3.55 AM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Review: James Bond is back with ‘Skyfall’

Director Sam Mendes (third from left) with actors (from left) Javier Bardem, Berenice Marlohe, Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Craig, Naomi Harris and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, pose for photographs at the photo call for the new James Bond film titled Skyfall, at a central London restaurant venue, on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. The film is the 23 in the series, and goes into production on November 7, 2011 (AP)

Published
By Sneha May Francis

Despite numerous macho stars cropping up on the silver screen, suave action icon James Bond remains unchallenged and the most glorified.

And in keeping with this tradition, the latest installment from the action-hero franchise ‘Skyfall’ has been endorsed by the critics as a “masterful, classic Bond film”.

Some even called it the best Bond film ever, in its 50 years of existence. “‘It bounces happily onto the silver screen to celebrate 50 years of Bond, and it is just fantastic,” claims a movie website critic.

“The not-so-subtle references to previous Bond adventures will most likely have fans squirming with delight,” it adds.

Releasing in Dubai on Friday, the 23rd film from the spy-agent franchise is bound to attract packed houses during the Eid break.

TotalFilm, an online entertainment website, gave ‘Skyfall’ five stars, with the reviewer emphasizing, “a flawlessly assembled thrill ride with a cast to die for and a nakedly emotional undertow. Happy birthday, Mr Bond”.

Variety reviewer Peter Debruge adds, “‘Skyfall’ reps a smart, savvy and incredibly satisfying addition to the 007 oeuvre”.

Director Sam Mendes kick-starts ‘Skyfall’ with M (Judi Dench) ordering Bond’s “supposed” death, but the 007 agent (Daniel Craig) is resurrected when Britain is under threat from a cyber-terrorist attack.

However, a strain develops between Bond and M over his “death” order, with Bond questioning his loyalties. The situation worsens after he confronts cyber-terrorist Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem), who is planning to hit back at enemy M.

Most critics have applauded Mendes for keeping the essence of the swanky Bond exploit intact.  “Mendes has created a film at once old-school and new-school to disarming effect,” wrote WhatCulture! critic.

Reviewer Robbie Collin at The Telegraph said Mendes' Bond was comparable to Christopher Nolan's darker, grittier "Batman" from the "Dark Knight" franchise.

“It shakes together familiar elements of the Ian Fleming canon - the cars, the guns, the exotic locales with the dames to match - into a blistering comic book escapade that the old Bond, and one suspects Fleming too, would find altogether alien,” he adds.

Even the script by writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, and newcomer John Logan, is pitch-perfect. “The narrative structure is particularly impressive, in that it denies expectations,” adds another entertainment website.

Of the cast, Craig, although not as charming as some of his predecessors, packs a punch. “His style is more cynical, more prone to deliver witty retorts than suave chat-up lines. Luckily, the script acts as a safety net in this regard, giving him material that has been adjusted around his own mannerisms to make this iteration of Agent 007 a believable character,” the website reads.

It’s Javier Bardem who has been voted by most critics for the top act “Javier Bardem… stands out as the slightly camp yet thoroughly unnerving Silva,” observes a reviewer.

Many critics even posted their impression on ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ website, with Kate Muir of Times (UK) stating, “‘Skyfall’ is a resurrection, and will go down as one of 007's best”.

Another wrote, “Overall, Skyfall is an accomplished action movie which allows Bond a little more psychological complexity and stronger emotional beats.”

With so much buzz surrounding Bond’s new caper, it’s only a matter of time before his Dubai fans get to experience this exhilarating actioner.