SKYFALL: THE ULTIMATE REVIEW FOR THE ULTIMATE BOND FILM...WAIT, WHAT?

Very few characters in cinema get to come back. Unless it’s something Biblical, a work of Shakespeare, an actual historical figure or Santa Clause odds are the character shows up, has a blast, and then it’s off to the history books. For a generation or two they might be brought up as fond memories from bygone days, but that is it.

Now with that in mind, think of how amazing it is that James Bond has made it through 50 years, 6 different leading men (There’s already whispers of No. 7 cough7cha*Idris Elba*cough), dozens of different leading ladies, many cars, many secret hide outs and the Cold War. Oh, and never mind all the books from Ian Fleming, the creator of everyone’s most favorite secret agent.

The best part? We are still hungry for more.

What makes SKYFALL so special? It dances with Bonds particular tropes and history unlike any Bond before, and is being critically acclaimed from many corners as the best Bond ever (Sir Roger Moore seems to think so….http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20646505,00.html).

But Roger Moore’s opinions are nothing compared to the judgment of ACTION A GO GO (tee hee) so here we go…the review to end all reviews….of SKYFALL!

THE STORY AND THE PEOPLE WHO GET PAID TO TALK….

Directed by Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY (1999) and starring Daniel Craig as the everlasting 007, the movie opens up with a bang. 007 goes on a wild chase through Istanbul after an assassin that has stolen a hard drive with the names of all undercover British agents. When it comes down to the wire M (played by Dame Judi Dench) gives the order to shoot the assassin but Bond is collateral damage after his partner, Eve, misses and shoots him in the shoulder.

Shoot the bastard....

Bond survives but is scared by the betrayal and lives a drunken, miserable existence away from his past life. Back home all hell breaks loose as M looses her grip on MI6. An unknown enemy is revealing agent’s identities and getting them killed, all the while slowly tying a noose around M’s neck. That is until Bond comes back into the fold to stop it. But is he still man enough to fight for queen and country or was the best part of him lost after that horrible betrayal?

And it just get’s better from there. This movie get’s down and dirty and takes Bond to places we have never seen on screen. That can work against it at times, but that is for later.

Javier Bardem play’s Silva, the main heavy. Ralph Fiennes plays Gareth Mallory, M’s overseer, and Naomie Harris play’s Eve, the unfortunate agent her takes out one of her own. Ben Whishaw resurrects the role of Q, and Rory Kinnear plays Tanner, M’s trustworthy assistant. Bérénice Marlohe plays Severin, Silva's main squeeze.

All of the acting in this movie is top notch, with some standing out over others.

WHAT’S ACTION A GO GO…

Quote a few things, actually.

First of all, I need to get this off of my chest. This movie is beautiful. I mean, absolutely amazing to watch. Stunning, glorious shot’s fill the screen and it makes the most mundane parts of the movie absolutely enrapturing. When the movie was in Shanghai I felt like I was watching a modern day BLADE RUNNER (1982) or something. If anything you should go see it for the visuals. Also, the opening is one of the best Bond openings ever. At first I thought there were not enough naked ladies (Bond openings have to have naked ladies or the opening sucks cough*CASINO ROYALE*cough) but SKYFALL’s beginning is intense and visually arresting.

Of course, that visual style has to be attributed to Sam Mendes, director of Best Picture winning AMERICAN BEUATY (1999) and the cinematographers he worked with. He brought the Bond franchise, and action movies, to a new visual level with SKYFALL and for that he should be celebrated once again.

The action throughout is intense. SKYFALL was kept in sync with its direct predecessors CASINO ROYALE (2006) and QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008). The big crazy stuff was perfectly shot and managed to drop my jaw a couple of time. There are car/motorcycle/train chases, copious gunfights, and wild fisticuffs. It’s a visual riot and stands with the best of the best of the Bond films action wise.

And then there is Javier Bardem as Silva. What Bardem is able to do with this role is simply astonishing and proves that the work he did with the Cohen’s was not some fluke of cinema. His acting brings true terror to this role and manages to create the perfect aniti Bond in the process. Lot’s of people are shouting OSCAR, as they should. Truly, this is an epic performance.

