I
have always found mild amusement in the James Bond franchise, though even in
its golden years I never considered the films anything more than genre
escapism. Even when the series was reinvented, from the beginning this time, I
was slightly under-whelmed. Although Casino Royale was a promising start, the
film as a whole felt somewhat uneven and incomplete. The follow-up and only
direct sequel to a Bond film, Quantum of Solace, was a big letdown despite the
interesting and bold choice of director. Skyfall held no expectations for me,
though I had more interest when I heard that Sam Mendes would be the director.
Mendes
has a limited filmography, proving to be somewhat picky in the projects he
takes on, with Skyfall being the largest budget and only genre picture he has
attempted. The match seemed strange albeit bold, especially since Mendes had
been missing from the big screen since releasing two alternate views of married
life with Away with Me and Revolutionary
Road
Skyfall
is an easy film to compliment. Usually, even with some of the best films, there
are only a few elements which elevate the film. Either a fantastic script,
remarkable actor or strong visuals can make the film more memorable than the
rest, but it is extremely rare for a film to excel in every way. Despite easily
being dismissible as a genre film, Skyfall was one of the best films of 2012,
not to mention in the James Bond franchise. Every aspect of the film seems to
come together into a remarkably entertaining and emotionally engaging film.
Along
with the direction by Mendes come the frequent partners in filmmaking, composer
Thomas Newman and director of photography Roger Deakins. Both add a significant
amount to the spectacle of the film, with Newman’s energetically percussion
based interpretation of the classic Bond theme and Deakins’ incredible foray
into digital photography. These are two great reasons to own this film on
Blu-ray, especially for the soundtrack. The photography also looks great,
though nothing compares to the way it looked in theaters.
The
Blu-ray release also has a DVD and a digital copy of the film. There are plenty
of special features about the many iconic elements of a bond film, from
villains and women to cars and gadgets. Even more impressive, however, is the
incredibly informative commentary track with Mendes. There is a second track
with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, and production designer
Dennis Gassner.
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