In the upcoming “Skyfall,” James Bond (Daniel Craig) sure has his hands full. Not only does he seemingly return from the dead to a changed MI6, but he has to face down what could be his deadliest foe yet.
Franchise vets Craig and Judi Dench are joined by newcomers Javier Bardem, Ralph Fienes, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe and Albert Finney. Sam Mendes (“Road to Perdition,” “Jarhead”) directed.
With the release of these four new clips this week, we offer up four reasons why Bond may have finally met his greatest set of challenges in “Skyfall.” Will he survive? And what will be left of him?
1. Berenice Marlohe may be too much for Bond.
The Bond films have famously had there share of exotic beauties, but French actress Marlohe may prove too much for Bond in a mysterious role as Severine. The first clip (above) re-introduces us to Craig as the famed secret agent, while showing off Marlohe’s feminine wiles. While wining and wooing in a Shanghai casino, 007 kicks off the proceedings with those three immortal words: “Bond. James Bond.”
2. Bond fights an entire train
Here’s a clip that was glimpsed in the trailer, wherein 007 uses some Tim Allen-style tool know-how and then fights a train. Just make sure those cufflinks are straight, James.
3. Even Bond’s allies are shooting at him
In this scene, Harris (who hid her beauty under some grotty make-up in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) plays Eve, an MI6 agent who is ordered by M (Dench) to take out Bond’s hand-to-hand opponent, but ends up shooting the wrong guy. Oops.
4. Javier Bardem is the villain
Anyone who’s seen “No Country For Old Men” knows that Bardem s one of the best bad guys around. “Skyfall’s” main baddie is the maniacal Raoul Silva, a role which gives Bardem plenty of room to chew scenery and walk that fine line between scary and silly. He’s also sporting a blonde dye job — his strangest hair since his Oscar-winning role in “No Country.” Here, he brings trains back into the picture, much to Bond’s chagrin.
Read Guy Lodge’s review of the film here.
“Skyfall” opens in the U.S. November 9.