By Jake “The Movie Guy” O’Bannon, Columnist
This review warrants a major confession before anything else can be said. And let’s be honest, I am ashamed to admit this. But it has to be done. Okay, here it goes – Skyfall is the first James Bond film I have ever seen.
Go ahead; take away my Man Card and my US citizenship. The only spy movie credibility I have is the Austin Powers Trilogy and Agent Cody Banks (1 & 2). And the only James Bond experience I have is playing hours and hours of Goldeneye on the Nintendo 64 until my parents took it away because it was too violent.
Needless to say, I am no Bond expert. The most I know is this quote from Social Life VP and James Bond super-fan Jamie Keoppel, who said, “James Bond loves killing people and lovin’ ladies.” So at least I know that. But if you are hoping that this review is going to talk about the difference between Roger Moore, Sean Connery, and Daniel Craig, then you’ve come to the wrong place. (I refuse to ever say Pierce Brosnan in a review. I guess I just ruined that by saying his name in the last sentence). What I can give you is some perspective from a new Bond fan on what I thought of Skyfall – the latest Bond film.
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. While listening to the Grantland Network podcast, I heard that there are talks about this movie possibly receiving nominations for the Best Picture Oscar when awards season comes around. And I understand why, because every aspect of this film was perfect for its genre. You don’t have to be a James Bond fan to know that these movies are going to be action packed. There are two kinds of action-packed movies: those that are action-packed just to be action-packed (Transformers 3, The Expendables), and those that are action-packed to tell a story. Skyfall is the latter..
From what I have researched, the Daniel Craig trilogy is much different than past Bond films. Tell me if I’m wrong, but it sounds like most of the original Bond movies were misogynistic and a bit racist toward different cultures. And what I have heard is that most of the older Bond films are filled with a lot of futuristic technologies and give off an escapist feel. Skyfall goes back to the basics and is far from escapist. In this film, Bond is shown as a real person who deals with real life issues, like lack of confidence and loyalty problems. Personally, I love this emphasis, as it makes the main character so much more relatable to the audience.
Also, it doesn’t hurt that Javier Bardem is the villain in Skyfall, because he is so good at being bad. His character is haunting, and one of my favorite parts about the film. Overall, the acting is superb and the storyline is great. And Bond fans need not worry, because though this film is different from the “norm” when it comes to the Bond series, it is filled with numerous references to the classics.
Coming from a new Bond fan, I would say you should go check out Skyfall when you get a chance. Whether you are a Bond-fanatic, or you just love action, this movie will not disappoint.