped your mind, the name's Bond... James Bond; don't you forget it.
When it comes to movie series, there are few that are as old, iconic, or as universally beloved as the Bond films, with the outlandish adventures of the secret agent managing to transcend their British origin, in order to consistently thrill audiences all over the world for over half a century now. However, while this lofty pedigree has been a gift to the franchise, it's also been a curse as well, with the baggage of overly campy or lackluster entries (lookin' at you, Quandumb Of Solass...), hopelessly dated sexual politics, and the question of whether the films can dodge cultural irrelevance all serving to continually challenge Bond. However, rather than dodge these serious issues, series newcomer Sam Mendes instead choose to boldly tackle them head-on with 2012's Skyfall, resulting in what is not just one of the best Bonds of the Craig era, but also just one of the best entries of the entire franchise, and a vital, necessary shot in the arm for a supposedly outdated series.
It opens with Bond in Istanbul, as he tries to recover a stolen hard drive, one that contains the identity of every NATO agent currently embedded in a terrorist organization, only to fail and nearly die in the process, a rare example of weakness on the part of the super-spy. However, while licking his wounds in Turkey by indulging in non-stop boozing and womanizing (well, even more than usual), an attack on the heart of MI6 brings the presumed dead Bond back to life and duty, although the question of whether he's still up to the task lingers in the air, as he and M must fight side-by-side against a specter from the latter's past, a vengeful reminder of her "sins" who won't rest until he sees the spymaster dead and buried, just like all the other agents she grimly sent to their deaths beforehand.
Through this story, Skyfall serves as a clear meta-commentary on the overall relevance of Bond, both the character and the franchise as a whole, which is a very fitting touch for the 50th anniversary of the franchise (a detail that's subtly pointed to when Bond drinks some fine, 1962-vintage scotch that's as old as he is), with characters and situations continually questioning whether the fieldwork of the retro, analog-era spy is still of use next to the technology of the modern digital age, only for Bond to reaffirm his utility by repeatedly rising to the occasion. In this way, the film both tributes Bond’s past (particularly with the reappearance of a certain iconic Aston Martin), while also updating him for the contemporary cinematic landscape, proving that the secret agent's adventures are still just as thrilling (if not moreso) as any superhero flying around in the theater next door.
In addition to that, Skyfall excels through its combination of style and substance, with the former coming courtesy of cinematography legend Roger Deakin use of grand, sweeping shots, extremely deep shadows, and moody, monochromatic lighting, crafting an aesthetic experience as sleek as Bond himself, with each scene's striking imagery feeling both grounded in the real world, and "heightened" at the same time, easily bumping the film a notch or two above the typical Bond movie in terms of style.
As for the substance, that's derived from Skyfall's strong, sharply-written characterizations, both with Javier Bardem's "Raoul Silva", a cyberterrorist who radiates a quiet, oddball menace throughout (think Anton Chigurh meets The Joker), and who adds a personal nature to the film's stakes, as well as with the central pairing of Bond & M. Throughout the film, they share an uneasy tension, due to the way that M's "judgement call" in Istanbul caused Bond's initial failure there, with plenty of passive-aggressive remarks and second guessing flying both ways throughout, only for that trepidation to give way to a reaffirmation of their relationship, as M's unwavering faith in Bond is ultimately justified in the end, with our faith in him as an audience being redeemed in the process. In this way, Skyfall reminded us that this series was more relevant than ever before, bringing 007 back with a vengeance, and further securing his already formidable cinematic legacy in the process, so, just in case it slipped your mind, the name's Bond... James Bond; don't you forget it.