But besides all this the best aspect of the movie is how it play’s with James Bond the character. It’s loaded with visual metaphors that make you think about Bonds place in history and film without thinking at all.

My eye's are up here Javier....

For instance, when Bond is trapped by Silva he is tied to a chair surrounded by computer servers and screens. Bond is surrounded by the machines that have truly made spies obsolete. Silva begins to pick him apart using the tech, and the point is made clear.

In the same scene, when asked what his hobby is, Bond say’s “Resurrection.”  With that line it’s made clear that SKYFALL, more than any other Bond film, is reaching for the essence of Bond, peeling back the layers and at once disproving his necessity while at the same time reaffirming his existence. It’s a beautiful dance to watch and convinces this viewer that SKYFALL isn’t trying to be an ordinary Bond film but wants to be a piece of art.

WHAT’S ACTION A NO NO….

Prepare yourselves...the critics are coming...

But all is not well in James Bond land. This movie is dragged down in spaces where it should be surging.

The down and dirty fighting…let me put it this way. James Bourne style was great in CR but managed to play itself out a bit in QOS. In SKYFALL the fighting is intense but overly dramatic and manages to repeat itself, which is something weird to say about an action movie. I hope by the fourth Craig film something changes, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Speaking of repeating itself, while this movie tries to be the most down to earth Bond film it takes itself a bit too seriously at times and stumbles over it’s own feet. For instance, the whole obsolete Bond thing? They Tackled that in GOLDENEYE (1995). As a matter of fact it was Judy Dench who gave the sticks to Brosnan, and to great effect. The whole resurrection thing? YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) with Sean Connery. While campy, still effective. These aren't damning accusations, mind you, it’s just that the movie, and to a certain extent the whole Craig era, has been trying a bit too hard to be taken seriously and be seen as original. Well, it can’t be. So there.

Oh…and the ending….it’s a tad long. It stretches out for way too long and on one hand it is understandable. It’s an opportunity to reveal aspects of Bond that have been hidden for decades, but it is so drawn out it starts to work against the rest of the movie. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is definitely bloated.

THE FINAL VERDICT

Where does SKYFALL stand in the halls of the greatest Bond films?

Maybe we need a top 10 list to help decide… JUST KIDDING. I can’t give it the best of the best status. At least not yet. At least not now. Time will have to be SKYFALL’s greatest test.

But this movie is a maximal among the action breed. It is beautiful. It is a statement about what Bond is to cinema. It’s an acting tour de force. It is the swan song of one of the franchises most revered characters, M as played by Judi Dench. And it leaves the door open for more Bond movies to come.

In a very impressive year this movie is near the top.  Do yourself a favor and go see it. Even if you aren't a fan of the Daniel Craig run, or James Bourne style, you won’t be disappointed. This is top notch stuff, and it deserves to be savored in the theater.

And here are some great posters of James Bond from around the internet....

http://leangsta.deviantart.com/art/Skyfall-Concept-Poster-321194403

Oh, and just in case you forgot about our little tradition we have around here...if you want to check out the "images" or the latest Bond Girls go here ->: http://actionagogo.blogspot.com/2012/10/top-10-james-bond-car-chases-of-all-time.html

And just to change things up...ladies and gentleman, I present to you DAME JUDI DENCH back in the day.

(BTW- DID YOU LIKE THIS POST? IF YOU DID THEN GO HERE!

http://actionagogo.com/

Wait, how did Raquel Welch slip in there? Whatever...

and....YOU'RE WELCOME!!  Come back soon.

The Man With the Iron Fists

Stunts and Effects: 70% 
Logic: 15% 
Soundtrack: 100% 
TnA: 39% 
Cognitive Decline of Audience: -65% 
Overall Inches on the Action Erection Scale: 10 out of 12

Going in, The Man With the Iron Fists had plenty going against it. First off, it was an American production playing in a predominantly non-American genre. Second, the film had an untested director at the helm, music producer RZA. Lastly, the movie dubiously credits Eli Roth as a co-writer (Sorry, kids...Hostel is NOT a glowing recommendation). With all these variables working against it, it’s RZA’s reliable craftsmanship that sees the film all the way through, despite its shortcomings.

