Shaken, not Stirred

Google the phrase ‘Shaken, not Stirred’  and you will get over 49 million results. And, at the right hand side, two small windows appear that mentions the use of the phrase from Wikipedia and the character ‘James Bond’.

It was 10:15pm, when the phone started ringing. I picked up the call thinking it would be from home. However, it was from Vishaal a dear friend of mine asking me if I would join for the movie Skyfall at 11pm. Not even giving a second thought, I agreed as I was eagerly waiting for the movie since December. How can one miss the evergreen Bond Movie?

Not willing to miss even a single second and waiting for intense packed action, the movie starts with the classic Bond music and a chase that involved fork lifter, Aston Martin cars and a running train. Indeed the chase was mystique, breath taking when the fork lifter starts moving on the train and then, running over the Aston Martin cars that are over the train and finally trying to hold the train coupled with its fork. Having seen bikes, cars on the train, this is something different. Typical to the Bond style, the movie had a great start.

Shaken, not stirred – I am impressed with this dialogue of Bond and was looking forward to the dialogue.To my delight it was implicit for the audience to understand, when the Martini is served Shaken, not Stirred with Bond acknowledging as ‘Perfect’!  It appears that, this Bond movie was not in line with the old Bond movies. And, you should not go to the movie in anticipation with the old movies. M – Who has great faith in Bond recruits Bond again despite Bond failing all the tests. Incidentally Bond was assumed to be dead. And, M played by Judi Dench gets killed at the end and an emotional bonding is portrayed. This marks the end of the role for Judi Dench who has played in the last six bond movies. Bond has been portrayed as aging and having fewer calibers than before. Sometimes it does not seem to be the typical Bond movie, like having a pen which can shoot or bomb, The Aston Martin Car, which had different features, is not shown like the past movies. Also, The Bond’s display of being a womanizer is never felt at all. I wish there was more of a Bond music in the movie.

Villain – Javier Bardem, known as Raul Silva in the Movie has  performed extremely well. The film also marks the return of two characters Q, played by Ben Whishaw, and Miss Moneypenny, played by Naomie Harris.

In the end, while an inquiry is happening against M, an attack happens and M is rescued by Bond and driven away in a Jaguar. M asks where he is taking her. Bond responds – ‘Back in Time’ 

Rating : 4.5/5