Does the Sky Fall? Nothing so Drastic

Film: Skyfall

Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judy Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Berenice Marlohe

Director: Sam Mendes

The French had one fear. Since 50 BC the indomitable Gauls were only afraid of the sky falling on their heads. Nothing else. And, whatever the French fear, the Brits must show they have no apprehensions about. Hence we have the British icon appearing in his newest adventure called Skyfall. When the final reveal of the title comes, you may stare incredulously, but the intent cannot be more obvious!

James Bond is back for his 23rd, or 24th or 25th mission (depending on whether you go by the official list; add Never Say Never Again; and also 1967’s Casino Royale). And, as you would expect in this ever-changing world, the stakes are changed. The surprise, is how personal it has become. Probably the most since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Beginning with a thrilling chase sequence in Turkey (which got the nod after the Indian Railways refused to play ball), Skyfall quickly moves to a more sober tone. The body count rises and this time the good guys are filling up coffins. A temporarily unreachable Bond (Craig) comes back to assist an embattled M (Dench) and MI6. Breathing down their necks is an unknown miscreant carrying a torch for M, and also the new head of the Foreign Intelligence Wing, Mallory (Fiennes).

Heading to Macau, after a meaningless assassination in Shanghai, Bond gets chummy with the beautiful Severine (Marlohe) and uncovers the mysterious baddie Silva (Bardem). The two gadgets given to Bond by the new, ridiculously young Q (Whishaw) show their worth and Silva is captured. End of movie? Not quite. You see, Silva wanted to be captured so that he could deal with his M issues. Bond takes M and the next car (and what a car!) out to Scotland and familiar territory to have his climax with Silva.

The action sequences are quite good. The aforementioned Turkey chase may be similar to the Moroccan chase in Tintin, but then you don’t steal from Spielberg, you 'pay homage'! The screenplay doesn’t make much common sense, but then this is Bond. The music alludes enough to the original theme for non-Beethovens like me. And I quite liked the Adele song. Strangely enough, Roger Deakins’ cinematography is not the most obvious thing you will remember from this movie.

That honour will have to go to the performances. Judi Dench is ruthlessly efficient in a much-extended role. The dignity she summons is a masterclass in emoting. The other veteran, Ralph Fiennes, is stuck with a thankless, clichéd role. But then chances are that we will see him in the future. The young guns Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw actually bring a levity and spontaneity to the movie. Berenice Marlohe probably may be the Bond girl least relevant to her movie and her role is nothing more than a meaningless cameo. Daniel Craig has aged badly and while he passes muster in Skyfall, the future does not seem too bright, six-pack notwithstanding.

Then there is Javier Bardem. What an actor this guy is. Just when you think all the different shades for a villain have already been exhausted, Bardem comes up with a fascinating new interpretation. With a single-take entrance that will be talked about for months, he walks away with the movie. Bringing a subtle restraint to a showboating character, adding a dash of ambivalent sexuality, and that hair! You have a recipe for a disastrous villain. Unless your actor is as talented as Bardem.

Skyfall pays homage to many of the golden Bond traditions, while trying to break new ground. It entertains despite its length. A lot of the decisions, including the new Q and the closeted climax, are all admirable. Sam Mendes has crafted a decent movie, but he has left us wishing for more. Much more. An inexplicable feeling of incompleteness envelopes most frames of this movie. A case in which the sum of the parts is much more than the whole. Skyfall doesn’t complete Bond. It just shows how many more miles there are to go.

PS: In an ideal world when the climactic action of a Bond film shifts to Scotland and there is a role for an elderly father figure who will kick ass, you know who the perfect candidate for that role is. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world.