- After one of the train's carriages got severed, why didn't the conductor / driver stop the train ?
- We're shown that MI6 is able to track Patrice only AFTER analyzing the bullet shrapnels in Bond's body. So, this could mean two things-:
- Scenario 1 - MI6 didn't analyze the bullets from the other agents Patrice killed (including Ronson).
The Stupidity - Why in the world would MI6 not do that?
- Scenario 2 - Patrice used those special bullets ONLY on Bond.
The Stupidity - Assuming that Silva ordered Patrice to use the kind of bullets that can be tracked back to him (in order to intentionally leave a trail for MI6), why would he also instruct him to use them only on Bond? Why not kill ALL agents with those bullets in order to leave as many breadcrumbs as possible for MI6 to follow?
- BOND vs PATRICE (IN SHANGHAI)
- Why does Bond keep staring at Patrice while he prepares to shoot his target?
- Why does Bond STUPIDLY decide to fight Patrice hand-to-hand when he could've just used his gun to incapacitate him?
- Severine's bodyguards STUPIDLY decide to initially indulge in hand-to-hand combat with Bond instead of using their guns from the beginning. One could argue that the reason they don't use guns is because Silva wants Bond alive, but this argument makes no sense because of two main reasons-:
- It would be much easier for them to make Bond surrender with the use of a gun, especially if the gun is pointed at him from a distance and not up-close.
- A few seconds into the fight, we DO see at least TWO of the bodyguards aiming a gun at Bond with full intentions of killing him.
- Why does Silva wait MORE THAN THREE MONTHS to expose the identities of undercover agents ? Why not do it IMMEDIATELY ? Given his personal grievance with M, wouldn't it have made more sense for him to cause MAXIMUM damage as quickly as possible? Moreover, immediately exposing their identities makes the most sense logistically, because Silva should be aware that MI6 would (ideally) pull out all its vulnerable agents as soon as they fail to retrieve the list. Which brings me to my next criticism -:
- Why didn’t M pull back ALL of the concerned agents IMMEDIATELY after Patrice escaped with the list? Why did she wait until AFTER Silva already exposed FIVE agents to give the order ? Mallory even questions her about this, which is un-satisfyingly brushed off by M and a clear answer to this question is NEVER given by the film.
- During the "shooting game", one of Silva’s henchmen STUPIDLY decides to keep his gun directly in contact with Bond’s head, instead of aiming at him from a far distance. Stupidly enough, Silva ALSO sees no problem with this.
- CONVENIENTLY, only ONE henchman had his gun aimed at Bond for the entirety of the "shooting game".
- As we see later, Bond could have easily prevented Severine's death by fighting his way out, like he does just SECONDS after Silva kills her.
- Backup from MI6 CONVENIENTLY arrives just SECONDS after Severine is killed.
- SILVA'S PLAN TO GET CAUGHT
- The film would have us believe that EVERYTHING, from blowing up MI6 headquarters to M's assassination attempt, was planned by Silva. This doesn't make a lot of sense because-:
- Firstly, why did Silva feel the need to get captured by MI6 in order to kill M? Couldn’t he have just barged into the parliament with his henchmen during the parliament inquiry (like he does in the film) WITHOUT getting caught by MI6? OR Couldn't he kill her at ANY other moment, like when she's traveling in her car, or is peacefully sleeping in her home ? OR Couldn't he have her kidnapped and brought to his island?
Forget that, even if getting caught was important to him for SOME inexplicable reason, why didn't he just surrender to MI6 and confess to the numerous crimes he has committed as a cyber-terrorist?
- Secondly, it is unclear how EXACTLY he was planning on getting caught, because if he always wanted an MI6 agent to come after him, then why do Patrice (in Shanghai) and Severine's bodyguards fight Bond with the intent to kill?
- According to the film, Silva had planned everything in such a way that he gets captured and brought to MI6 on the SAME DAY as M's parliament inquiry. But it's INSANELY convenient that's what EXACTLY happens, given that the following variables are involved-:
- What if Bond had removed the shrapnel from his body for analysis a DAY or a WEEK later? The timeline of Silva's entire plan would have shifted accordingly and it would've been impossible for him to assassinate M at the parliament inquiry.
- Silva's entire plan hinges on Q behaving idiotically (Even though he's supposed to be a SPY computer engineer, Q stupidly decides to directly plug SILVA's (an international cyber terrorist's) computer onto MI6's network).
