James Bond: Skyfall – Review

Last night we went to watch the new James Bond movie, Skyfall. I should probably first point out I’m a huge James Bond fan and own all of them on DVD and have watched most of them more than 10 times, I grew up watching the movie franchise and wanting to be James Bond. So this “review” is going to be a little biased.

I had heard many good reviews of this movie, and had high hopes for it. After watching over 20 minutes of trailers and 007 themed adverts the movie finally started.

The simple truth was that while this was an awesome movie it was not a a great “James Bond” movie. In fact had they changed a character or two’s name and the title I think I would’ve given it a huge thumbs up.

[A possible spoiler or two after the break]
 Why isn’t this a great James Bond movie?

Firstly he drinks Heineken and Whiskey!! At one point in the movie there is a subtle hint of a drink that could be a Martini, shaken not stirred, but he doesn’t ask for it as such. This could have been forgiven if he asked for a bottle of Bollinger Champagne to be sent up to his room but that never happens.

The bond girls where mostly absent from this movie and they didn’t have awesome suggestive names. Bérénice Lim Marlohe was a beautiful bond girl but she didn’t have a awesome name like “Vespa”, “Octopussy” etc.

Q is a kid, not only that but there isn’t nearly enough witty banter between Q and Bond. And why weren’t there any awesome gadgets? I did love it when they brought the Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger back.

Other annoyances was that Bond doesn’t introduce himself as “Bond, James Bond” nearly enough.

But I guess this is a more “real” James Bond, one where computers and hackers are more powerful than armies and the bad guys are not countries or large organisations.

It’s an enjoyable movie, with plenty of action, beautiful girls and a few witty remarks. If you’re a hardcore James Bond fan you’ll notice a few things that hint back to the older Bond movies. In summary its an awesome movie, just not an awesome James Bond movie.