What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of James Bond’s cinematic history than by producing arguably one of the best Bond films?
26th October 2012 saw the release of Skyfall, the twenty-third official James Bond film, and the third with Daniel Craig as the title character. The story follows Bond as he uncovers MI6’s past, facing challenges to both the past of the agency and his own personal past. Following much action throughout, the film climaxes with a battle at Bond’s ancestral Scottish home of Skyfall and a changing of power at the top of MI6.
The brilliance of Skyfall lies in its blend of the modern grittiness of the first two Daniel Craig films with the classic suave nature reminiscent of the Sean Connery era, as brutal action sequences are tied with classy British Aston Martin DB5s. But perhaps the best example of this blend is seen when Bond, immediately after ripping the end off a railway carriage with a digger and having to dive to stay on, feels the need to adjust his cufflinks and his blazer.
Although not as good as his first appearance in Casino Royale, Daniel Craig yet again puts in a strong performance as 007. He manages to play Bond with his typical brutal and intimidating style whilst being able to seduce every woman he meets and order shaken martinis with style. What makes this performance particularly stand out, though, is Bond’s relationship with M (Judy Dench), as we see Bond having to protect his boss who he finds to have a more checkered history than he would like. Javier Bardem also puts in a composed performance as Raoul Silva, a former M16 agent looking for revenge for M’s betrayal and testing Bond’s resolve like no other Bond villain has.
2012 was a big year for British pop culture. The Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee already made it a special year for this country; and the definitive Bond film, with the Oscar-wnning title track beautifully sung by Adele, certainly added to that.
Remind yourself of the 2012 classic by watching the trailer below:
