Skyfall Review

Director: Sam Mendes

Cast Headliners: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench,  Javier Bardem

Release Date: November 9th, 2012    

      James Bond is back on the big screen. Agent 007 brings with him an aura of awesome that doesn't let up for the two and a half hours that Skyfall lasts. Quantum of Solace may have been a letdown when compared to the excellent Casino Royale reboot.   It can be said that Skyfall has put effort on every front to create an exciting and perfect spy movie experience.

     The action sequences in this film are incredible. They are intricately woven into the plot so that the pacing is perfect.  The opening car and train chase is impressive enough, but that is just the start of what happens in the adventure.  Explosions seem genuine, and Bond is a fighting all star as always.  There are tons of surprises in this film.

   The plot is one of the finest Bond plots around. The culprit behind the crimes is not revealed for a long time, and once he is the movie gets even better. Javier Bardem is wonderful as Silva. He is wonderful in the way that you enjoy it when he is on screen. He is one of those villians that the audience will hate and love to hate.  Director Sam Mendes was apparently inspired by The Dark Knight when making this film, and Silva shares that same Joker-ish quality. Perhaps even more than Joker, Silva can compete on the field easily with Bond.  The best kind of Bond villains are the physical ones who usually happen to be ex-MI6 agents. Silva is one of those; he is a evil mastermind who's antics create the great moments of the film that Bond has to deal with.

   The carefully crafted pacing and editing lends to the epic plot. It is also helped by some beautiful set designs and exotic locales. The movie also feels fresh because of the new characters introduced and elements of humor. The snappy dialogue is entertaining to hear, and there are some genuine laughs to be had. Classic Bond characters are re-introduced for the modern era. The film's ending implies these great supporting characters will be back in the confirmed sequels.   Also of note is the cool soundtrack which creates  tension in every scene.

     The two regulars, Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, give great performances.  The movie really gives a chance for them to get to know each other. The last segment on the film really lets audiences know the inner thoughts of these characters and what they think of each other, which is fitting given the events of the climax. The climax is one of the best action shootouts of the year.

      Overall, Skyfall is a movie with very little flaws.  It knows what it is going for, and attains it.  It aims to be dark and succeeds. The only real complaint is it feels a bit more withdrawn compared to past Bonds. It may be too grim at times. This aids it though and the result is a very different Bond experience. Skyfall is the most epic James Bond film yet, and well worth watching.

It receives a 8.73 out of 10