Saturday, February 16, 2013

Where Skyfall Failed

Skyfall Contains a Few Fizzles Here and There (Spoiler Alert)


Skyfall has a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and all other websites have universally acclaimed the movie. So I’m treading on rather treacherous waters here by pointing out some let downs of the movie.
Yes, I accept the movie had some extremely solid merits. I must accede that the first half of the movie was exceptional laying the perfect foundation for the rest of the movie. Starting from Bond’s unexpected “Skyfall” off a train (if you didn't see the trailer) and temporary disappearance, the pace was set at an exhilarating level. Even the plot concerning cyber-terrorism was done smartly and introduced a dark undertone to the movie, especially with the routine assassination of undercover agents by the villain. Once, Bond returns, seeing him at his most vulnerable physically and emotionally was interesting, given that it has never been portrayed before. And the villain. Javier Bardem’s Silva shook up the usual basis for a bond villain. This queer antagonist was a thrill to watch, specifically his interactions with Bond that brought out some well-crafted humor and his shocking decision to kill Berenice Marlohe’s Severine, one of the 2 Bond girls in the movie. She deserved more on-screen time… I meant shower time.
        

That was it for me. After that the movie failed to connect with me emotionally as I saw it head towards conventionality. Seeing Bond return to his childhood home should have been quite a sentimental moment. Yet, despite all my efforts I couldn't get it to be that way. Those who had seen all 23 films and even read the books would have found this extremely emotional and expressive, yet I was unlucky enough not to have seen all the material. This was also the case with M’s death. Had I seen her in the movies from 1995, I would have shed more tears, instead of a couple.

The initial action sequences were mesmerizing. Bond’s fight on the train and eventual fall and both the fights in Shanghai stand as testament to this, especially the one in the building where Bond and Rapace’s Patrice fight over a shotgun, with the occasional blast illuminating the fight, much like a well-choreographed dance. Yet, the finale lacked the energy of the start, particularly since it didn't display a sense of peril or danger. There was this underlying feeling that everything was going to be fine… despite M’s bullet in the belly.

Setting that entire aspect aside, what truly was disappointing was that even this movie had the villain getting caught and then escaping as part of the plan. Silva gets caught and then escapes, apparently planning this by hacking the MI6 HQ by means of a computer. Lately, most blockbuster movies have sported this structure of events and it has been the topic of discussion in most magazines. It started with Loki in The Avengers, then Bane getting held on a plane in the Dark Knight Rises and this looks like it made its way into the new Star Trek Movie, seen in a picture where Benedict Cumberbatch is in handcuffs. Houdini-like abilities are a must on most villains' CVs these days, much to my annoyance. I never knew writer’s block had become a pandemic disease.

Despite my lamentations, Skyfall boasts several strengths throughout the movie with twists and turns at the right moments and is a must watch for both die-hard fans and the casual movie goer, but then any Bond movie is. 

Daniel Craig Skyfall Bond

Javier Bardem SkyfallBenedict Cumberbatch Star Trek

Tom Hardy Bane
 Getting caught is part of the plan. 


If you choose to watch Skyfall, check out the DVD or Blu-Ray. It includes commentary from the cast and directors, including a feature on its making, documentary-style, on the production of the movie.
              
          









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