Review of Skyfall (2012) by Nikolayg — 05 Nov 2015

Casino Royale is my favorite James Bond film. I place From Russia With Love in second place. Just so you know where I'm coming from.

Skyfall disappointed me. The biggest reason for this is that the bad guy's motivation just didn't make much sense at all. It was the opposite of the motivation in the precise and focused plot of Casino Royale. Then there were the little moments that soured me on it. Here's a few, without giving spoilers of any significance. Bond is after a bad guy. Just before he attacks the bad guy, the bad guy shoots someone. Bond could have stopped him, but didn't. Bond stands by without a care in the world as the man commits murder. And the moment after that, Bond goes after the guy. It makes no sense. He would have attacked just before. He may not be a saint but Bond as Craig has defined him (until that moment) wouldn't let an innocent person be killed that way. Next thing. Bond tells a woman he's going to rescue her from being a sex slave (forced prostitute) if she helps him with his mission. When he shows up at her place, she's in the shower. She doesn't see him. He gets naked and surprises her in the shower - they presumably have sex. This is a woman he's had exactly one conversation with in a public place. So let's recap that logic. He's going to rescue her from sexual slavery but first he pops in naked for a quickie. Anyone other than me disturbed by that? It's freaking creepy as he!!. This isn't some Bond girl he's flirted with. This is a chronic victim of rape. OK. Next thing. In one scenes he's capture but he brings in the cavalry by virtue of a hidden radio transponder in his jacket transmitting his location. Really? Couldn't he have done this with an iPhone? The radio transponder is one of Q's special gadgets, as if we live in the year 1962. It's ridiculous. And why wasn't he searched when he was captured? It would have been found. So disappointing.