Directed by Sam Mendes, “Skyfall” follows James Bond (Daniel Craig) as his loyalties to Britain and his boss M (Judi Dench) are tested when Raoul Silva, a former operative (Javier Bardem) turned criminal, resurfaces seeking vengeance against his former employer MI6.
Diving into action from the opening sequence, Bond is in pursuit of an assailant with a hard drive of MI6 identities, that if not recovered could lead exposed agents to their death. Unusually, he is working with another agent, Eve (Naomi Harris).
But something has shaken Bond; he isn’t the same mentally or physically, yet he refuses to back down.
Joining in the hunt for Silva are the new faces of Q (Ben Whishaw) and M’s overseer Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes). Q is an entertaining addition to the reinvented Bond films, with a witty edge that makes the young tech savvy prospect likeable.
Unlike other Bond movies, “Skyfall” deviates from the usual script because the villain is coming after MI6 rather than the other way around, and the stakes are higher this time. The sobering dose of reality gives the film a different vibe, unlike the two predecessors where Craig’s Bond seemed to enjoy the spy game.
Although hailed by critics as one of the best Bond movies, “Skyfall” felt incomplete. It tried show Bond’s character growth, but why fix what’s not broken? The disconnect stems from the unspoken emotional rollercoaster the audience can see Bond going through but is only half explained.
Bond’s sexiness is diminished in “Skyfall” only because he is not the typical confident and debonair secret agent, but unsure and lacking passion.
“Skyfall” is as gripping as Craig’s past interpretations, but the allure of exotic locations, fancy toys, and casual flings are displaced by questions about the human psyche and ghosts of the past. Not that there’s not more to Bond than good times, let’s just hope he recovers from his rut and comes back with a bang in his next mission.
