Skyfall: Bond on Bond

Skyfall: Bond on Bond
*SPOILERS*

This is a great movie, but it’s not a Bond movie.

Where do you begin on Skyfall? Apart from this is not your typical Bond. People were hopeful when Oscar Winner Sam Mendes was brought in to tackle everyone’s favourite super spy. Hopeful that we would get a smarter, deeper and more emotional Bond. And yes, we definitely got a smarter, deeper and emotional movie, but this wasn’t Bond. Is this a good thing? Is this what the ongoing franchise needed? And was there a genuinely good reason this approach was never taken before?

Bond: Old dog, new tricks

The first chapter sees Bond and new recruit Eve in a typical, over the top chase sequence, which results in Eve smashing up her own car and shooting Bond, with him being assumed dead. This is the only sequence in the entire film that wouldn’t look out of place in the previous 22 movies. Mendes is criticising what the Bond movies have become. That Expendables-esque over the top, action cheese. In fact this is why Eve is terrible at driving and an even worse shot. Even Bond himself mocks her and in turn is mocking how shallow his films had become. Mendes has him ‘killed’ to show that this is not the type of Bond film he’s making. This is the new, emotional, flawed Bond, who must deal with the fact that he isn’t perfect in every way and may even be outdated. Bond must confront and reflect on who he is, if he is to evolve.

Is this film a reboot or a revolution for the series? On the outside, no. Casino Royale was the reboot in terms of the plot and cast. But Skyfall revolutionises Bond by taking a drastic new direction. But, this film must be a one off; because Bond MUST return to the way he was before if he is to continue churning out movies every few years. Bond has been generic, senseless action films year after year up until now, because they work and are easily sustainable. You can have 100 sequels about the same character, no problem because you aren’t going to drastically alter his personality and the mystery of his motives is maintained to keep people interested and give you that ace in the hole if you ever need it. You can’t have every film address an issue with Bond’s personality or history and you physically can’t have him have a life-altering episode, every movie without repeatedly changing the character’s personality. Skyfall is a turning point and one that only occurred because Mendes was given permission to a) kill off Bond’s mother figure and b) address his childhood, the very reason Bond is an emotionless, cold-hearted bastard. But if every director does this, how long until we run out of things to learn about Bond and have him run out of demons to face?

The death of the typical Bond film

Of course we can say that Bond has now confronted his past, his one weakness and can now return as a new and improved super spy in the next film, but has the damage already been done? The final battle at Skyfall has Bond with an older man and woman, symbolizing his parents and it’s back to basics, with no gadgets and simply his father’s hunting rifle, like life pre MI6. Bond now resolving his traumatised childhood to and losing M may allow him to return as a cold hearted, smug, womanising killer in the next film and I truly hope it does. Not because I didn’t like Skyfall, but for the long-term future of sustainable Bond movies. If you give away too much about a character’s motives and backstory, how many more gripping stories can you realistically tell? The only problem though is that Mendes made a point of Bond being physically old and increasingly unfit to be an agent, as seen in his grey beard and failed training tests. So is the damage already done? Can there really be many more Bond movies down the line? How many more sequels can you make about an increasingly old, washed up character?

This all sounds negative so far, but it’s only because I’m venting my concerns for a franchise that will inevitably churn out movies until the end of time. I don’t want to see the studio running out of options with Craig’s Bond due to Mendes’ film and result in a premature reincarnation. However,  Skyfall itself is a great film and maybe I should focus on that a bit more. Great action, very intense drama, good pacing and overall much better than Quantum of Solace. Right up there with the best Bond flims, but it really is hard to compare it with any of them because it is so different. Plot was fairly predictable though, especially the ‘revelation’ of Eve being Moneypenny, with the 3021 references to ‘the field not being for everyone’ and M needing a replacement and M for Mallory. Fairly obvious that you don’t hire Ralph Fiennes to the good guy team and let him go after one movie, so was a bit disappointed that I’d guessed all of the plot points and ‘twists’ before seeing the film.

You'll love or hate him

As for actors and performances, I was impressed. Daniel Craig and Judy Dench’s relationship is heart warming once again, Ben Whishaw’s debut as Q is a breath of fresh air and Javier Bardem is menacing as creepy villain Silver. Controversial gay scene, although I think it worked. It’s a demonstration of the limits of training and hey, it’s a change from a regular torture scene. Although, I really didn’t like Naomie Harris at all. Really over the top, always reminded me of an overexaggerated cartoon character. And does she think it’s funny that she shot Bond with a sniper? Ralph Fiennes is a promising addition to the series although his pointy teeth remind me too much of Voldemort….

So Mendes has saved Bond from becoming the village joke. He’s not a one dimensional Expendable any more and may even have an Oscar shout this year. But thanks to the amount he went into Bond’s character and history, as well as the issues with Bond’s age and inadequacies being brought to light, I fear for the long term future possibilities for the franchise. It’s a new take on Bond and it made a great solo film, but this approach can’t possibly continue for another 10 films. Mendes has done well, but how much of this is down to the fact that he’s been the first director actually allowed to delve into Bond’s motives and history?

Bond has evolved, but this evolution cannot continue if we’re to see another 23 films! Skyfall may have saved and doomed James Bond…

Overall 4.1/5