Taking place during the 1800s, the film attempts to explain itself by introducing an over-accelerated plot about a shipment of government gold that’s secured inside a village brothel. A dizzying number of clans want to possess the gold, putting a displaced weapons maker (RZA) in the middle of their war. Some of the clans involved are unscrupulous, all of them are skilled in gravity-defying martial arts, and the luckiest ones are heralded by a killer soundtrack.

Starring a curious mish mash of well-known international faces, The Man With the Iron Fists is ultimately just a vanity project for RZA, the blacksmith behind the renowned Wu-Tang Clan. Like most Hip Hop artist, he has found a way to make himself the most important thing in the room. Unlike most Hip Hop artist, he’s managed to do so without coming off as obnoxious. Instead, he’s simply a kid in a candy store --- most  likely recreating his favorite chop socky flicks and spinning them into his own personal kung-fu musical.  

The enthusiasm within The Man With the Iron Fists is authentic enough that it overcomes it’s blatant ego boosting, making it a serviceable homage. Fans of RZA the music producer will love it because it encompasses all the things they’ve come to love about Wu Tang. On the other end, film nerds can view it as a demo track. Something meant to prove that RZA brings a level of certainty to everything he touches.

Action A Go Go's 10 Favorite Bond Girls (We Had to 'Cause Everyone Else Was)

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well, let's begin then. Oh...and we like a good tussle, so be sure to tell us your favorites on Twitter at @ActionAGoGo.

Okay, at #1...

1. JILL ST. JOHN – DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER Hair so red it shines like justice. Bikinis so skimpy they set feminism back. To top it off she is as American as the day is long…we present Jill St. John as the immortal Tiffany Case! Whenever a top ten bond babe list comes out she is HIGH on that list and this time she takes the top spot! There are precious few scenes where she is fully clothed, and thank God for that. She’s also the perfect American balance to Bonds British charm, and around these parts we pull for the home grown talent. Oh, and did we say that she’s gorgeous? If Halle Berrywas lethal in her two piece Jill St. John absolutely murders it! Seriously, your eyes never had it so good, and that combined with her sly wit and double crossing nature make her the best Bond babe….ever!!!!

2. MICHELLE YEOH  -    TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997) Inside the action genre, Michelle Yeoh is the classiest lady working today. Her opportunity to be a Bond girl came with 1997's TOMMOROW NEVER DIES, a surprising yet incredibly logical choice given the fact that she was already an international star known for doing her own stunts. I say surprising because compared to the other women on this list, Yeoh could've punched and kicked her way to the finale of TOMORROW NEVER DIES without the aide of 007 and the end result would have been just as entertaining. While the producers constantly struggle to create acceptable arm candy for Bond in this post-PC world, Yeoh came pre-packaged with the type of Bond girl power that even your girlfriend couldn't roll her eyes at.

3. HONOR BLACKMAN  -   GOLDFINGER (1964) Probably the best Bond Girl name ever. Hell, probably the best name for a woman ever. Name aside, her best feature (okay...apart from the blonde locks and knockout figure) is actually her attitude. She gives Bond pounds of it from the moment they meet each other, nearly kicking his ass. Despite the fact that her presence makes no sense whatsoever, Honor Blackman is the perfect female foil for the rest of the film . Pussy Galore comes in at a solid number.

4. FAMKE  JANSSEN  -  GOLDENEYE (1995) If you were a child of the 80s then you probably weren't properly introduced to James Bond until 1995's GOLDENEYE (unless your latch key ass had parents who allowed you to watch Rated R movies). Whether it was the video game or (*gasp*) the actual Pierce Brosnan movie, GOLDENEYE served as the generational bridge for plenty of newly-minted Bond fans. If that was the case, then your first Bond girl just might have been Famke Janssen. Welcome to the club.

Much like Honey Rider in DR. NO, Famke Janssen probably luanched the puberties of an entire generation of teenage boys with her character of Xenia Onnatop. Not only does she carry one of the best monikers in Bond girl history, but she's also a bizarre mix of hot and crazy, eclipsing GOLDENEYE's sexy good girl, Izabella Scorupco.

