Verdict:
Look, Skyfall is one of the better action movies out there.
But I would like to issue an open complaint in a form of a question: how is it possible that even high value action movies sneak in a few lines of foolish dialogue or preposterous plot points? Surely, with a big movie, enough people have had to put their stamp of approval on every aspect of it, so that the obviously dumb stuff gets fished out. Why does a character need to describe out loud an event that the audience just witnessed? These issues are fairly modern too, as the classic James Bond films, featuring the likes of Roger Moore, do not appear to suffer from such issues.
Skyfall does not have many such annoyances but enough to be distracting. The film moves like a standard Bond flick and makes sense as a whole, but if you on a scene by scene basis, the logic is bumpy.
The plot is about a vengeful operative wreaking havoc upon Mr. Bond’s employer – a fairly generic premise, but the interesting theme throughout the film is that time has been moving on and James Bond is at risk of becoming obsolete. Not only that, but he’s in bad shape. This is an interesting meta comment on the whole series.
As the movie progresses, instead of increasing its scope, the film narrows it down. The setting becomes more and more local and personal. After so many ridiculous action scenes in other Bond movies, this was quite refreshing. It is good to see an action movie that does not involve a threat of nuclear war or a world-ending virus.
Javier Bardem is the star of this production. Finding new ways of being intimidating, he is to Skyfall what Anthony Hopkins was to Silence Of The Lambs.
Daniel Craig sure marks a departure from the other Bonds, as he is is far more down to earth, vulnerable, scarred, almost dying.
Cinematographically, Skyfall has a number of memorable scenes, from the neon-lit fight in the skyscraper to the dark fire-lit house in the highlands. The action has been given a modern realistic touch but without overreliance on computer effects. The stunts are far more grounded than in other Bond movies, with a focus on close-quarters fights.
With respect to the music, the big hit that came out of this film is Adele’s catchy song, but as powerful as that award-winning number is, it is just the theme played during the credits. What’s of bigger importance to us is Newman’s soundtrack, which is fully integrated with the scenery, to the point that you do not think about it.
In short, Skyfall makes many choices in the right direction. It would’ve been great if the details in the screenplay were given a bit more thought, but Bardem‘s performance alone is worth the price of admission.