Chris Tookey, writing for that bastion of careful reflection (not) The Daily Mail, suggests Skyfall is the best Bond film and adventure flick pretty much ever. It’s difficult to acquiesce Bond 23 deserves such accolades, but Tookey’s heart is in the right place.
(Here should be a politic disclaimer that James Bond and MGM do not love Jesus, we should guard our eyes, and shouldn’t we be reading the Bible—or at least watching Janette Oke movies—instead? If you have to ask, then yes, you should.)
Skyfall won’t generate riotous Oscar buzz, but Javier Bardem oozes perverse psychopathy, it’s Judi Dench’s swansong (oops, spoiler; like you didn’t know already), and the writer, director, and composer are established Awards contenders, so lightning might strike. If Adele is nominated people could actually watch the Academy Awards.
Disclosure: Lest I pretend any objectivity, my reasons for liking Skyfall are twofold:
- Our friend J.A.C. Redford orchestrated the film and title track (700 pages of music, his wife says). J.A.C. was presenting his sacred music at a St Andrews graduate theology seminar the very hour Adele’s track went straight to #1 in the UK. That’s cool. So I’m a fan. And the music rules!
- The Scottish exteriors are Glen Etive which I have hiked and paddled and love best in all the Highlands.
More critically, the film-craft of Skyfall is top notch. I have nothing further to add now except this film won’t follow pre-2006 Bond suit to immediately look camp and dated.
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