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The Art of Wardrobe Endorsement: Skyfall
It's a great movie. It's a great Bond movie. By far the best of the Craig Bond films (and I loved Casino Royale). The women, the villain, the cars, the action, the wit; all there. If its playing on an IMAX screen near you, pay the extra couple of bucks. It's is beautifully shot in some truly stunning locations.
The Title Sequence:
Nailed it. I heard the Adele theme song a few weeks ago and thought it fell short. The "Skyfall/ crumble" rhyme in the chorus seemed lazy. The bridge went nowhere. Honestly, she's overexposed and I just don't care for her. But sitting in the theater, seeing the title sequence, all was forgiven. The song fits. The sequence manages to maintain both it's beauty and the key elements required of a Bond film. Like the movie itself, it is superior to the two that came before.
The Cars:
Casino Royale relaunched the franchise by cleverly taking shots at previous Bond movie staples. In a move I personally found brilliantly funny, the first car you see Bond drive in that film is a rented Ford Focus. Skyfall finds its own playful path with automobiles. The movie features a Land Rover (meh), a Jaguar (stunning for a modern Jag), and an Aston Martin. While scenes with Q flatly state that MI6 is no longer interested in gadgets, the Aston is a tip of the hat to the franchise itself. It's first on-screen appearance resulted in mid-movie applause from the audience.
The Clothes:
Bespoke on everyone, everywhere. The movie has Bond in a tux. It's tailored to the teeth. When hit with daylight, the tux reveals itself not to be black, but midnight blue. Awesome. But the real clothing stars of the film are Bond's suits; three-button suits, in fact. These are not cheap, boxy three-buttons that wouldn't look out of place on a sportscaster. These are three-buttons with a rollover lapel. You have to look closely to even notice the top button, but it is a clear sign that this Bond knows clothes. Glen plaid/Prince of Wales FTW. Oh yes, and then there's that field jacket.
The Villain:
Javier Bardem first appears in a still shot from an elevator, walking slowly into focus. As he hits his mark, and you take it in, you think "are they out of their minds?". Those clothes, that hair (ok, your first thought will be "that hair"), the flirtation. Have faith, let it play out. Much like in "No Country for Old Men," Bardem immerses himself so deeply in the role that, by the end of the movie, of course that hair. Is he out of his mind? He is out of his mind. Its a spectacle, and its a joy to watch.
The Women:
It's no secret that women in Bond movies are, um, disposable. If an actress cast as a Bond girl saw her character in the first 15 pages of script, she knew she'd be be dead before the second act. Bond has 4 women in his life for this movie. But again, this is not a Bond movie of the past. Some come, some go. And, yes, some die. But the reverence held for Dame Judi Dench is always at the forefront. She is an intelligent, beautiful woman playing directly at odds with previous women in Bond films. Bond himself plays second fiddle to M in this one. A particularly touching highlight of the film.
So that's it. Nothing earth shattering. You'll see it or you won't. If you're on the fence, I'd say it's worth your time. This one really does have it all. By far, my favorite of the franchise.
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Originally Posted by AngryScientist
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