Skyfall (2012) Review

SKYFALL (2012)
Director: Sam Mendes

Writers: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan

Producers: Anthony Waye, Callum McDougall, Barbra Broccoli, and Michael G. Wilson

Editor: Stuart Baird

Cinematography: Roger Deakins

Music: Thomas Newman

Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Albert Finney

Runtime: 2 hours 23 minutes

Rating: PG-13 (intense violence, some sexuality, language)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Suspense, Thriller

Release Date: November 9, 2012

Intro: Well, I knew from the start that this was a movie I wanted to see. I have only seen two other James Bond movies before this (Casino Royale and From Russia with Love), but I know the franchise as a whole always puts out entertaining movies. Anyway, it was one I wanted to see, but wasn't expecting a lot out of. It turns out I was wrong. Skyfall is really well-made thrilling movie with great directing, a great score, and a surprising amount of emotion and intelligence.

Plot: A computer drive containing a list of MI6 British agents from around the world has fallen into the wrong hands, and it is James Bond's mission to get them back. While fighting a bad guy on top of a train, M (Dench),  the head of MI6, has another agent (Harris) nearby who is ordered to take a shot at the bad guy and missed and hits Bond (Craig) instead. Bond is believed to be dead until he shows up months later after MI6 has been blown up due to some cyberterrorism. He returns in bad shape to MI6 and to a point where M's job is on the line. Bond follows a man and through visits to Shanghai and Macao and it leads him to an encounter with the real man named Silva (Bardem) behind the plots against MI6 and especially M. Bond must work to protect M at all costs and to control Silva before he gets revenge and sabotages MI6 and England.

Things people may find “objectionable”: The main thing here is violence. The movie, as with all action movies, is very violent, and fighting is a central part of the story. There is also quite a bit of blood, but only one scene where you see it actually dripping as opposed to stained on someone's shirt. Finally, there is some mild swearing, but it isn't too bad.

Ratings:

     -Directing/Cinematography: 10/10. I am big on the visuals of a movie, and this one did an exceedingly good job. The whole movie was full of striking imagery and interesting shots and lighting. My favorite scene visually was Bond fighting Patrice in the building in Shanghai, where it was dark except for the flashing advertisements, and the whole area was covered with glass windows, which perfectly distorted the light and made for engaging action. I also like the attention to detail. Since 2012 is the 50th anniversary of the release of the first Bond movie, Dr. No, there were numerous references to the number 50 or to 1962, which was a cool touch.

     -Acting: 9/10. Seriously, Javier Bardem needs to play the crazed villain in every movie. He's great at it between his role as Silva here and the bad guy in No Country for Old Men. Everyone else did a good job of acting, though I don't see anyone getting nominated for Best Actor or Best Actress, maybe except for Javier Bardem. Also, I like Daniel Craig as James Bond. I think he does well in the role.

     -Writing: 8.5/10.

          -Story: 9/10. Very well-done. The story was interesting and exciting as well as suspenseful throughout. I liked it also in that it did not follow the typical Bond formula, as the "Bond Girl" plays a minor role and the attacks mostly come from within MI6 instead of from the outside. It also pointed out some of Bond's weaknesses and portrayed him as more human, which I much prefer to him being almost an invincible superhero.

          -Script: 8/10. Good, just didn't stand out. I doubt any memorable lines will come from the movie, except for the "Bond. James Bond." line that isn't specific to Skyfall at all.

     -Special Effects: 9/10. Not much CGI, but very good special effects as far as the explosions and guns are concerned. Everything looked pretty realistic and they really added to the visuals in some scenes.

All the actors who have played James Bond. From
left to right: Daniel Craig, Timothy Dalton, Pierce
Brosnan, Roger Moore, and Sean Connery.

     -Music/Score: 10/10. The score was great. It was fast-paced and really added to the suspense of the movie. I'd be willing to bet the score will at least be nominated for an Oscar.

     -Power/Emotion: 8/10. I do like the recent trend in Bond movies (at least in this and Casino Royale. I didn't see Quantum of Solace) of making 007 more human. It really makes you feel for him, and in Skyfall you feel bad for both him and M, as both their careers are on the line as some deem them unfit.

     -Adrenaline: 10/10. As an action movie, Skyfall definitely succeeded. This is the one aspect you should get out of Bond movies, as it's kind of the point.

     -Intelligence: 7/10. Actually pretty thought-provoking, considering it's an action flick.

     -Humor: 3/10. Definitely not the point of the movie, but there were some funny moments and lines, mostly used as comic relief for the very intense rest of the movie.

     -Best Credit: Peter Boyer as an Orchestrator (For a friend. You know who you are if you're reading this. And there was no best credit anywhere else).

     -Final Score: Skyfall greatly exceeded my expectations. It is very well made and well-rounded as well as thrilling. Will it have a lasting legacy or win many awards? Probably not, but it's worth watching. I'd recommend this movie to any Bond fans or action movie fans. I think it is a movie that can be enjoyed by people with all tastes.

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