MOVIE REVIEW – Among fan boys and movie buffs there are milestones in cinematic history that come along once in a blue moon. These rare occasions can often attract greater anticipation than Christmas. For a lot of movie buffs, the release of a new James Bond adventure marks such an occasion. Who doesn’t love 007? Women want him, and men want to be him. Not to mention, Daniel Craig has been said to portray the best Bond since Sean Connery.
The new movie is called Skyfall, and yes, that catchy Adele song you’ve been hearing on the radio is the theme. Skyfall delivers the fresh new story of James Bond (Craig) who is conducting a manhunt for a cyberterrorist (creepily portrayed by Javier Bardem) who seems to take interest in attacking MI6 and more specifically, Bond’s boss: M.
The newest addition to the, now 50 year old, bond legacy brings a darker and more grim story to the table. Skyfall puts the psychological structure of Bond’s mind under the microscope, pulling back on the more cliché personality traits that have come standard with 007 since the beginning.
This movie actually seemed to me like a slight reinvention of the character, which has also been said about Casino Royale (Craig’s first Bond movie). However, this movie doesn’t acknowledge the previous two movies and definitely paves the road for a fresh but familiar template for future movies.
Many traditions of the Bond franchise get the cold shoulder in Skyfall, such as the now famous tradition of “Bond Girls.” Only two appear in this movie and both are arguably underused. This neglect is not helped at all by the seemingly gay undertones of our villain Silva. You’ll know what I mean when you see it.
Also, this movie ignores any creativity with the “spy-gadgets,” so much in fact that it is actually joked about in the film.
The story is surprisingly compelling given its “stepchild” structure when compared to earlier films. Characters are driven with a more detailed backstory. Scenes that don’t contain gunfights or car chases remain entertaining through Tarantino-like dialogue and colorful characters. Fault in the story only comes with a desperate explanation for a plot setting, or an attempt to create a more vulnerable James Bond background.
All in all, Sam Medes risks the approval of more classic Bond fans to give us a new darker look at the MI6 agent. Though tradition is broken, Skyfall is a compelling, action packed, espionage film that is sure to please.
The De La Cruz Designation: 4 pops out of 5
St. George News does not direct or influence reviews in any manner. The opinions stated in the review are those of the reviewer and are not representative of St. George News.
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Hmm, sounds appealing to the vision senses. May have to hit the town next weekend!
This review makes me even more excited to see it. A couple of my DISH co-workers and I have been talking about going to see Skyfall together for a long time now. We’re actually having a Daniel Craig Bond night before we go to the theater. I rented Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace from Blockbuster @ Home, which I have through my DISH account. It’s so convenient for me to just have the DVDs mailed to me since I never have time to go rent movies at the store these days. It’s been a while since I’ve seen those movies, so I’m looking forward to refreshing my memory.
I thought it was a poor copy of the plot from the Dark Knight.