 5. Ursala Andres – DR. NO (1962) There are few moments in film history where the magic that is celluloid managed to make the world stand still. One of those moments is when Ursala Andres walks out of the water playing Honey Ryder. Tall, gorgeous, and walking out of the water literally singing a siren song, Ursala set in motion a tradition of total babe-age that would last throughout the Bond catalog. We owe it all to this Swedish Bond babe, and by all rights she should be higher up on this list, but being the first don't make you the best in this neck of the woods. Still, she's just as amazing now as she was then, forever being known in the hall of fame as one top class babe. Never mind the Bond part. 

6. Eva Green-  CASINO ROYALE  (2006) CASINO ROYALE relaunched the Bond franchise, but more importantly gave us Eva Green as Vesper Lynd. Achingly beautiful and wicked smart, she is one of the few (maybe the only?) to truly play Bond from beginning to end. There is also no hint of the ditzy-ness or aloofness that might plague some of the earlier Bond woman. She brings the Bond woman into the 21st century with style and most importantly, class. It's a shame we can't have her back :)

7. Karin Dor -  YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) A little bit of light bondage never hurt anyone, right? That's what you be saying after Karin Dor puts you in a corner. While playing Helga Brandt, things get very steamy and dangerous for Bond in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. She is a dreaded Spectre agent, assassin, and smoking hot red head all wrapped up in one nice package. She also manages to make everyone's favorite secret agent sweat. Their relationship is fleeting, as she does get one of the all time classic Bond deaths of all. To this day, Karin stands as one of the most memorable Bond girls...of all time!

8. JANE SEYMOR – LIVE AND LET DIE (1973) Do you like your women...supernatural? Then Jane Seymor in LIVE AND LET DIE is for you! Before she was Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman and the super hot MILF in WEDDING CRASHERS (2005) she got her big break as Solitare, the virgin tarot card reader that can predict the future. Trust me, it's plays better in the movie. She is sultry, yet innocent. All knowing, yet nearly defenseless. Of all the girls Bond has gotten to tango with she manages to stand out for all the right reasons. She also stands out because he actually has to work to win her heart. Good stuff.

9. MAUD ADAMS  – OCTOPUSSY (1983) The 80's were a strange, strange place. But they were made all the brighter by Maud Adams in OCTOPUSSY. It epitomizes the zaniness of the Roger Moore era and delivers acres of ladies all over the place. Top of the heap is Maud Adams as the main female lead and namesake of the film, Octopussy. Maud had previously starred in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN as well and was brought BACK to star again, that's how hard she rocked it before. In the movie she is the head of a cult filled with women that is dedicated to Octopi. She's also amazingly hot and spends most of her time in her underwear. And you get to hear "Octopussy" seriously used in a sentence without anyone laughing. You know what, I take it back. The 80's weren't a strange place. They were a time when Bond fans and silk underwear never had it so good.

10. HALLE BERRY  AS  JINX JOHNSON -  DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002) We have a love/hate relationship with Ms. Halle Berry. On one hand, she's the ageless beauty who gave us such Joel Silver-approved awesomeness as LAST BOY SCOUT, EXECUTIVE DECISION, and --- Silver's greatest accomplishment --- her right and left breast in SWORDFISH. On the other hand, she's a boil on the X-MEN franchise and she is remembered for being a Bond girl in one of the worst 007 films ever. Ultimately, we can't blame Halle for DIE ANOTHER DAY, but we can blame her for the fact that we had to endure that movie just so we could get a peak at her in that lethal two-piece bikini.

Honorable Mention

DENISE RICHARDS AS DR. CHRISTMAS JONES  -   THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999) While purists scoff at the idea of Denise Richards as a Bond girl, the lizard brains here at Action A Go Go respect her brief body of work (no pun intended...no, seriously). The actress behind such drool-inducing man classics as WILD THINGS and STARSHIP TROOPERS should get a little love. Yes, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH was awful, but we shouldn't blame Ms. Richards for that. So back off, you bunch of stuck up Brits! It's an action film. We have standards too, but stop pretending like our tanned American girls don't get your knickers in a twist.



P.S because you demanded it (ok, maybe no one demanded it) here are some more best of breed photos of all the legendary Bond ladies above. You know, because Bond girl pictures. Nuff said.