NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SKYFALL Revisited

In the No Time To Die Countdown, Jake Tropila takes a look back at every Bond film – official and unofficial – in anticipation of the release of the latest entry.

The first time I saw Skyfall, I was convinced it was the greatest Bond film ever made. Chalk it up to my general disappointment with Quantum of Solace, and the four-year waiting period between films (remember when those were uncommon?). But the word on the street was this new film brought the goods, and I saw for myself on opening night: it delivered everything I wanted and more, an immensely satisfying spy film starring the world’s greatest secret agent. I left the cinema grinning ear to ear. Quantum of Who? I was all in on Skyfall.

Such high praise now seems absurd, I’ll openly admit, but I still enjoy the film a good deal. A genuinely great Bond Film? Oh, absolutely. The best one ever? Eh, not quite. It wasn’t until I sat down to watch it again that I realized the difference: Skyfall is not a perfect James Bond Film; it is a perfect valentine to the Bond franchise, an open celebration of everything the franchise is and was. I think that difference is key in looking back at Skyfall, just shy of a decade from its release.

It’s easy to forget just how big a phenomenon this film truly was. Released on the 50^th anniversary of Dr. No, Skyfall would go on to score a billion dollars at the box office, two Academy Awards, and heaps of global adoration. Everything clicked: the song, the villain, the action, the Bond, the M, the Q, the Moneypenny, the car, the locations, the cinematography – all triumphs, as far as I’m concerned. But I can’t quite shake the feeling that all of these are in service to creating a strong fan version of a Bond film, and not the best Bond film.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Even if it were a fan film, it’s the best of its kind. A large part of this revisit will be love, but I think it’s important to assess why I maybe don’t love this film as the best Bond film there is, like I once did many years ago. So, let’s hop aboard the tube, provided it doesn’t crash through a hole in the wall, and find out why. It’s 2012. Let the sky fall, baby.

Think on Your Sins

The pre-title sequence is plenty thrilling. An exciting motorcycle chase on the roofs and through the Turkish Grand Bazaar escalates into a bare-fisted brawl on top of a moving train. MI6 is heavily involved: new recruit Eve (Naomie Harris) accompanies Bond in the field, while M monitors the situation back home and barks orders in their ears (“Secure the hard drive!”). I love how Bond opts to slam his motorcycle into the side of the bridge to land on top of the moving train, rather than just simply jump off the bridge. A completely unnecessary maneuver, but goddamn if I don’t respect it.

Even better is the caterpillar flattening some blatant product placement. Bond leaping off the top of the machinery to land in the smashed train carriage and casually straighten the cuff of his shirt is an image I’ll never grow tired of. Calm, cool, and assured — this is the Bond I know. The fight with henchman Patrice on the roof of the train is pretty intense (though what was that loose chain just doing there?), until the unthinkable happens: Eve shoots Bond and he falls into the river below. For once, the bad guy gets away. MI6 sits in stunned silence. Our hero’s fate hangs in the balance. A terrific sequence; top marks all around.

Bow down before the might of Adele. Looking back at previous films, I’d argue you’d have to go as far back as Duran Duran to find a song that tops this. “Skyfall” is pure Bond royalty – a robust, Bassey-esque belter of a track that’s sure to make your speaker system shake. Like many things in Skyfall, the song itself is perfectly honed. The credit sequence is pretty neat, too — I love the underwater graveyard motif. Complementing Adele’s song is Thomas Newman, who delivers a satisfying score that hits all the right Bond beats.

As mentioned above, this is Bond’s golden jubilee. Taking the franchise reins was Sam Mendes, himself of several prestige pictures. With half a century of cinematic history gone by, Mendes’s approach is one of introspection. While only sporting two previous films under his belt, Craig’s Bond is established as a world-weary agent, pondering what use he has left as he nears obsolescence. Casino Royale’s Bond emerged sprightly and gung ho to take on any task; Skyfall’s Bond is a broken-down man, toiling away in a pit of self-doubt. The difference is palpable.

And it’s clearly evident that Mendes is a Bond fan, as he treats the film as one giant sandbox to play around in. And what fun it is! Part of the fun is watching Mendes reassemble the MI6 everyone knows and loves. Having been responsible for Bond’s injury, Eve is pulled off field duty and designated deskwork, and we  Miss Moneypenny (replete with many casual flirtations with Bond – shaving has never been more sensual).

Also entering the fray is our new Q, played with just the right amount of wet-behind-the-ears fascination by Ben Whishaw. Trading irascible old man for young tech geek was a smart move, yet this Q is still capable of going toe-to-toe with the seasoned Bond. “Age is no guarantee of efficiency,” Q comments. “And youth is no guarantee of innovation,” Bond retorts. Fast friends, the both of them.

Rounding out our new team is Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory, later to be our new M. A marvelous actor, I can’t think of one better suited for the role. All the new elements fall into place, but one stalwart remains: our original M. At seventeen years, Judi Dench has matched the OG Bernard Lee for the length of tenure (but not film count), but has arguably had a greater success with the role, enjoying time spent fleshing out the character rather than sitting behind a desk. Skyfall is her shining moment — she is our Bond Woman for this feature.

