Vladimir Rakhmanin
Deputy Online Editor
The Bond franchise has been on fragile ground for quite a while now. Die Another Day, the last Brosnan film, was widely derided for being stale and unoriginal; Casino Royale was a great gritty reboot, but that kind of tone proved unsustainable for the franchise with Quantum of Solace, a direct sequel, being arguably one of the worst Bond films ever made (alongside On Her Majesty’s Secret Service). So with Quantum of Solace proving that the franchise is lost in terms of direction, I had very few hopes for another successful Bond film. Fortunately, Skyfall manages to return to 007’s roots by modernising the franchise in a way that respects the twenty-two films that came before it.
For a start, the main theme is the best one in recent years. Adele’s voice echoes that of Shirley Bassey’s, and the result is a classic Bond tune that works far better than Quantum of Solace’s bizarrely unfitting ‘Another Way to Die’. It is also the first Bond theme to feature the title of the film within the lyrics in ten years. On the downside, the title sequence is rather poor, and lacks coherency in terms of art direction. It’s not terrible, by any means, but it isn’t great, either.
The themes of the plot could be likened to the actual state of the Bond franchise – Skyfall concerns M being questioned on whether or not MI6 is still relevant, and whether secret agents are a thing of the past. It’s pretty amusing to see this kind of self-awareness on the part of the filmmakers. As a result, we get a fresh take on the franchise, with key elements being updated for today’s audiences. In a way, it’s like watching Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight – you know the story and the elements that it consists of, but it’s a thrill to see them put together in a new way. Without spoiling too much, the film’s version of Q is absolutely fantastic, despite the lack of interesting gadgets, and the epilogue hints that the franchise could continue with the new characters for a long time.
If you are a fan of Bond films, you are in for a treat – there are often references to past films (in one scene, a character jokes about a gadget used in a previous film), the car is a vintage iconic model, and the instantly recognisable theme from Dr No is played at one point. And it’s not like you’re beaten over the head with the cameos, either – for instance, at one point, when Bond is at a bar, you can see the bartender shake his martini before pouring it. The phrase ‘shaken – not stirred’ isn’t explicitly stated, but if you’re a fan, you can appreciate that small detail.
The banter between the characters is also great – Bond and M often have hilarious exchanges, and certain action scenes contain fantastically cheesy one-liners. This is an aspect of the franchise that I have sorely missed, and I’m glad they brought it back. The set-pieces are also exciting, with the opening section being a particularly outstanding moment. Despite the fact that early previews said that the film would take place primarily in the UK (to honour the franchise’s 50th anniversary), there are enough exotic locales to keep the visuals interesting. The last third of the film goes into some emotionally-charged territory, but pulls it off well – it also manages to avoid the ‘backstory’ trap of telling too much about a beloved character’s past.
Finally, the villain, played by Javier Bardem, is absolutely fantastic. He’s flamboyant, over-the-top and dangerous – everything I could ever want from a Bond villain. Despite sharing many characteristics with previous baddies, the character feels fresh, and I almost wish that they had introduced him earlier in the film.
To sum up, this Bond film finally puts the franchise on solid ground – it’s modern enough to appeal to newcomers, yet has a classic enough feel to satisfy long-time fans. The ending makes sure that future films will continue in this direction, and I can’t wait.
It’s been a long time, Mr Bond. Welcome back.
