Skyfall movie review for The Nanyang Chronicle

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92/ 12

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7+( 1$1<$1*

LIFESTYLE

05 CHRONICLE reviews

FILMS SKYFALL ACTION Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem 143min

“YOU know the rules of the game. You’ve been playing it long enough,� MI6 chief M tells James Bond at the beginning of Skyfall. 007’s been at it for 50 years, and the 23rd Bond film is definitely one to remember. The movie celebrates the anniversary in style, bringing nos t a lg ia to aud ie nc e s familiar with the series, as well as reinventing the formula which may set the tone for future movies. Bond’s last appearance on the big screen was four years ago in the disappointing Quantum of Solace. It was not a bad movie, but one that took itself a little too seriously with its convoluted environmental terrorism plot. With Skyfall, the writers have rebou nded w it h a stripped down and more coherent story that visits both Bond’s and M’s past. T he f i lm begins in Turkey, with Bond working alongside new partner Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) to retrieve a stolen hard drive containing a list of NATO agents working undercover in terrorist organisations.

BEST OF THE BEST: Daniel Craig (left) and Javier Bardem (right) deliver the most delightful performances the Bond franchise has seen.

Chasing t h rough t he city on car, motorbike and culminating in a fight on top of a moving train, the entire sequence is exhilarating and indicative of Sam Mendes’ top-notch directing. But while action sequences tended to overwhelm the plot in previous Bond films and got carried away, Mendes skillfully uses the action in Skyfall as a vehicle to propel the emotional drama. Daniel Craig looks very comfor table in his third outing as the legendary 007,

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 HORROR Katie Featherson, Kathryn Newton, Matt Shively 88min

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 is a watered-down and abysma l sequel w it hout much sur prises or explanations. Sadly, it does not replicate the success of its predecessors. Up to now, t he Paranor ma l Act iv it y ser ies has maintained a healthy level of horror in its theme of haunted homes. Unfortunately ideas seem to have been exhausted in the fourth installment. Once again, there are plent y scenes of bodies d r agged i nto room s by an unexplained force, or things in the house falling without reason. The movie also capitalises on its old ways of scaring its audience with sudden sounds and unexpected movements. It is also disconcerting that the scenes constantly

cut to darkness instead of following up with the events of the next shot. Besides that, nothing else is shocking or truly frightening. T he mov ie is f ur ther weakened by the evident lack of plot. A lt houg h t he mov ie begins with a promising link to the first and second movies — Katie (Katie Featherson) killing her husband, sister and brother-in-law, and kidnapping their son, Hunter — her story is not featured as the central plot. Instead the movie follows the lives of two teenagers, Alex (Kathryn Newton) and Ben (Matt Shively) as they notice unusual behavior in the house during their Skype calls to each other. Things get creepier when their neighbour, Katie’s son Robbie (Brady Allen) stays

exuding sauveness and wit that were sorely missed in the previous film. It is hard to believe his casting as Bond was once doubted by critics, because the actor has now cemented his place among other legends who have filled 007’s shoes. Craig looks set to be the mainstay of the franchise for as long as he chooses. I nterest i ng ly, Bond’s characteristic philandering ways are hardly existent this time, with the sexiest scene showing Bond getting

over with Wyat t (A iden Lovekamp), the family’s youngest child. Allen manages to pull off the strangeness of Robbie’s character. Unfortunately this is not well explored as this is mostly discovered through Alex’s perspective. Furthermore, the main horror element involving the three characters is revealed mostly towards the end in an abrupt fashion. As the movie revolves around the young couple, the movie becomes more comedic than horrific. Perhaps this time, the directors were going for something different, as the interaction bet ween t he young couple, A lex and Ben, brings a couple of cheap laughs. Ben tries to diffuse the seriousness by dropping sexual innuendoes about the supernatural spirits. This may appeal to the younger crowd who may take to Ben’s “charms�. But for most audiences, t he adolescent sexual humor u nde r m i ne s t he hor r or element in the movie. Also, in this installment, it seems that Ben is the male

an intimate shave from Eve. Instead, the main Bond girl is M herself, which Judi Dench delivers with great tenacity. In previous films, Dench’s c ha r ac te r of te n took a backseat to 007’s globetrotting adventures. Skyfall sees the MI6 chief’s relationship with Bond develop beyond that of an agent-handler, exposing the iron lady’s vulnerabilities. She also becomes more of a surrogate mother to her trusted agent, whose orphaned past first hinted at in 2006’s Casino Royale

PHOTO | INTERNET

is explored in greater detail this time. Academy Award winner Javier Bardem plays the main antagonist Raoul Silva, and his eerily charming performance makes him the best villain in the Bond series so far. Half-persuasive and halflunatic, Silva has a dark history and is not the typical one-dimensional villain bent on world domination. He has a personal vendetta against M and his carefully conceived plan is never fully revealed,

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allowing him to always stay one step ahead of Bond and keep the audience guessing. Iconic gadget master Q makes his return to the series after a three-movie absence, with Ben Whishaw bringing a fresh face and delightful geeky drag. Ra lph Fien nes a lso delivers a classy performance as Chairman of the National Intelligence Council Gareth Mallory, a largely ambiguous character whose intentions are unknown as he exudes a sense of authority while keeping a close eye on MI6. Skyfall may be grim, but cinematographer Roger Deakins ensures that it is delivered in the prettiest fashion. Reflections, colours and wide-angle shots are a staple, and no other Bond film comes close to this level of stylish presentation. T he da zz l i ng neon lights of Shanghai provide a spectacular backdrop for a nighttime assassination, while the final confrontation between Bond and Silva in Scotland is a deadly game of cat and mouse played in shadows and silhouettes. The Bond franchise may be 50 years old now, but Sam Mendes has shown that it is still possible to teach an old dog new tricks. Skyfall continues the modern evolution of the series, injecting intelligence in the plot while keeping the film just as fun as it is cool. With masterful directing and cinematography, this is quite simply the best Bond movie yet.

-BENJAMIN LIM

CHEAP SCARE: Without innovation, the Paranormal Activity series has become increasingly stale. PHOTO | INTERNET

lead who takes charge of the supernatural problem as seen in the other films. However, he appears equally bewildered and does not take charge of ascertaining t he ser iousness of t heir dangerous plight.

Unlike previous Paranormal Activity movies, the cause of the supernatural activity is not investigated, leading to a lack of focus. T he haunting is also underwhelming as it is not rooted in any historical past.

I n a l l , Paran or m al Activity 4 is definitely a letdown. The movie is a rehash of what has been done and the lack of creativity in the horror elements is disappointing.

-TAAHIYA AYOOB

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