My review
Let me first of all say, that I hate writing reviews. The only reviews I feel compelled to write about are movies that I love and enjoy and believe are worth writing about and with Skyfall, it’s simply going to be hard because I feel like vomiting everything I know about it and all my excitement for it all in this review. I won’t at least I hope I won’t.
So, essentially, I was one of many people who attended the Skyfall premiere last night at the Royal Albert Hall. The second time in my life I’ve attended a movie premiere, the first being for Disney’s Lion King back in the mid 90s or whenever it was.
Anyway, let me say that this was a big deal, a major event and although I got to walk along the red carpet and was mere meteres away from Daniel Craig, I wasn’t too fussed about the individual stars but more the overall atmosphere and experience of being part of Bond history, British history and cinematic history.
Once I walked past the db5 and found my way off the red carpet and into the actual building, I was taken aback by the vastness of the Albert Hall. It was massive and the seats were comfy too. We were entertained by this military orchestral band who played renditions of various Bond themes, which included the likes of the main Bond theme, GF, DAF, Nobody does it better and a few others but the stand out for me was the ridiculously awesome rendition of OHMSS. Amazing!
Anyway, once the stars and Mendes came out to introduce the movie, it was time to spectate on a 2hr20min footage that’s been 4 years in the making.
Let me just say that, I’ve never been to any screening which generated as many cheers and applauds that SF got. The audience cheered no less than about 5 times throughout the movie and the cheers were justified believe me.
The film opens with the typical all too Bondish, dun dun! Musical notes as Craig’s Bond, stealthily moves in the shadows of a hallway, trying to salvage a mission that’s gone wrong. We then have Bond and his field agent colleague, Eve in pursuit of an assassin to retrieve what he stole. The action is fast paced, breath taking and most importantly, watchable. None of that shaky cam/quick cut chop editing nonsense that plagued QoS. The spectacular culmination of this PTS gives the impression that Bond is now sleeping with the fish and what follows is Daniel Kleinman’s amazing title sequence that boasts striking colours of doom and gloom, water graves, girls and guns, all appropriately accompanied by a shortened version of Adele’s haunting SF theme. This is a Bond film.
The story is refreshingly simple but handled in a superiorly engaging way that manages to allow the human brain to not be bored but at the same time not be drowned with action sequences every 2 minutes. The core characters really shine and are amazingly developed, although, I did feel that Berenice Marlohe’s Sevarin was underused and could have done with a bit more screen time but her presence in the movie serves a purpose that is at least adequate enough to not spend time moaning about and still enjoy everything going on around her. Eve played by Naomie Harris imo has great chemistry with Craig and they have this flirtatious, camaraderie going on through out the movie and it’s put to amusing use in Macau.
Dench as M is on blistering top form, why did they wait for 7 movies in order to really perform?? Jeez. Dench earned her pay cheque for this movie. Ralph Fiennes as Mallory was superb and I think it’s best that the less I say about him the better. Bardem as Silva forced his way into the villainous ranks of the likes of, Ledger’s joker, Hannibal Lecter and even Hans Gruber. Bardem was creepy, calculating and I dare say that had it been any other of the previous Bond actors in the role as Bond, Bardem would have outshone them and stolen the limelight and I don’t say that lightly because I’m a Connery fanboy!
As for Craig. Lord have mercy! This guy had his contract renewed for him to do at least another 2 after SF a little while ago and I you’ll see why the producers are anxious to keep him on board. Craig is an acting juggernaut that delivers the performance of his career imo. Craig is human, imperfect, lethal, determined and brings the humour like you’ve never seen before. These aren’t childish or juvenile, cheesy jokes. Craig delivers the humour with brilliant one liners, great banter and body language that never ever outstays its welcome. Make no mistake about it, if you didn’t think Craig was a good Bond, if you though he lacked charm and humour, send me a private message, requesting for some nice tasty crow to eat. Craig delivers a definitive performance.
There are gadgets!
I don’t want to really talk about it because it’s best you watch it but the use of gadgets are very much present but rightfully so, does not overshadow Bond.
I don’t want to risk spoiling things for you all but I’ll say this, SF is an amazing movie, it’s easily movie of the year and beats the likes of TDKR and Avengers and you must go and see it. A fine film that really delivers and brings everything full circle and proves that Bond is not only back but steals the crown away from all the other pretenders to the throne. I hope I’ve said enough and not too much or too little.
If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.
rating: 4.5/5
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