Review: ‘Skyfall’ is James Bond’s Long ‘Dark Knight’ Of The Soul

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‘Casino Royale‘ was a game changer for James Bond movies. The character was revitalized, camp-free, and taken seriously. It was also hugely successful.

Then came ‘Quantum Of Solace’, a flat, uninviting snooze fest that was forgotten almost as soon as it came out. And then the series studio MGM filed for bankruptcy, leaving the franchise in jeopardy.

But the studio issues are now resolved, and the new movie  ‘Skyfall‘ is one of the best Bond film’s yet. Director Sam Mendes (‘American Beauty‘) continues with the deconstructed Bond from ‘Casino‘. An emotionally stunted blunt instrument who is unsure of his destiny.

The movie starts off with an amazing stunt sequence on a train, followed by Bond being left for dead. Of course he doesn’t stay that way. He returns more embittered than before. Whereas earlier Bond actor’s were gleeful in their emotional detachment to their work, Craig’s Bond is perturbed by his dark underpinnings and damaged psychological state.

The plot afterwards seems standard issue…at first. Bond must stop a diabolical baddie. And boy what a villain. Javier Bardem plays Raoul Silva, a colorfully maniacal Cyber-Criminal.

But all is not what it seems. Rather than the usual dreams of world domination, Silva only wants to destroy MI-6. He starts off by releasing classified documents on the internet (Wikileaks, much?). His reasons are murky at first, but become frighteningly clear as the plot moved forward.

Bardem has already played an iconic villain; Anton Chigurth in ‘No Country For Old Men‘.  Chigurth was an elemental force; an unstoppable, sadistic grim reaper (with a terrible haircut). How to top that epic performance?

Silva also sports a frightwig, but he’s larger than life, with a dark humored glee that proves sharp counterpoint to Bond’s dry demeanor. It’s a testament to Bardem’s skill that he’s created an equally impressive antagonist through an entirely different approach.

This template of a monochromatic hero in search of a madman, feels much like “The Dark Knight“, and it’s just one of many similarities to that and the other films in the Bat-Man trilogy. The music (a fantastic score by Thomas Newman), mood, imagery and tone make this very much of the same cloth.

But while Mendes references that film, ‘Skyfall‘ is wonderful in its own right.

It’s also the most beautifully shot movie in the series, full of lustrous colors and vivid landscapes. Cinematographer Roger Deakins should be a shoe-in for an Oscar. A fight scene between Bond and an assassin that takes place in a Shanghai Skyscraper (another  ‘Dark Knight’ similarity) is fantastically luminous; both characters are alternately obscured and illuminated by undulating electronic billboard reflections. It’s kinetically hypnotic.

‘Skyfall‘ has all the familiar trappings of a 007 film; great action, beautiful women and stylish violence, but Mendes takes a daring turn in the final act. He relies little on high-tech gadgets or exotic locales. He takes Bond home in every sense. Relying on old-school defense and steely resolve. It’s a thrilling thing to see 007 in this unfamiliar terrain.

The dangerous endgame of espionage, both from internal and external threat, get very personal. Bond is put to the test, and at great cost. Craig’s Bond allows vulnerability to leak through his hard protective shell, making him the most nuanced actor to have played 007. And this movie has more depth than any previous entry.

But it’s not all overly serious doom and gloom; Mendes leaves the series wide open by reintroducing some key classic Bond elements in playfully surprising ways.

‘Skyfall‘ raises the bar high for the next James Bond picture. The sky is the limit, indeed.

(Attention James Bond and Batman fans; Be sure to check out my Christmas Gifts List: Best DVD and Blu-Ray Sets of 2012, which has lots of great 007 and Dark Knight goodness). And see how Skyfall stacks up with our Best Movies of 2012. 

You can buy Skyfall on Amazon below.  

[amazon_image id=”B007REV4YI” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Skyfall (Blu-ray/ DVD + Digital Copy)[/amazon_image]

Directed by Sam Mendes

Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Albert Finney, Bérénice Lim Marlohe

Screenplay: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan

Rating: PG-13

Running time: 143 min.