A more personal Bond

Rating: 8/10 (16 September 2016)

Plot; Struggling to regain form after an injury in the field, secret agent James Bond finds himself matched against a shadowy hacker who may be much more.
Whatever else Sam Mendes' first take on Bond is, it's certainly gorgeous to look at. From London to Shanghai to the Scottish Highlands, it's a diverse and often breathtaking tapestry of environs. Thankfully it's not just a pretty face. Matched with a strong, personal story, the stakes here are far more intimate--and powerful--than the standard "world domination" thing (which is more or less true of all of Daniel Craig's Bond outings thus far). Speaking of Craig, his Bond may not be in good form here, but he certainly is. Bursting on the scene in a strong way in Casino Royale (in my opinion the best film in the entire franchise), his footing seemed a tad less sure in the thin and uneven Quantum of Solace. Here he clearly relishes the focus on character and pathos and delivers in a major way. Also strong are his supporting players, including newcomers Naomi Harris (Moneypenny), Ben Whishaw (Q) and Ralph Fiennes (Mallory). But there true star here may be Judi Dench as M. In a way, this is as much her movie as Bond's, and the veteran actress more than holds her own against 007.
If there's a weak spot here it's Javier Bardem as the villain. I like Silva in concept, but Bardem too often strays into camp, robbing the movie of some of its dramatic power at key moments. This is clearly not a universal opinion, as Bardem received several award nominations (including BAFTA and SAG) for the role.
When I first saw Skyfall back in '12 it seemed a strong course correction after the stumble of Solace (a film I've since come to appreciate a tad more), and I'm pleased to say that remains true four years later.