Terrific Performances and Action

Rating: Null/10 (11 November 2012)

Skyfall (2012)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Daniel Craig's third time as James Bond has his loyalty to M (Judi Dench) questioned after a former agent (Javier Bardem) tries to take her out. Bond travels the globe trying to track down the bad guy but he soon realizes that there's only one old fashioned way to bring it all to a close. SKYFALL comes from director Sam Mendes and it's certainly a major step up from the previous film but it also takes the franchise into a new, more modern direction while being respectful to the old style as well. This film is clearly one of the best looking in the series and especially the stuff taking place in China. The beautiful way everything lights up the screen certainly looks terrific and the director also makes it very stylish and brings it to life. The screenplay here is another very good one and I really liked the way where all the characters are basically questioning stuff they've done in the past and what effect that is having on them in the present times. This is clearly a somewhat darker Bond and it works very well. The performances are among some of the best you're going to see from any Bond film with Craig easily putting his foot on the part and doing wonders with it. It's clear that he's doing something really incredible with the part and I think at this point it's fair to call him the second best. Dench is also very good in her part as she's given a lot more to do here than in previous films. Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Albert Finney, Ben Whishaw and Berenice Marlohe are all excellent in their support parts as well. Barden is also very memorable in his role as the villain but one wishes he had more screen time. The film contains one great action sequence after another with the beginning and ending to the picture really packing a bunch. I'm not going to go as far as some and call this the best Bond movie ever made but it's certainly one of the most entertaining and effective.