This autumn the most fascinating thing is happening in North America. Yes, I’m talking about the Skyfall movie premiering in the cinemas, not the festivities linked to Obama’s victorious sequel term approval or the departure of Frankenstorm aptly named Sandy.
Being a resident of the foggy Albion, also known as Great Britain, I was priviliged to see Skyfall last week and am still bubbling with excitement like a mighty furuncule with pus (sorry I couldn’t resist the atrocious metaphor).
For those who surfed the web for awhile before coming here and can’t wait to dash to the toilet I’ll just say Skyfall is probably the best Bond film ever!
Kudos to producers for bringing the director Sam Mendes on board; the story is seamless with superb action well mixed with the witty and snappy dialogue. The acting is solid, the villain played by Javier Bardem is in my opinion one of the best in the Hollywood history. I know it’s wrong but you almost fall in love with this hilarious guy and practically regret that he’s a baddy and not your best chum.
To me the minor flaw of Skyfall is about the bad Bond girl who is played by the voluptuous French actress Bérénice Marlohe. The problem here is, and I hope both my gay and straight peers will agree with me on this, she’s just not featured enough in the film. While, on the other hand, you have almost an overdose of M.
Judi Dench is a veteran Oscar-winning actress and her M is one of the most admired strong woman characters in the film history. Skyfall is all about Bond’s relationship with M. That what makes the movie so fantastic. This relationship provides the depth to the film and pretty much all of its conflict. Apart from the Q upgrade (shhh.)
Being in charge of MI-6 for years, M knows like no one else that one has to take responsibility for oneself and others when things get hot and everyone panics. And despite she’s getting Bond in trouble each time, you see her as a strict but loving mother of her only child, who tries to bring up the baby in the tough world.
Berenice Marlohe as Severine
It’s also hard not to admire the substance Daniel Craig keeps bringing to the Bond character. His rough intelligence and introversion are played in such way we know there is a massive back-story Mr Bond’s hiding from us: this time he starts realising he is not just an employee with a duty nor M is just his boss.
The whole theme of responsibility reminds me two films I have seen recently, both exploring son and father relationships. The dystopian fantasy film Beasts of the Southern Wild is about little girl who’s conquering her fear to take responsibility for her own life and even help her father to conquer his fear.
The French film Rust and Bone that just won the main prize of London Film Festival is about a grown-up man who has to learn that manhood is not just about being rough and physically powerful, but also about looking after your loved ones, protecting the weak and paying the price of succumbing to bad ways. It’s a revelation and Jacques Audiard should get a foreign film Oscar for this work. Marion Cotillard has never been that bright since La Vie En Rose. And there are orca, killer whales, in the film. What more do you want?
I bet you didn’t expect me to smuggle in a couple of other films into my Skyfall post. Well, never trust a Russian (only joking).
Back to new Bond, the ironic thing is that we now face a proper resurrection of the Bond character. He’s done dealing with his past now, and I’m excited about what the future will bring to him. Bond-24 is already a must-see.
And now the mesmerising Skyfall song by Adele
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