Skyfall
directed by Sam Mendes staring Daniel (some day to be knighted) Craig,
the Dame Judi Dench, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Ralph Finnes, Javier
Bardem, and Albert Finney.
I read in an interview that Mendes used the movie The Dark Knight as a template for this movie and let me tell you, it shows in a lot of ways and is that much better for it.
The first place it shows is in casting. The cast list alone seems to mirrors what Nolan did with the Batman movies, which proves the point - higher good actors and actresses and the movie will be that much better, much like the Harry Potters movies proved to be more interesting because the caliber of actors and actresses they hired for those movies, elevated the overall production and every scene those actors were in. The same goes for Skyfall, as much as it did for all of the Nolan Batman movies.
The second thing similar to the Batman movies is the direction. There were certain scenes in Skyfall that were very reminiscent of Nolan’s Batman and really helped to make Skyfall have that same kind of epic feel and it’s all the better for it. Casino Royale didn’t have this same kind of epic feel that Mendes brings to Skyfall. I don't think Casino Royale needed that epic feel, but by having that epic feel brought to Skyfall, it makes that much a different movie, so much so that it doesn't feel like a regurgitated sequel. It feels wholly it's own.
The third and fourth part inspired by The Dark Knight is the theme and villain: a theme of chaos, honor, duty and betrayal and a villain who’s out for ultimately revenge but serves the same purpose as the Joker. He’s there to kill and cause as much chaos as possible and bring up questions of loyalty, honor and betrayal. The questions this type of theme and villain bring up are exactly the same kind of questions facing a government and military today involving terrorists who kill just for the sake of killing. How do we combat and stop them? By doing this Mendes makes Bond even that much more relevant than ever before. Also this villain brings a personal stake to the table that I’ve never seen before, where the action scenes have a more personal feel and aren’t just over the top for the sake of being over the top. Don’t get me wrong they are over the top. It wouldn’t be a good action movie or Bond movie if they weren’t over the top. This time around though, the action is much more personal for Bond than ever before.
This is a good sequel to Casino Royale. I consider the Quantum of Solace more a straight continuation of the Casino Royal. I don’t think Skyfall is anywhere near as good as Casino Royale, but I like the fact it's not trying to be. It's just trying to be it's own movie and it succeeds in that, in everything it does. Casino Royale did things with the Bond franchise that were a complete about face from everything the previous movies had done before and it was all the better for it. Skyfall continues that about face with ease. Daniel Criag is the best Bond of all time. He’d kick the ass of all the previous Bonds with ease. He’s exactly what Ian Fleming wrote about, he's a cold blooded killer who happens to be a secret agent and he just the kind of person you would want doing the secret agenty type of things. He gets results and be damned who gets in his way.
Lastly Adele did a smashing job on the opening theme. I’d rank it in the top three for Bond themes and over time it might move up even higher. Bring on the next Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes Bond. I’m awaiting.
I read in an interview that Mendes used the movie The Dark Knight as a template for this movie and let me tell you, it shows in a lot of ways and is that much better for it.
The first place it shows is in casting. The cast list alone seems to mirrors what Nolan did with the Batman movies, which proves the point - higher good actors and actresses and the movie will be that much better, much like the Harry Potters movies proved to be more interesting because the caliber of actors and actresses they hired for those movies, elevated the overall production and every scene those actors were in. The same goes for Skyfall, as much as it did for all of the Nolan Batman movies.
The second thing similar to the Batman movies is the direction. There were certain scenes in Skyfall that were very reminiscent of Nolan’s Batman and really helped to make Skyfall have that same kind of epic feel and it’s all the better for it. Casino Royale didn’t have this same kind of epic feel that Mendes brings to Skyfall. I don't think Casino Royale needed that epic feel, but by having that epic feel brought to Skyfall, it makes that much a different movie, so much so that it doesn't feel like a regurgitated sequel. It feels wholly it's own.
The third and fourth part inspired by The Dark Knight is the theme and villain: a theme of chaos, honor, duty and betrayal and a villain who’s out for ultimately revenge but serves the same purpose as the Joker. He’s there to kill and cause as much chaos as possible and bring up questions of loyalty, honor and betrayal. The questions this type of theme and villain bring up are exactly the same kind of questions facing a government and military today involving terrorists who kill just for the sake of killing. How do we combat and stop them? By doing this Mendes makes Bond even that much more relevant than ever before. Also this villain brings a personal stake to the table that I’ve never seen before, where the action scenes have a more personal feel and aren’t just over the top for the sake of being over the top. Don’t get me wrong they are over the top. It wouldn’t be a good action movie or Bond movie if they weren’t over the top. This time around though, the action is much more personal for Bond than ever before.
This is a good sequel to Casino Royale. I consider the Quantum of Solace more a straight continuation of the Casino Royal. I don’t think Skyfall is anywhere near as good as Casino Royale, but I like the fact it's not trying to be. It's just trying to be it's own movie and it succeeds in that, in everything it does. Casino Royale did things with the Bond franchise that were a complete about face from everything the previous movies had done before and it was all the better for it. Skyfall continues that about face with ease. Daniel Criag is the best Bond of all time. He’d kick the ass of all the previous Bonds with ease. He’s exactly what Ian Fleming wrote about, he's a cold blooded killer who happens to be a secret agent and he just the kind of person you would want doing the secret agenty type of things. He gets results and be damned who gets in his way.
Lastly Adele did a smashing job on the opening theme. I’d rank it in the top three for Bond themes and over time it might move up even higher. Bring on the next Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes Bond. I’m awaiting.
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