Skyfall

[shapinglight]

So anyway, now that's over I suppose it's okay to post about trivial stuff again, so here's my review of the new Bond movie, Skyfall, which the Brit crits have all loved.

Predictably, I thought...

Spoilers behind cut



....Quantum of Solace was better.

:sigh: I know I'm going to be alone in this, and it probably stems from the fact that until the Danial Craig/Judi Dench era came along, I was never a Bond fan. I've seen a lot of the old movies, but even as a kid their sexism made me squirm (I was on the Indians' side in all the old Westerns too, even when all they did was yell a lot and fall off their horses) and I'm not interested in the cars and gadgets. Thus, that side of the new film was never going to appeal to me (though it's a lot more low-tech and believeable now and I thought Ben Whishaw was great as 'Q').

I also know that OTT villains are de rigeur in Bond movies, but though the villain in Casino Royale was a little in that vein, he wasn't overtly so, and the villain in Quantum of Solace wasn't so much a person as an organisation. But, see, that worked for me. A shadowy association of amoral plutocrats trying to acquire rights to the world's water supply struck me as very frightening and a very appropriate villain for the age we live in. But what do I know? I'm not a Bond fan, as I said.

Which of course is all me leading up to saying that the reason why I don't like Skyfall so much is because of the villain. Not that Javier Bardem wasn't good, or anything, but...nah. Sorry. Also, given all that subtext about Bond and the villain (I can't remember his name) vying for M's affections (who does mummy love best?), I think that would have worked for me better too if the villain had been more 'normal.'

I'm also sad that Judi Dench's tenure as M ended the way it did. Her last words to Bond, "At least I got one thing right," (which is about as affectionate as she gets) suggested the character felt she'd failed otherwise, and since some nutter just blew up half of London on her watch because of a personal grudge, I can quite see why.

I also didn't like the crusty old retainer at Skyfall. When M and Bond arrived at the house, I thought to myself, "I hope there isn't going to be some crusty old retainer in residence, because that would be such a cliche," and lo and behold there he was.

Aa-and I also didn't like that Bond didn't react more to the death of the poor girl (in fact, I wasn't even sure whether she was dead). That could have been better done, IMO.

All that said, there was lots to enjoy in the film. I still love Daniel Craig's performance (Bond is pretty much a sociopath, or do I mean psychopath? He's pathological, anyway), and love Bond's relationship with M (which, sadly, is now a thing of the past). All the Bond/M scenes were wonderful. I shall miss them (maybe so much that I won't want to see any more Bond films, especially if they've taken all the emotional complexity - such as it is- with them). I also enjoyed some of the set pieces enormously, in particular the one on the Underground (bet they filmed that at Aldwych), and the initial chase scene in Istanbul. I also like the new Moneypenny, who is obviously after the M job one day herself (and her fieldwork wasn't that bad at all, despite Bond's teasing).

So yes, it was good - enjoyable - but I think I'd be less inclined to rewatch it than I am Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Lucky for me, I suppose that, despite Skyfall being M's last hoorah (the Judi Dench M, that is), the first two films are a complete story in themselves.

What can I say? I like my action heroes more emotionally vulnerable and tortured. It's a thing.

Comments

[rahirah]

I have made it through my entire life without watching a single Bond movie, and I feel no great urge to remedy that lack.

[shapinglight]

I've seen some of the earlier ones on TV but managed (thankfully) to miss the entire Roger Moore era. Never seen any of the Pierce Brosnan ones either.

I only got into Bond at all because in Casino Royale/Quantum of Solace, they rebooted the franchise and got rid of many of the things that the fanboys loved and which I hated, such as the silly gadgets and the unchallenged sexism and the complete lack of any kind of humanity in the main character. The results, I suppose, were probably less 'Bond' and more 'Bourne' but I liked that.

Now it seems to be swinging back the fanboys' way my interest is definitely waning. I'll always like the first two films of the Daniel Craig era, though.

[felisblanco.livejournal.com]

I have been a Bond fan, although I'm not sure that is the right word, for years. Meaning, I've seen all the movies, I enjoy the ridiculous gadgets and car chases, love the cheesy one liners and absolutely abhor the blatant sexism.

I was overall pretty satisfied with Skyfall even if the shower scene creeped me out. (She had given him no real reason to think she wanted to have sex with him, she was terrified at the casino, all her actions were under duress. Plus she was a former child prostitute "rescued" to become a mad man's sextoy and still Bond steps naked into her shower, expecting her to have sex with him. It doesn't matter if she wanted it or not, with her background she probably wouldn't even think of saying no.)

But the ending left me so pissed off and disappointed. Not so much M's death, if she had to go (and let's face it, she was getting on in years) I'd rather she went with a bang than forced out by politics. But not only is she replaced by a man but the very capable female agent we got to meet at the beginning of the film suddenly decides she'd rather be a desk clerk, with no apparent reason other than "it's not for everyone". Everyone meaning women, I presume. So order is restored, the men are back in charge and the woman is in her place, making coffee and taking notes while flirting with Bond and showing off her legs.

That is where it seems to be going right now anyway. I really hope they've got a plan to balance it to be more female friendly again in the next one. Considering they did an gender equality video only last year this ending seems even more backwards. I left the cinema so angry.

But everyone I know seems to love it so it looks like you get the lucky job of listening to me rant. lol

[shapinglight]

The shower scene didn't bother me at all, because Severine looked disappointed earlier when she thought Bond wasn't coming. What did bother me about her story was the fact that she just...died. If Bond had saved her (given that this is a Bond film and that's what happens) that would have made the character seem much less throwaway.

Sad really. They did all that stuff so much better in Quantum of Solace.

As for Moneypenny, we'll have to see. I came away with the impression that she's chosen to become the new M's aide for a reason, being that she has her eye on his job ultimately. Time will tell. If I'm wrong, it's quite possible they think they've been quite brave enough by making Moneypenny POC and don't have to change her entire role in the franchise.

The stuff with M made me a lot more cross. I didn't like that her last days in charge ended in failure. That, to me, was far more like saying women can't quite hack it than the Moneypenny stuff.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

I hated the crusty retainer too - especially as he was a gamekeeper. Which seemed pretty pointless as there was no one living there. Why couldn't he just have been the caretaker?

[shapinglight]

Well, it was a Scottish estate. They nearly always have deer stalking and any crusty old retainers are probably involved in that.

I'm more bothered by the fact that the villain, for some reason, didn't shoot him at the end there. Why wouldn't he? He's shot everyone else.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Respect for the aged?

I agree - I was hoping he'd get shot.

[shapinglight]

Maybe, since the villain obviously had mummy issues (like Bond's but even wackier) and was feeling all sentimental about 'childhood', the old man reminded him of Santa Claus and he couldn't bring himself to kill him?

Otherwise, I've got nothing.