Blog 4 - The Relevance of James Bond

       Skyfall, directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road), is, in my opinion, the best James Bond film currently; also it is one of my most favorite films of all time. The entire movie is not only shot beautifully by my favorite cinematographer Roger Deakins, but reinvents the entire franchise of 007. In many ways it's one of the best action films to exist, not just because of its genius directing and it's gorgeous cinematography, but because of its messages. Skyfall is much like a statement that justifies the fact that James Bond can still matter and be cool to the new generation.
       There are many moments in Skyfall that reflect this statement, such as James Bond 'coming back from the dead' or when James Bond meets Q, who makes a sly remark on Bond's old gadgets. But it is this moment in the film that brings everything today. In this scene three messages are being told by M. One message, is for the film's story, where M persuades the British Prime Minister that the 00 section shouldn't be shut down. This is simple enough to understand, and is the most superficial argument in her speech.
       The second argument is about modern day security, especially regarding to acts such as the Patriot Act. In the scene, M mentions that 'our enemies...are in the shadows'. Because most of our enemies are no longer nations or figures, they are rather terrorists and other criminals who lurk within. They don't represent any nation or leader, which makes the situation much more 'frightening'. While, she gives this speech, we intercut moments where Bond emerges from a Tube station in London that was attacked; and not so long ago, the London underground was struck by terrorist. This imagery is sure to remind the British the horror of that attack, and begin to understand that security is still important and should be handled carefully.
       Finally the third argument is a finishing statement on how Bond is not irrelevant, that Bond still matters. And that we shouldn't forget about James Bond. There is a legacy to this franchise, and it's not ending anytime soon. Even, if I've never been a fan of the Bond franchise before Daniel Craig's takeover, this movie has allowed me to understand how impactful the character can be. And what makes this scene all the more better is the amazing track that Thomas Newman composed for this moment. It generates a growing buildup to the scene's climax, and to the film's message's climax.