A different and interesting plot but could have been loads better

Rating: 6/10 (2 November 2012)

The movie was far more realistic than usual, with a story line much more personal and intense.
Javier Bardem's (Silva) character is remarkable and Bardem did this exceptionally well with his own charm. Watch out for the scene where he makes the entry.
Another interesting aspect is that we get to see more of M (Judi Dench) and Bond's association with her.
Ralph Fiennes (Mallory) was another unexpected gem of a character in the movie.
So what is the problem? Mendes did a bad job in making the movie agree to the usual "Bond motifs" unnecessarily and poorly. During the first half, Severine's character just steps in and out and sleeps with Bond without adequate build up. Mendes failed to hold the first half of the plot together, and it showed lack of directional control.
I personally started liking the movie only from the second half. The movie became original and different only with it's exploration of Skyfall's theme towards the end.
Overall, I would like to blame Mendes for not doing a better job.