New Bond Film Skyfall Did Not Disappoint!
October 28, 2012. On Thursday midnight, or rather Friday, October 26, 2012, at exactly 00:07, the 23rd Bond film, titled Skyfall, premiered. It certainly did not disappoint; in fact, it exceeded expectations, especially after the less impactful Quantum of Solace. If you haven’t seen it in theaters yet, make sure to go – you’re in for almost 2.5 hours of thrilling action.
Daniel Craig as James Bond
In the lead role of James Bond, Daniel Craig appears for the third time, having made a fantastic debut in Casino Royale. The main villain is Javier Bardem as the eccentric and embittered Raoul Silva, who delivers an outstanding performance. Judi Dench reprises her role as M, the head of the British Secret Service, for the seventh time. The film features two Bond girls: British actress Naomie Harris as Eve and French actress Bérénice Marlohe as Sévérine.
Action-Packed Opening and Iconic Titles
Right from the opening scene, you’ll enjoy a thrilling chase through the streets and rooftops of Istanbul. This is followed by beautifully crafted Bond-style opening credits, accompanied by the eponymous song Skyfall performed by Adele. The film’s plot then moves to a skyscraper in Shanghai, a casino in Macau, but also returns to good old London and ultimately culminates in Scotland, the place where Bond grew up and lost both his parents.
A Plot Full of Tension and Surprises
Bond and M, who share a long history, face a test of their relationship. The main antagonist, Raoul Silva, also echoes the past. The plot of Skyfall revolves around a stolen hard drive containing a list of NATO agents working undercover in terrorist organizations. This leads to the biggest infiltration of MI6 in history, and even M’s life is put in danger.
A More Realistic and Gritty Bond
The entire film has excellent pacing. Despite running for nearly two and a half hours, it flies by. The movie is packed with fantastic scenes and witty one-liners. Compared to previous Bond films, which were more exaggerated, Skyfall is slightly more realistic and raw. It is set in the era of the fight against terrorism, where enemies are not clearly identified, there are no clear battle lines, and attacks come from the shadows. M is forced to defend the existence of MI6 after a botched operation.
New Q and Modern Technology
In this new Bond film, no stone is left unturned. Without giving too much away, it was clear from the trailers that Bond would get a new Q. Q has been rejuvenated and fits better into the era of computers and networks, as well as the fight against terrorism. Rather than an inventor, he could be described as an “IT guy” or hacker. The first meeting between Bond and the young Q is very funny, with lines like, “I can do more damage in my pajamas before my first cup of tea than you can do in a year.” Or when Bond receives a Walther PPK and a radio transmitter from Q, calling it Christmas, to which Q replies, “Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that anymore.”
Conclusion: Skyfall as a Celebration of 50 Years of Bond
In any case, Skyfall is worth watching and is a fitting conclusion to the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the first Bond film (Dr. No from 1962 starring Sean Connery). If you’re not planning to go to the cinema soon or don’t mind spoilers, you can read the entire plot of Skyfall.
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Based on the original Czech article: Nová bondovka Skyfall nezklamala!.