Courtesy: 20th Century Fox
There’s an old adage that states something to the effect of the third time is the charm. That adage has never been truer than in the case of Daniel Craig’s take on the revered Bond franchise. When Casino Royale first debuted, it was met with mixed reviews. That is because it came across more as a movie that was struggling to deal with the expectations placed on it by critics and the public. In trying so hard, it lost its identity, and became more of a melodrama than a classic Bond flick. Then came Quantum of Solace. The second of Craig’s Bond films wasn’t bad. It was just misunderstood. Its problem was that it was more a sequel to Casino Royale than its own standalone movie. Enter Skyfall. This is the Bond flick that fans have wanted from the very beginning. That’s even more the case now that this modern classic has been released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital.
Skyfall is the movie that long-time Bond fans have waited for since the release of Casino Royale. This movie is a throwback to the glory days of James Bond in every sense of the word. Right from the beginning of the movie, audiences are taken back in time with a classic Bond style opening credit sequence complete with musical number. This time the opening musical number is provided courtesy of pop star Adele who recently won a Golden Globe for her performance of the movie’s theme song. And go figure, she sings in the song’s chorus, “This is the end.” For those who haven’t seen Skyfall yet, this single line is far more prophetic than anyone could realize until the story’s surprise ending. In between the classic opening and the surprise ending, the rest of the movie is entirely classic style Bond, complete with a wild opening chase scene, and nonstop action throughout the story’s first two acts. The story’s final act is the only downside to the entire presentation. The buildup to the final confrontation between Bond and Silva drags on more than it really should have. But the story’s surprise epilogue makes that slow boil forgivable.
The meat and potatoes of Skyfall is classic James Bond in every sense of the phrase. The action is much the same as old school Bond flicks. And fans will thrill at the inclusion of a certain classic Bond car complete with ejector seat and guns in the headlights. Yes, that car. And then of course there is the classic Bond attitude on the part of Daniel Craig. Rather than being the finely trained killer/agent with emotional baggage that audiences came to know from the franchise’s previous efforts, what audiences get here is a mix of Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery and his own attitude, too complete with the occasional semi-cheesy one-liners. Combined with the story’s non-stop action and the constant references to the Golden Days of Bond, Skyfall quickly becomes the first true definitive Bond film for this generation. All of these factors are discussed at length in the bonus features included in the movie’s brand new Blu-ray/DVD/Vudu combo pack. Everything from the action scenes to the new Bond girl to the gadgets and more are discussed in the combo pack’s bonus features. Those dicussions are made even more interesting with the inclusion of not one, but two separate audio commentaries that audiences can enjoy. Both commentaries add their own extra insight into everything that went into making the movie. For example, audiences will be surprised to discover that Craig himself took part in the movie’s initial train scene as it went through a tunnel. That wasn’t a stunt double. That was really Daniel Craig. How many stars today are so willing to do their own stunts next to one Jackie Chan. The commentaries offer so much more that audiences will enjoy as they watch this new home release themselves. Keeping all of this in mind, it goes without saying that just as this was one of the best movies of 2012 in theaters, it is now one of the best movies of 2013 in its home release. It is available in stores and online now and can be ordered online direct via the Fox online store at http://www.foxconnect.com/skyfall-14987.html.
To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
philspicks 