Full circle

Oct 15th 2012, by F.S.

HALF a century has passed since the release of “Dr No”, and our favourite spy has travelled all over the globe; to underwater lairs, desert hideouts, even space. But in “Skyfall”, his latest mission takes him somewhere unexpected: home. This is an unusually British Bond film, with sweeping shots of the London skyline, chase scenes on the tube and revelations about MI6 that test 007's loyalties.

Following the theft of a hard drive containing the true identities of secret agents, Her Majesty's secret service finds itself under cyber attack on home turf. Bond (Daniel Craig) is missing, presumed dead, after an electrifying pre-credits pursuit across the rooftops of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar. He returns to England world-weary, unfit and sporting a greying beard. But back at MI6 HQ he soon shapes up before rendezvousing with some more bad guys.

In contrast to the relentlessly bleak “Quantum of Solace”, Sam Mendes, the director, has taken the bold step of reintroducing humour, with the occasional joke worthy of Roger Moore. Luckily, Mr Craig seems just as comfortable delivering puns as he is digging shrapnel from his chest.

Elegantly choreographed action sequences showcase Mr Mendes's artistic skill, including one particularly stunning fistfight in a Shanghai skyscraper shot entirely in silhouette, backlit by neon. Javier Bardem, with peroxide-blond hair, is deliciously creepy as the villain Raoul Silva. One homoerotically charged interrogation scene between Bond and Silva moves so deftly between menacing and playful, it feels like a dance of death.

“Skyfall” nudges the Bond narrative forward but it is respectful of its elders. The Aston Martin DB5 first seen in "Goldfinger" makes an appearance, as does an updated Walther PPK, Bond's long-time weapon of choice. As the new Q, an anorak-wearing Ben Whishaw gently mocks Goldeneye's exploding pen. But Q's very presence—returning after his absence from the last two films—is an homage to these quirky contraptions. Perhaps we are no less finished with gadgets than we are with jokes.

If this thrilling film has a fault it is the blandness of the Bond girls, Serverin (Bérénice Marlohe) and Eve (Naomie Harris). But then M is the real Bond girl here. Nobody plays it better than Judi Dench. As head of MI6, her relationship with her favourite secret agent is a strong, if at times overly-sentimental, narrative force as she helps us delve further into Bond's past.

A clumsy third act gives way to a satisfyingly nostalgic ending which brings the franchise full circle. In some ways, to quote the lyrics of Adele's theme song, this is the end. Too much detail would spoil the fun, but let's just say it also feels like a beginning.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29