“I can do more damage on my laptop sitting in my pajamas before my first cup of Earl Grey than you can do in a year in the field.” - Q
Skyfall was directed by Sam Mendes and is the third film to star Daniel Craig as James Bond. The film also stars Judi Dench, Ben Whishaw, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, and Naomie Harris. At the beginning of this film, Agent 007 is shot off the top of a train and goes missing. When MI6 is attacked by a cyber-terrorist, Bond comes out of hiding to help. But there is one problem: When Bond was shot, he was presumed dead by MI6, which means that he will now have to pass a number of physical tests to regain his status as an Agent before he can go off to save the day.
When Quantum of Solace turned out to be mediocre, along came Skyfall to breathe life back into the Bond franchise again. Skyfall has everything I want from a Bond film. It has humor, action, suspense, witty dialogue, excellent costuming and makeup, and most of all, it has personality. It’s very unique and in my opinion, it stands above any of the other Bond movies I’ve seen. Skyfall is not just a great Bond movie, but a great movie in general.
The film has a breathtaking opening scene involving Bond in hot pursuit of a man named Patrice. After this comes my favorite opening credits scene in a Bond movie ever. Incredible visuals that invoke a feeling of sinking are set to Adele’s powerful song “Skyfall.” After this wonderful opening, we are eventually introduced to a marvelous cast of new characters such as Q, played by Ben Whishaw, and Silva, played by Javier Bardem, who happens to be my favorite Bond villain I’ve seen so far.
We already know that Daniel Craig can do no wrong when it comes to playing James Bond, and while Bond is the main focus of this film, I think the real star of the film is Javier Bardem. His portrayal of Silva is complex, layered, and ultimately chilling. Something that Bardem has always excelled at is portraying characters that are simultaneously creepy and smooth, and in Skyfall, he proves again that he is the perfect actor for that type of character.
It’s a guarantee that when a film has Sam Mendes as the director, Roger Deakins as cinematographer and Thomas Newman as the film score composer, the movie is going to be incredible. These individuals create a three-man dream team unlike any other in the world of filmmaking. They’ve all worked together before in the 2005 film Jarhead, and the 2008 film Revolutionary Road. After Skyfall, they worked together a fourth time with the 2019 film 1917. If those films prove anything, it’s that when these three men work together, the end product is stunning.
Thomas Newman’s score in this film is very different compared to his previous scores. He still utilizes sounds and instruments that make his music instantly recognizable, but he throws in some new elements as well that keep the music fresh and innovative. The camerawork of Roger Deakins perfectly compliments Newman’s dramatic score. Deakins again uses lighting to his advantage and creates stunning images. Something Deakins is famous for is capturing scenes involving fire. He did it in both Jarhead and 1917, and he does it again in Skyfall. He also makes Shanghai nightlife look absolutely gorgeous.
Sam Mendes has created another masterpiece with Skyfall, and it’s safe to say that it’s my favorite Bond film I’ve seen up to this point. I have no problems whatsoever with this film. If you want a Bond film that gives you everything you could ever want from a movie, check out Skyfall.
Rating: PG-13
Grade: A+
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