Wasting away on an island paradise did not seem to suit Bond. An explosion at MI6 and the release of embedded agent identities bring him back to the fold (Personally, I think the whole YouTube angle is one of the weakest parts of Skyfall. Modern, yes, but kinda lame. So it goes). Time has taken its toll on Bond: the once virile agent can no longer shoot straight or pass the psychological exam. M clears him anyway — is she sending a man to his grave, or is this a symbol of how deep their trust runs? We shall have to see.

I love the bit with the word association. Bond’s disdain for authority is an open secret, and his decision to undermine every word the psychologist throws at him is expertly played (“Day” becomes “Wasted”, “Murder” becomes “Occupation,” etc.). It’s not until the cryptic phrase “Skyfall” pops up does the situation change. Newman’s strings lean on the revelation a bit, but Craig is doing fantastic work here, clearly shaken (not stirred) at the word (still unknown to us yet) but subdued enough to play it off coolly. I can’t imagine any other Bond Actor pulling this scene off.

Everybody Needs A Hobby

While there’s a host of new faces in front of Skyfall’s camera, the real star of the show is the man behind it: Roger Deakins. The veteran cinematographer was the first to shoot a Bond film digitally, and the results are sumptuous. Absolutely sumptuous. A small handful of previous films (e.g., Goldfinger, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) pulled out all the stops to craft a gorgeous-looking Bond picture, but Skyfall is on another level entirely. No film in the series looks as consistently rich and visually breathtaking as this one does.

And, my goodness, the locales are photographed incredibly well. The golden casino in Macau is a highlight, bringing literal fireworks to a familiar setting (the fun aside with the Komodo dragon is straight outta Roger Moore’s playbook). Even better is the trip to Shanghai, which pits Bond against Patrice at the top of a high-rise, both killers illuminated by the glowing blue jellyfish projected on the windows outside. Skyfall is at its best during these moments of pure visual splendor.

All of this, and we haven’t even met our villain yet. Enter Javier Bardem, as bleach blonde Silva, delivering the creepiest monologue about taking care of a rat infestation on an island. Lord, Bardem is tremendous in this, flamboyant and theatrical and having a grand old time. Like Bond, he’s a broken man himself, born from a failed suicide attempt via a faulty cyanide pill, and as a result, bears a large chip on his shoulder. All of his grandiloquent schemes boil down to what’s arguably the simplest plot for a Bond Villain yet: he just wants to kill M. That’s it.

Poor Severine. Pained history shared in the casino, a steamy dalliance in the shower, and a swift death at the hands of Silva. She deserved better. Luckily, Bond avenges her quickly, dispatching Silva’s men and ensnaring the villain outright.

If things ever do get a little shaky with Skyfall, I’d say the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of Silva’s plan. I mentioned I don’t like the YouTube angle, but his entire plot revolves around him getting captured and held at MI6 on the day of M’s hearing, (we do get a nice bit of the MI6 team helping M ward off Silva at the courthouse — Bond’s wink to Mallory is dynamite). Skyfall is an immaculately crafted film, but a lot of Silva’s plotting feels very first draft to me.

Fortunately, I do love the explosive grand finale and almost everything that comes right before it. Silva’s extended intro is nearly upstaged by the arrival of the original Aston Martin DB5 (accompanied by a choice Newman music sting), right before we settle down in Scotland. Namely, Skyfall, Bond’s familial estate, tended to by gamekeeper Kincade (a welcome Albert Finney). Bond’s roots had never really been touched on before Craig came around. I love the choice of Scotland, perhaps as an homage to Connery (who was rumored to be considered for Kincade, at one point).

The battle against Silva and his men is pulled off superbly well. Credit goes to its sheer simplicity; many derided the Straw Dogs/Home Alone-esque invasion upon Skyfall’s release, but I’m all for it. At the very least, we get to watch Bond execute just a bunch of really cool moves: he guns down the first wave of guys while secretly hiding in his Aston Martin, he kick-flips a machine gun into his hands while charging through the house, he even jumps and breaks a guy’s neck with his feet, mid-air, and keeps rushing forward without losing his momentum.

The showdown with Silva in the abandoned church is appropriately haunting. Just when all seems lost for poor M, a quick chuck of a knife puts Silva down for good (“Last rat standing”). M is saved, and all seems well. Except, M is not saved. She succumbs to wounds sustained during the onslaught. Silva may be dead, but Bond still failed the mission. A rare moment of melancholy topped only the loss of Tracy and Vesper. Thank you for your service, M.

The wrap-up at MI6 is a fulfilling end to Craig’s “backstory” trilogy. The new Q is in his lab, the new Moneypenny is at her desk, and the new M has an assignment ready for Bond. All is right in the world. Cue the gun barrel.

Conclusion: Skyfall

Skyfall is an immeasurably satisfying Bond film. Sumptuously photographed and terrifically executed, the film is a perfect valentine to the world of 007. Craig finds new, interesting avenues to play the character, and the stage is set for future installments to come. Some shakiness with plot details remain, but in a word, it’s fabulous.

Coming up next: everything has been building towards this moment. The No Time To Die Countdown will return with Spectre.

What do you think? Is Skyfall the very best the series has to offer? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch Skyfall