Bond licensed to thrill by Vatican
Catholic paper praises 007’s latest action adventure
James Bond’s womanizing and predilection for killing may not make him the most godly of characters, but he has been sanctioned by no less an authority than the Vatican, through its official newspaper.
L’Osservatore Romano devoted an entire page and five articles in praise of the fictional spy on Wednesday.
As the latest Bond film, Skyfall, opened in Italian cinemas, the Vatican paper said it was one of the best of the 23 films made since the franchise began 50 years ago.
It stopped short of calling 007 a Catholic hero, as it did with Homer Simpson two years ago, but it lauded this incarnation of Bond, played by Daniel Craig, as being “more human, capable of being moved and of crying: in a word, more real.”
The newspaper, which was founded 151 years ago, used to run only editorials on Catholic saints, articles on theology and notices of the Pope’s official engagements.
Since a new editor was appointed in 2007 and urged by Pope Benedict XVI to make the publication more relevant, it has commentated on everything from Harry Potter to The Blues Brothers.
Under the headline “007 — licence to cry,” the newspaper said Skyfall contained all the classic ingredients of a Bond film, from “adrenalin-pumped action to exotic locations, beautiful Bond girls and the inevitable vodka Martini — shaken, not stirred,” but had been given a contemporary twist by Sam Mendes, the director.
The article said Craig was “less attracted by the pleasures of life, more introspective and more vulnerable physically and psychologically.”
Javier Bardem’s villain was on a par with some of the classic antagonists of the past such as Dr. No, Goldfinger or Rosa Klebb, while Dame Judi Dench was “perfect” as the spymaster M.
The newspaper also ran an interview with Craig, who was described as “the 44-year-old Anglo-Saxon actor with deep blue eyes.”
Craig said Skyfall represents an attempt to bring “more realism” to the Bond formula, without betraying the franchise and character.
Skyfall opens across Canada on Nov. 9.