I have always been a fan of the James Bond franchise. I don't mean to brag but I believe I have seen almost all the released bond movies.
They have all been fantastic movies.
Of all the Bond men, my top 3 memorable actors would be
Roger Moore
Sean Connery
Pierce Brosnan
They all brought some level of sex appeal, adventure and intrigue to the role and the movie as a whole. When Daniel Craig took over the Bond character, I withdraw from the entire Bond high or addiction if you would call it that.
When Casino Royale was released, I didn't bother clamoring for a seat in the cinemas; I had seen the previews and wasn’t particularly thrilled. I took my sweet time and got someone to pay for the ticket (I can be cheap, I know) because I wasn't going to waste my cash on something I wasn’t entirely sure of the eventual outcome. I didn't enjoy the movie; not after this response ‘Do I look like I give a damn’ when he was asked if he wanted his martini shaken or stirred moments after a poker game.
I'm not prejudiced against him; I did give him the benefit of doubt to redeem himself a second time but he failed miserably. I was at the premiere of Quantum of Solace and it was honestly all I could do not to fall asleep during the movie. Gone was the sexy minx of a man I had associated with the character, the savvy action god with cool gadgets and a calm demeanor. In his place was a stone-faced man with one expression for the duration of the movie, and that expression was not sexy, sweet, teasing or appealing. I waited to hear that one line that was a signature with the bond men - Martini, shaken not stirred - but it was nowhere to be found or in this case heard. Imagine my disappointment, again.
When Skyfall hit the cinemas I was again skeptical. Will this be another hit and miss with me?
As luck would have it, this time around, I didn't have to pay to watch the movie at the cinema and I also when the buzz had died down. We were less than 15 in the hall which was perfect - no distractions or side comments. The movie had my full concentration.
The opening was catchy, loved it. Theme song by Adele, loved it and love her too.
Judi Dench as always was fantastic. You could feel her frustrations especially when she had to use a swear word here and there in the movie. The storyline was built around her so she got a lot of screen time this time around. Her choices during her career as M was on scrutiny - uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Her past came back to bite her in the ass and took some casualties.
Javier Bardem played the villain of the movie and I must say his acting was phenomenal. His character was totally sick and twisted upstairs, his portrayal was believable. You could feel and sometimes understand his motives for being so bad-ass - at least I did. He felt wronged, abandoned and used. Imagine being captured, tortured and still upholding the code of silence, then you swallow cyanide and death still doesn't come, only to find out that you were deliberately sacrificed by MI6 (your boss!!). I assure you, you’ll not only be pissed but you’ll also long for revenge. Pain and suffering does strange things to the mind.
Daniel Craig, hmmm, same old story. Hard-faced acting, no gadget, no Martini but this time I liked him. Maybe it was the storyline, the fact that he almost died after being shot by Moneypenny at the beginning of the movie, his being out of shape and unfit for duty but still fighting and struggling to prove he still 'gat' it. All these little elements came together to make him seem humane and I finally appreciated a James Bond without ‘exploding pens’ as the new and younger Q put it.
There was no prominent bond girl; I would have loved to see a sex goddess because Moneypenny didn’t do it for me.
The movie was driven by the pure acting skills of each actor, all of whom pulled their weight. There weren't any moments when you found yourself distracted from the movie, it was engaging from beginning to end. Although it ran a little long and all the ladies who have portrayed Moneypenny have been white, I didn't have much to complain about the movie, and that's saying a lot considering I watched it at 10pm and I didn't sleep a wink for the whole movie.
Kudos to the bond franchise as Skyfall marked the 23rd movie in bond history. It currently holds 92% on the rotten tomatoes movie site and that says a lot - those guys are stingy with their praise.
To end my ramblings, Skyfall is fantastic, doesn't call up the memorable elements of the old bond classics but it has an interesting storyline. I eagerly await Daniel Craig’s transformation into a sexy beast that I can swoon over but till then I will soak up every bond movie Pierce Brosnan ever starred in, that should keep me going till another bond is signed to replace Craig.
