Monday, November 05, 2012

Skyfall - The Reboot's Done!



With Quantum of Solace bringing down the chips on 007 - MGM's huge financial mess, buy-back and take-over issue and a hundred other problems one kept wondering if Bond-23 would ever see the light of day.

The wait was worth it - in Skyfall Daniel Craig is back in form as 007 chasing a group which is in possession of a disk-drive which has the identities of secret-agents embedded in terrorist organiations all over the world.

An adrenaline-rush inducing start sequence in Istanbul funnly similar to an animated Tintin on his motorbike earlier this year and a fight atop a train and a shot - that plunges 007 down into a river in Jason Bourne style.

007 is presumed dead, MI-6 is rocked by bomb-explosions and agents are killed. M played by Judi Dench is called for an enquiry and we have Ralph Fiennes making in an entry as the next head of MI-6.

The bomb-attack brings 007 back to London - a bitter man waiting to find justice and to know why he was shot - "If you had trusted me I would have had the disk-drive for you".

After a new Q - who looks suspiciously like Rajendra Kumar's son Kumar Gaurav - training and reassesmment of fitness - 007 is back in the hunt landing in Shanghai attempting to discover the mastermind behind the attacks.

The trail thickens as an assassin falls to his death - a gambling chip takes 007 to Macau where more intriguing stuff happens as we meet a seductive lady who loks like a cross between Sophie Marceau and Lucy Liu.

Finally we are introduced to the villain - an ex MI-6 operative Silva - played with aplomb by Javier Bardem. The parallels with Heath Ledger in 'The Dark Knight' do not do justice to Bardem's portrayal.

There is a moment when we almost expect Silva to grab 007 and kiss him but the moment is diffused when 007 states nonchalantly - 'What makes you think it's my first time?'

Silva expertly gets arrested - hacks into the MI-6 system creates chaos as he escapes from his high-security cell and sets up an explosion and crash in the London Metro.

All this to avenge the injustice meted out by M and the 'spy-masters' on him - when he was betrayed many years ago and left to his Chinese captors.

007 foils the plan and then starts the final chapter.

007 taking M to safety in the classic silver Aston Martin and driving to Bond's family-abode - Skyfall in Scotland. Here we meet the caretaker Albert Finney who steals the show with a classic line - "Son I was ready even before you were born".

The three wait with limited ammunition, innovate and come up with traps and wait for Silva and his goons to land. Shoot-outs and explosions and a final climax in the chapel as Silva, M and 007 come to terms with their inner demons.

Watch the movie for Sam Mendes does a reboot in style - ticks all the right boxes, fights, Bond-babes, intrigue, stunning music and cinematography and Adele's lovely rendition, crackling humour. There's even a quotation from a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Watch the movie to witness a Bond who is the truest to what Ian Fleming envisaged in his novels.

My only grouse - a villain of Silva's stature deserves a better death!

Three and a half stars!

8 comments:

Ganesh Puttu said...

I didnt know whether he wanted to kill M or kiss M...right till the end..if only it had been an indian film...we could have had a family song with M, villain and bond...singing yaadon kaa barat

mahesh said...

Good one doctor :)

Unknown said...

Good review, Mahesh! Will watch this one asap!

mahesh said...

Thanks Suresh sir :) do watch the movie and share your thoughts!

Anonymous said...

Great review :) I've never watched the Bond films before and I think I should definitely watch one :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Mahesh ! You've been tagged. :)If you like the game do answer the questions :)
http://vandysnape.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/tagged/

Kappu said...

Ah boss, I didnt see the movie yet! :(

Do stop by my blog! I'd love your comments & visits!!

S. Susan Deborah said...

Mahesh,

I see a lot of spam generated in these comments. Please delete them. When you talk of information hidden away in a disk, I am thinking of a film that I saw two days ago - Safe House starring Denzel Washington. Have you seen it?

I will catch this when it comes on TV. Well, . . .

Joy always,
Susan

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