James Bond latest movie ‘Skyfall’ for Kenyan viewers

By Kiundu Waweru

The name is Bond, James Bond. Many people have grown up with this tagline, through the longest running film, James Bond, which features the colourful British Secret Agent, 007.

From the first Bond film based on Ian Fleming’s book, Dr No in 1972, to Goldfinger in 1964, Thunderball, 1965, Diamonds are Forever and Quantum of Solace, 2008, the British agent, working for the highly secretive MI6 has thrilled audiences all over the world.

And now, Kenyans stand to be among the first in the world to watch the eagerly awaited 23rd James Bond adventure film, Skyfall. It premieres in East Africa on Thursday at IMAX in Kenya, Milimani City in Tanzania and Oasis in Uganda.

Two days ago, Kenyan journalists were treated to a pre-premiere at the Fox Cinemas, Sarit Centre, and got a dose of the highly, adrenaline inducing film starring Daniel Craig in his third Bond Film.

Craig, who debuted with Casino Royale in 2006, has been criticised for not harbouring the enduring character of James Bond, previously played by Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan.

Well, in Skyfall, Craig gives his best in a film that could be tagged the best Bond film ever.

Bevy of beauties

In the earlier movies, Bond uses high tech gizmos and surrounds himself with a bevy of beauties, or ‘Bond girls’. He also has impeccable taste for food and always takes a vodka martini, shaken, not stirred.

Well, in Skyfall, he seems puzzled by the new technology occasioned by Internet. He actually does not get treated to the gizmos, and he yearns to go “back in time” which he just might.
He still got to contend with beautiful women, who seem to have a mind of their own and not simply sex objects.

One of the ‘Bond Girls’ is played by Naomie Harris, who was in Kenya during the filming of the Kimani Maruge-inspired film, The First Grader.

She starred as Maruge’s teacher, Jane Obinchu, in the film.

Naomie plays Moneypenny, the ever-present character in Bond films that takes the role of secretary who is sexually attracted to Mr Bond.

However, in the beginning of the film, she acts as Eve, a field agent who runs all over town with Bond in an adrenaline-inducing train chase.

Another highlight of the film is the theme song, Skyfall, by the celebrated and multiple Grammy Award winner, Adele.

Analysts in UK, Adele’s home country, are already predicting that the song will be a chartbuster.

Noticeable in the film is the coming back of the dying art of one-liners, quotable memorable phrases, in films.

In the film, Bond’s loyalty to M, another iconic character in the Bond series and the head of M16, is tested as her past comes back to haunt her.

As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

In one scene, Bond ‘resurrects’ at an island, with a Heineken Beer in hand and of course, a beautiful woman.

The beer has been a key global partner of the Bond franchise for the past 15 years and has sponsored the African premiere.
 
The film, which was directed by Sam Mendes will be released in the United Kingdom this Friday and premieres in the United States next month.

Well, KTN gives you an opportunity every Friday from 9.30pm to watch the 007 films.