Skyfall aka James Bond Rises

Rating: 8/10 (30 October 2012)

This review is not detailing the plot of the film but is more of an overview of how Skyfall will join the other 22 members of the franchise.
This being Daniel Craig's third outing successfully portraying as everyone's favourite secret agent, with Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace dipping their toes into the world of James Bond. Skyfall has used both feet firmly to deliver what we have come to know and love in the world of 007. But with a modern twist.
This time round there is far more humour with one liners that 007 has been made a custom with and also a nice piece of homage to the legacy of Bond shown through the return of the original Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger. Still as beautiful and still fully equipped with its gadgets. Javier Bardem's character of Silva is a welcomed return to memorable villains. Silva is an interesting villain with much potential and shows this early on with a great introduction set on his remote island, but sadly is diluted as the film comes to a close.
One disappointment with Skyfall is with its Bond girls or lack of. Naomie Harris' Eve covers the most screen time out of the two Bond girls and makes quite an introduction for herself by shooting 007. This Mi6 agent is not like previous ones which have come and gone, as it appears that Naomie Harris' Eve is play a bigger role in future James Bond films. Compare this with Bérénice Marlohe's character Sévérine which is easily forgotten in the film due to such limited screen time and one has to ask the question of was this character really needed?
The easiest way to explain Skyfall is to look at the director. Same Mendes has gone on record to say that Skyfall was influenced by The Dark Knight Batman film series of director Christopher Nolan. This is very apparent throughout the film and which is why Skyfall fails to be a traditional Bond film in some ways, but succeeds in other ways.
The similarities between the two franchises are blatant, which takes away the fun fantasy of Bond and replaces it with a grittier colder realism. Bring Bond into the 21st century is not a bad thing but at the same time trying to stay faithful to the series is not an easy task. Weather it being the still shot of Bond standing on a roof overlooking London uncanny of Batman doing the same looking over Gotham City, or the plot that faintly resembles The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. It all feels like it has been done before only then it was in a suit of armour and not in a suit from Savile Row.
If after watching Skyfall you are still not convinced that James Bond has put on a cape to save London City then the ending sequence should put your doubts to rest. It's almost like Sam Mendes took The Dark Knight Rises last 5 minutes and just changed the character's names around. While it feels lazy it does work and sets up Bond 24 to be the first 'real' Bond film in a long time. With all the ingredients being slowly added since Casino Royale it looks to have come together nicely for Bond's next adventure to be one to remember for all the right reasons.