SKYFALL

SKYFALL
Written by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ben Wishaw, Ralph Fiennes and Judi Dench

James Bond: Everybody needs a hobby.
Silva: So what’s yours?
James Bond: Resurrection.

James Bond is getting older. His shot is not as on point as it once was; his stride not as fast as in his younger years. In fact, it saddens me to say that his stomach is not quite the washboard it used to be either. There is one notable offshoot to Bond’s decline in prowess though. With age, comes wisdom and with SKYFALL, the 23rd film in the 007 spy series, that wisdom lends its weight to what is without question one of the most exciting and emotionally charged adventures the series has ever seen.

Sam Mendes, the Academy Award winning director of AMERICAN BEAUTY, opens his crack at the Bond series with the man himself, once again embodied by the masterful Daniel Craig, blurred in the background. As he comes into the light and into focus, we direct our attention to his eyes. These are the eyes of a determined man and before either he or we are able to blink, he finds himself in a high-speed bike chase that takes him to the rooftops of Istanbul, overlooking the Grand Bazaar. Why waste time really? This is an action film after all and Mendes has a clear and firm understanding of what the audience wants from their favorite international spy.

Bond has grown into a complex character over the years. In his last outing, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, his complexities got the best of him. Bond was melancholy and the film suffered for it. In SKYFALL he is no less tortuous but Mendes handles the character with much more control and allows the film’s intricate and energetic action sequences to drive the film forward. Without the weight of Bond’s suffering to hold the film back, he commands even more attention and emerges with even greater strength as a result. This is all the more impressive considering what he has to endure at the onset of the film.

Before the first chase is through, Bond is lost and presumed dead. Naturally, the audience knows he isn’t dead, as this would make for an awfully short film. What he goes through should have surely killed him but somehow he is reborn, resurrected even, and all that once haunted him now seems to propel him forward with a more profound momentum than he has had for some time. It is never explained how Bond survives, although I suspect it has something to do with the healing power of Adele’s opening credits theme song, but the fact that he does live on, confirms his innate greatness and grander purpose.

MI6, the British intelligence agency that Bond serves, is under attack. Bond’s longtime boss and sometimes friend, M (Judi Dench), is the actual target of this aggression. Her reign over the agency is being questioned because a top secret list of undercover agents the world over has fallen into the wrong hands. As names leak to the public little by little, confidence in her ability to manage dissipates at the same rate and her methods are called antiquated and quaint. The question as to whether MI6, and subsequently Bond himself, are still relevant is plainly posed and SKYFALL affirmatively reminds everyone that they are far from finished.

Mendes infuses the Bond series with a level of pedigree it rarely sees. Enlisting John Logan to assist Bond screenwriter regulars, Neil Purvis and Robert Wade, raises the personal stakes for the major characters, as all of them have done things that they aren’t necessarily proud of. Bringing on Roger Deakins, arguably the greatest cinematographer working in film today, invigorates the visual look of the film in so many unexpected ways. His work in Shanghai is particularly creative, which not only makes the fight scenes explode off the screen, but also makes the film a serious visual awards contender. And finally, casting actors as talented as Ralph Fiennes (M’s new boss), Ben Wishaw (a welcome return and updated version of classic character, Q) and Javier Bardem (doing what Bardem does best, the bad guy), elevates everyone’s acting game to the next level.

Despite all of this undeniable ability, both in front of and behind the camera, it is Mendes himself who deserves the most applause. His control over this always elaborate, always exciting and always engaging experience is infallible. He can take the film from quiet and tense one moment to loud and intense the next without missing a beat. SKYFALL is something of a cathartic experience almost. Bond is reborn and while his past transgressions inform the man he has become, they do not dictate the man he is going to be going forward. And after people see the newly reincarnated James Bond, they will no doubt be ready to follow him wherever he goes next.

Black Sheep interviews Naomie Harris

EDUCATING NAOMIE

An interview with Naomie Harris

In 2003, the government of Kenya announced that primary school education would be free for anyone interested in learning. They might have considered being a bit more precise in their wording though. When the gates opened and the children flooded in to take their seats, one man straggled behind them hoping for the same opportunity. His name was Kimani Maruge; he was 84 years old and he wanted to learn to read.

Maruge’s inspiring story has been adapted for film in Justin Chadwick’s THE FIRST GRADER. His triumph would never have been realized though if it weren’t for one strong teacher. Jane Obinchu defied her employers and stood up to the public outcry to ensure Maruge would realize his dreams. Obinchu is captured delicately on film by British actress, Naomie Harris.

“Obinchu really took a stand for this man’s right to education,” Harris tells me in between nibbles of her danish, when we meet in Toronto for yet another stop on her lengthy publicity tour. “It just made me question what I would be willing to put myself on the line for in that way and whether I would be brave enough to do it.”

Harris is extremely proud of her work in THE FIRST GRADER, as well she should be. The actress is perhaps best known for her work in Danny Boyle’s 28 DAYS LATER and her appearances in the second and third PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movies. After such large productions, Harris was happy to return to a smaller scale shoot. “I had done some big budget movies where you feel like you’re just part of a machine. There were only nine of us though that flew out to Kenya. We were going to live amongst the community. That really excited me.”

The 36-day Kenya shoot may have been smaller but it was certainly not any simpler. Not only did Harris have to act like a teacher (for which she received coaching from her mother, her own personal and unofficial acting coach) but she actually had to be a teacher as well to a class of dozens of children. “It was tough with those kids. It took me a long time to get them to loosen up and that’s what we needed for the film. The film only survives if the children and their personalities shine through.” She confides as well that she thought it was going to be easy.

Of course there is one other light that shines through that Harris hasn’t mentioned yet – the man who plays Maruge, her co-star, Oliver Litondo. Up until now, Litondo has only played smaller parts and most of those on television. THE FIRST GRADER marks his first time in a leading role and his performance is remarkable. “He is brilliant. He is really open and really warm,” Harris gushes. She goes on to describe what it was like to work with him. “Whenever you’re working with an actor, it is all about them being generous and he has that quality.”

A smaller movie can also mean a more intimate experience with the audience. THE FIRST GRADER took home the runner-up slot for audience favourite at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival (right behind another crowd pleaser, THE KING’S SPEECH, which you might have heard of) and touring with it has given Harris a new perspective on her profession. “Seeing people just sitting there and crying their eyes out and standing up to say how much the film really touched them – it’s just been really moving to me.” Harris, who is distractingly beautiful, was almost glowing at this point. “I had forgotten just how much a film like this can affect people.”

Kimani Maruge passed away in 2009 but thanks to Harris and THE FIRST GRADER, he will continue to inspire for years to come.