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inTERTAINMENT: Reviews by www.fortressofsolitude.co.za
MOVIE TITLE
SKYFALL
director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench,
Naomie Harris and Ralph Fiennes
MOVIE TITLE
LOOPER
director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels and
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
102 • • DO DO IT IT NOW NOW Magazine Magazine | October January 2013 | 2013 November 2012
HIGHLIGHTS
• Great direction, a great villan and great performances
recommended for: Bond fans
VERDICT
The plot is a lot simpler than it makes itself out to be. An unknown traitor steals the
names of all MI6’s agents and kills them all. Bond also gets shot during pursuit, but
after spending time recovering and becoming an alcoholic he returns. Despite failing
a few aptitude tests, boss M reinstates him out of pure desperation. Racing against
time, Bond needs to regain his skills and track down the mastermind behind all the
chaos before it’s too late.
With Skyfall it’s so easy to forget that you’re watching a James Bond film. Had it not
been for the familiarities – the Aston Martin and Monty Norman’s guitar theme from
Dr. No – this film could easily separate itself from the series. Traditional fans won’t
be delighted by all the changes, but braver viewers will find the experience more
than rewarding. If there is criticism to be levelled against Skyfall, it’s the less than
impressive title sequence, the Adele theme song and the lack of screen time awarded
to the remarkable Bardem. A few forgiveable cheesy one-liners also show up here
and there, breaking away from the film’s serious tone for a laugh or two.
The new 007 adventure reaches for the sky and soars above many of its predecessors.
Polished, well paced and extremely entertaining, Skyfall is well-worth watching, renting,
owning and adding to your collection.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Acting by both Willis and Gordon-Levitt
recommended for: Action / Sci Fi fans
VERDICT
Possibly billed incorrectly as purely an action film, Looper probably works better as a
sci-fi detective drama that avoids many of the usual clichés in exchange for an original
story (remember those?). Think Terminator. Think Back to the Future. Think 12 Monkeys.
Think Blade Runner. Think Inception. Think of them all combined and you’d get a peephole
glimpse into the world of Looper, a guaranteed future cult hit that could easily fit
into Christopher Nolan’s catalogue. The head-scratching Looper, which manages to sell
the idea of time travel without making us roll our eyes at the implausibility, has the right
combination for a winning formula - a great script, great direction, great performances
and great visuals. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll already know all there is to know about
the clever set-up.
In 2074, the mob disposes of its enemies by sending them back in time to the year 2044,
where hired hit men, dubbed loopers, wait to assassinate them. Gordon-Levitt plays Joe,
a successful looper thriving in the criminal underground, armed with wit, charm and a
retro-looking blunderbuss. Joe, who is incredibly low on morale, spends his time in bars
doing drugs and sleeping with prostitutes. His life of leisure is suddenly interrupted when
his future self appears at an assassination point. Old Joe, played by Bruce Willis at his
action-hero best, cleverly outsmarts him, knocking him out cold and venturing off on a
dark mission to save his future wife. A game of cat and mouse ensues, punctuated by
narrow escapes, shoot-outs and sharp dialogue, as Joe tracks down his older self.