- Silva's plan also depends on Q trying to decrypt Silva's laptop IMMEDIATELY after he's caught and M has left for her parliament inquiry. What would Silva have done if Q had decided to de-crpyt his laptop say, an hour, a day, or a week later?
- We're shown that Silva is given a police uniform by his allies at the subway station. And, as we find out later, Silva acquires a gun only AFTER he sits in his "police car". But why this delay? Why wasn't a gun given to him along with the police uniform? This makes Silva look really stupid for not making arrangements for a gun along with the police uniform, considering that the real police and MI6 agents would be constantly on his trail once he escapes.
- Why does the tube driver allow Bond on board? It’s not like he showed her some ID or anything. I mean, for all she knows, HE could be a terrorist.
- Bond CONVENIENTLY catches up to Silva in the EXACT place Silva has planted a bomb. Also, how could Silva foresee that Bond would eventually catch up to him in that EXACT place? What if Bond caught up to him at an earlier or later location? What was Silva's contingency plan? Did he have bombs planted at EVERY SINGLE location on his path to the parliament?
- Once Bond eventually catches up to Silva and is within shooting-range, he STUPIDLY decides to stop shooting and lets Silva not only deliver snarky comments, but also lets him reach for his radio to blow up a part of the subway's track. EVEN AFTER Silva blows up said track, Bond, for SOME reason, doesn't shoot Silva in the leg, so as to at least prevent him from further escaping. Instead, Bond MORONICALLY makes a snarky comment himself.
- After Bond and M found out that all the ammunition in "Skyfall" had been sold, why didn't they request Mallory, Q, and Tanner for extra ammunition, instead of setting up booby traps all over the house?
- Why was Kincade using a flashlight to get away from the burning 'Skyfall' ? As we see in the scene, the ENTIRE house is on fire and is burning VERY brightly. So, all Kincade and M would have to do is to just walk in the opposite direction of the house to get to the church. And, as we see later, the church is close enough to the house to be clearly visible in its light. So, there was absolutely no requirement for a flashlight here.
- On the frozen lake, one of Silva’s henchman once again STUPIDLY stands very close to Bond with his gun, instead of aiming at him from a further distance.
- On the same frozen lake, instead of killing him immediately, or at least shooting him in the leg, Silva STUPIDLY wastes time by talking to Bond.
- M CONVENIENTLY succumbs to her injury just seconds AFTER Silva is dead.
THE POSITIVES-: - The action scenes were well shot and choreographed.
- The cinematography by Roger Deakins was beautifully breathtaking and immensely complimented the gorgeous set designs.
- The music and background score worked very well with the tone of the screenplay. The opening credits sequence along with 'Skyfall' by Adele is easily one of my favorite movie-openings.
- The VFX, costume and make-up department also did a brilliant job in making Silva's facial condition believable and terrifying.
- The acting by everyone in the cast was excellent. Javier Bardem's performance in particular was outstanding. He was masterfully able to exude just the right amount of creepiness and magnetic personality through his character.
- The dialogues of the film, especially during Silva's introductory monologue and in the scenes between Bond and M, were very well written.
- Calling Silva a well written character would unfortunately be lying, because a lot of his actions and plans were quite stupid. But, his motivations for hating M made total sense and were satisfyingly congruous with the themes of the film.
- The film's central thematic point, i.e, the relationship between James Bond and M, was fortunately explored with skill, care, and coherency. Bond's loyalty to M is tested at several instants, whether it be the inciting incident (M orders Moneypenny to take a precarious shot), Silva's revelation of the truth (M sent Bond to a mission even though he failed his tests), and the most crucial of all - the reason behind Silva's grudge (the fact that she sacrificed her best agent and left him to be brutally tortured, and the possibility that M perhaps wouldn't hesitate in doing the same to Bond). While Bond does express his disdain for M using his words, it's clear through his actions that he would still protect and care for M no matter what, and that his loyalty to her and MI6 remains intact. Since Bond is an orphan and was taken in by M at a young age, it is clear that the two have developed a mother-son dynamic (something that, interestingly enough, can also be sensed between M and Silva), which is why they can rely on each other even when things between them are bitter. This dynamic perfectly culminates in a tragic ending, where a guilt-ridden M, who has blamed herself for "creating" Silva, spends her final moments literally in Bond's arms, acknowledging that, at the end of the day, James Bond is perhaps the best thing she got right in her life.
RATING -: 6/10 |
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