Skyfall and a New Bond

So, when one steps into a Bond film there are some expectations that have to be met. Bond has to be handsome, stylish, and have the crisp air of charm about him. Bond drinks martinis shaken and not stirred. His women are knockouts and his stunts are over the top. The villains are over the top and in the end Bond always has to win.

With Skyfall however, there are some different twists. Skyfall, directed by Sam Mendes, has been hailed as being the best bond film yet and from the start it's not hard to see why. While it is a typical Bond film with the stunts, out of this world action, and the beautiful leading ladies; Mendes is able to trump past films by adding somethings never seen before in a Bond film. First off, we get an image of a beaten Bond, wounded in the line of duty, we are privy to Bond's struggle to get back in the saddle of things and his addictive nature when it comes to women, booze, and pills. Second Mendes manages to include a good bit of back story that we, as an audience, have never been able to see before in the past. Bond starts to step away from symbolism and actually starts to form a compelling character back story that makes you want to pull for him even more.  Third we have the introduction of a powerful villain that challenges Bond on every front, even his sexuality. Javier Bardem is a GOD when it comes to playing a villain. Silva is insane, stylish, ruthless, and knows no limits to his madness or to the manners in which he reaches out to strike bond. Audiences are on the edge of their seats from the very second he steps on screen because from that moment all bets are off.

The question is where to go from here? Mendes, much like Christopher Nolan, has the unique opportunity to reinvent a franchise. Filling some of the gaps of Bond's dark past, and challenging a audience's knowledge of the character is a huge gamble, but Mendes this first roll of the dice has paid off big time. I certainly hope the team of Sam Mendes and  Daniel Craig step up and continue to do Bond because if so they, not Sean Connery, have the chance to forever chance the ideal of James Bond and to do so would be GREAT!

So, if you are brave enough to fight the lines of hyper Twilight fans (gag) I fully recommend you step out and treat yourself to a wonderful film.

Anyway, Just my thoughts.
J.