Monday, November 26, 2012

Skyfall

Q: Age is no guarantee of efficiency.

Bond: And youth is no guarantee of innovation.

Q: Well, I'll hazard I can do more damage on my laptop sitting in my pajamas before my first cup of Earl Grey than you can do in a year in the field.

Bond: Oh, so why do you need me?

Q: Every now and then a trigger has to be pulled.

Bond: Or not pulled. It's hard to know which in your pajamas.
We got a chance to see the new James Bond movie this weekend. Others have given more complete review, and I can recommend Roger Ebert's (though I skipped his paragraph on the opening action sequence and would advise you to do the same unless you enjoy spoilers).

As he said, "This is a brand-new Bond with love and respect for the old Bond. "

Exactly.

Skyfall is a brilliant, exhilarating combination of new and old which remakes the franchise while somehow coming full circle and putting Bond back where he began. All this while still moving definitely forward in time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Bond and M had to battle suggestions of both people and institutions being "too old" and "outdated." M's speech quoting Tennyson is nothing short of genius and it captures exactly the uncertainties of our age where we aren't sure who is a villain and who isn't. Also, as Rose mentioned in our conversation this weekend, if we were British there were times when we'd have been applauding. The movie is unashamedly positive about the necessity of defending and loving Britain, even if one doesn't go on and on about it. (So British, that.)

This is a Bond movie you must see, if you have even the slightest interest in the franchise. And, possibly, even if you don't.

1 comment:

  1. My hubs, daughter and I went to see this last weekend and enjoyed it immensely. The dialog between Bond and M were very revealing, won't give away any spoilers here, but it was one of my most favorite episodes of Bond.

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