The rebirth of Bondage
007’s character goes back to the author’s original, flawed but redeemed
After 23 James Bond movies (there are a few absurd unofficial offshoots), some might see 007 as both outmoded and outclassed by the deluge of action films that have taken physical prowess to fresh heights – pre-eminently the Jason Bourne series.
Sam Mendes (a craftsman responsible for such striking productions as Road to Perdition and American Beauty) is fully aware of this.
Bond, M and MI6 are all aware of their marginal status in the post-Cold War world. Indeed, Bond (Craig, older and exuding a cold, wounded bitterness) begins as apparently dead and in hiding — maintaining himself in a slough of self-pity as a drunk and prescription pill addict.
Skyfall shows him seeking and finding redemption, matching himself against a sinister, perhaps superior foe (Javier Bardem). This makes the film a distinct departure from the superhero Bond previously incarnated by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan. Even M (Dench) is flayed by a parliamentary commission for her failures and shapelessness of definition in the world of terrorism.
Some previous characters return with dramatic makeovers: Q (Whishaw) and Miss Moneypenny (Harris). But the film is not a simple reboot — it reinvents the screen persona to that originally envisaged by Ian Fleming. He’s an edgy
80 Lead roles: Daniel Craig Judi Dench Javier Bardem Ralph Fiennes Naomie Harris Bérénice Marlohe Albert Finney Ben Whishaw