'Skyfall', a nostalgia trip of drinking a 'Martini' cocktail that lacks in misogynism.

Throughout his fifty year reign, Bond’s been accused many times of being influenced by movie obsessions of the time. Whether in ‘Quantum of Solace’, he did attempt to mould himself into a British Jason Bourne. Or whether ‘Moonraker’ did take advantage of the 70s Sci-Fi obsession, this can only be argued. But a clear argument that can be made about ‘Skyfall’ is that it’s adopted the style of ‘The Dark Knight’ franchise. Both share the values of a hero who’s given up after the loss of a loved one. Yet, they are left battling against an eccentric psychopath who holds no intention but to destroy the social hierarchy which exists.  But if this is the case, please can every Bond director re-watch Nolan’s film before going into production? As ‘Skyfall’ along with ‘Casino Royale’ is the most favoured addition to the Bond franchise since the likes of ‘Goldfinger’.

Javier Bardem’s look of a Bond villain is half way between Enrique Inglesias and Jimmy Savile. But he portrays this eccentric character to brilliance. One of the key similarities that the film shares with ‘The Dark Knight’ is creating a villain determined to destruct with no prospect of achievement. Silva and the Joker’s shared ambition to destroy both seem to stem from feeling let down by a patriarchal figure. Whilst in Nolan’s ‘masterpiece’, the joker re-tells an anecdote of being abused by a parent. For Silva in ‘Skyfall’, it’s something much more psychological. Like Bond in many ways, Silva relied on ‘M’ as a mother figure. Yet his trust is seen to have been misplaced, as the film documents Silva attempting to capture the much loved OAP and avenge his years of grievance.

'Skyfall' may not be a feminist’s dream of what a Bond flick should be.  But, if your pleasure is driven by women with names like ‘Pussy Galore’, you will be sorely disappointed with ‘Skyfall’. Yet, arguably the sexist attitudes of recent Bond films have been toned down since the era of Roger Moore. Eva Green playing an intelligent and scheming femme fatale in ‘Casino Royale’ exposes this. With the exception of an intense shower scene during the rising action, the only Bond girl is ‘M’. In a certain way, this has repeatedly been the case in the recent history of Bond. ‘M’ is the only Bond girl that James always comes crawling back to. Yet this is handled with in an increasingly tender manner in ‘Skyfall’ with the majority of the film being seen through Dench’s perspective. The relationship between Bond and ‘M’ is beautifully played out with a tingle of eroticism but ultimately it’s about Bond’s craving for a mother.

Rightfully in its fiftieth year, 'Skyfall' is arguably a nostalgic look at a lifestyle before Steve Jobs appeared on the scene. If it’s seeing it through Don Draper or George Smiley; the fifties and sixties with its romanticised and now corrupt view on life has become increasingly popular.  Maybe society just wants to remember a time before David Cameron had his way? This is used perfectly in ‘Skyfall’ through holding no technology younger than fifty years old.  Bond drives an Aston Martin DB5, and Naomie Harris’ polished portrayal of Moneypenny makes it seem like it’s a Bond picture from the days of Sean Connery.

Some may say otherwise but James Bond has never been acclaimed for creating films that will be influential and historic. They have been remembered for their iconic action sequences. If it’s the Lotus going underwater in ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ or the opening sequence of ‘Casino Royale’.  But in ‘Skyfall’ it’s different; through the scenes concentrating on emotion over the tired convention of accelerated action pieces. The audience meet a Bond who holds vulnerability and exposes some of the tenderest moment of the franchise, showing the hero that is Bond even undergo a psychological examination. Skyfall is also the first Bond film to bother looking at his childhood. The reason behind replacing action with emotion is down to Sam Mendes being in the driver’s seat. Throughout his career, his films have focused upon middle aged men who’ve lost ambition and seem to have given up on life. A key example is him adapting Richard Yates’ story of a broken marriage through ‘Revolutionary Road’ in 2008. But whoever thought that we’d see James Bond experiencing the same troubles as Lester Burnham in ‘American Beauty’? ‘Skyfall’ is very much a combination of a Mendes film with some ingredients of a Bond flick. A scene of Bond and M driving through the countryside could even be mistaken as a deleted scene from ‘Road to Perdition’.

Conclusion - 6/10
I recommend wholeheartedly seeing ‘Skyfall’, whilst it’s still at the cinema. In an age where ‘Taken 2’ and ‘Fast and Furious’ is the most we can expect from an action film. ‘Skyfall’ manages to add emotion and depth to a tired genre, aswell as taking the audience back to an era when an ‘action thriller’ promised intrigue and suspense.

The best way to describe ‘Skyfall’ is as a catalyst of ‘American Beauty’ and ‘The Dark Knight’.