2 out of 5

Director: Sam Mendes

Casino Royale set an unreachable bar that Quantum of Solace couldn’t achieve, substituting globe-hopping and chases for the slow-boil tension Royale pulled off so effectively. But it at least stuck to the “new model” of Bond, stripped of smiles and flashiness, all momentum, and the flick had some pretty rockin’ set pieces to boot. So then we have a long break. The opening minute or so of Skyfall seems to get it again, having Bond approach a dark room, mood set by director Mendes’ typically amazing use of (seemingly) natural light, and doesn’t insult us with a character recap – he’s a secret agent, he’s letting M know what’s what, etc. But then we step out into the sun, for a “fun” chase sequence with puns and stupidity, and this must be that blend of old and new Bond people were mentioning. But it’s clunky, so so clunky. Mendes has always been a boring director to me, unaware of how to pace things, and Skyfall was no exception. While some scenes are beautiful (the casino, goodness), that lighting is somber and sleepy, and the predictable scripting doesn’t help to wake you up. The “smart” combo of old and new via a tech-driven plot and Bond being pointed out as an old warship needing to retire doesn’t match the Bond feel, either old… OR new… It worked for Die Hard, where Jon McClane is always struggling to stay in tune, but Bond is cutting edge, from whichever era, and no matter how many surface “old dog” jokes you throw in I’m not gonna suddenly wink and admit that it’s all clever. It was eye-rolling. Why this isn’t one star is because it’s not a new Bond film, it’s an old Bond film, and good in those terms (though still overlong…) with a cheesy villain with a plot that doesn’t really follow and easily bedded lasses with almost 0 emotion in the story. That’s fine, just not where I was hoping Craig’s edition of Bond would go.