A Promise for the Future
Why though? What’s the point in having Craig, or his movies, pass the Bond bar exam, and become “proper” parts of the canon? Well, giving the audience something satisfying to invest in for two and a half hours is a nice change of pace, but with its ending, Skyfall signals that the franchise will be, at least in the short term, heading in a retro direction. M’s a man again, Moneypenny is working the front desk, and Q is probably off building gadgets. Based on the portrait in M’s office, showing a proudly sailing fleet of the ships from Turner’s painting, the new MI6 will be bringing a classic sensibility to the modern Bond. Style is cyclical after all, so maybe it’s time for Bond to bring back a bit of the old fashioned.
And if nothing else, the sheer success of Skyfall proves that Bond, as an icon, will endure, just like M’s Royal Doulton Bulldog. After 007 closes out the movie with his signature gun barrel shot at the camera, a seal commemorating a half-century’s achievement is joined by hallowed words, a reminder that “James Bond will return,’’ for another film, and another 50 years. Thanks to Skyfall, that’s a more exciting prospect than ever.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our in-depth analysis of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.