Skyfall

Rating: 10/10 (1 November 2012)

Dr. No first introduced the most famous fictional spy created by Ian Fleming, James Bond 007, in 1962, since then twenty two films and six actors: Sir Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Sir Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, and the most successful franchise in the world brought us this twenty third film to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the series, from director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition). Basically James Bond 007 (Daniel Craig) and agent Eve (Naomie Harris) are chasing Patrice (Ola Rapace), who killed an MI6 agent and stolen a computer hard drive containing details of NATO agents undercover from terrorist organisations, it's imperative they retrieve it. During the chase Bond and the killer fight on top of a train, Eve has a shot that is not clear, M (BAFTA nominated Dame Judi Dench), head of MI6, orders to shoot Patrice, she ends up accidentally shooting Bond, he is presumed dead falling into the river below, after this M is pressured by Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), Intelligence and Security Committee Chairman, to retire. MI6 headquarters explodes after M's computer is hacked, killing a number of agents, James not dead has been relaxing, but he sees the news report and returns to London, using the shrapnel in his shoulder from one of Patrice's bullets they track his location. Bond meets his new quartermaster, Q (Ben Whishaw), who gives him a new special Walther PPK, he heads for Shanghai, meanwhile five NATO agents are killed after their details are leaked, Bond finds and stops Patrice from killing another, he falls to his death before questioning, but Bond gets another lead finding a gambling chip in Patrice's equipment case. Heading to the casino the chip came from Bond meets the woman he saw during Patrice's assassination attempt, Sévérine (Bérénice Marlohe) who warns him he will be killed before leaving, she will help him if he kills her employer, after attacking the henchmen and escaping a Komodo dragon he joins her on her boat. Next morning they are taken prisoner to an abandoned island city, Bond meets Sévérine's employer, criminal mastermind behind the explosion at MI6, Raoul Silva (BAFTA nominated Javier Bardem), who reveals he was a former MI6 agent working under M, he wants revenge and blames her for his imprisonment and torture by the Chinese. Silva kills Sévérine, but Bond activated his distress signal before they were captured, Silva is arrested and put in a strong transparent cell, when Q tries to decrypt codes on Silva's laptop computer he inadvertently hacks into MI6 systems and allows Silva to escape through the London Underground, Bond pursues him. Silva tries to kill M at a meeting into her handling of recent situations, but Bond, Mallory, Eve and aide Tanner (Rory Kinnear) stop his attack, M is to be taken away to a place of safety, in Bond's famous Aston Martin DB5 they travel to his childhood home in Scotland, the lodge named Skyfall. Bond tells Q to set a trail for Silva to follow, at Skyfall the gamekeeper of the Bond family estate, Kincade (Albert Finney), brings out some weapons for them to defend themselves, Bond sets up booby traps. Soon enough Silva's men surround the place and they fight off their assault, then Silva himself arrives and M and Kincade escape through the secret tunnel and head for a chapel. Bond escapes Skyfall before it is exploded with gas canisters and dynamite, and he narrowly escapes a fall through ice with a henchman, in the chapel Silva notices that M is mortally wounded, but before he can kill her he is stabbed in the back by James with a large knife, he dies, M collapses, and after some last words she dies. In the end, Mallory becomes the new M, Eve introduces herself properly with her surname Moneypenny and becomes a secretary instead of a field agent, and James Bond 007 is ready for his next mission. Also starring Helen McCrory as Clair Dowar MP, Nicholas Woodeson as Doctor Hall, Huw Edwards as BBC News Anchor and a cameo by producer Michael G. Wilson. Craig is still the impeccable choice for Bond as the cool, suave and determined secret agent with a licence to kill, Bardem is fantastically camp (literally) as the villain with a gross facial deformity from a bad cyanide pill and a truly evil presence, Dench proves herself a great actress as her character is brought out much more in the story, Whishaw as the younger Q is much needed comic relief and nostalgia, and the supporting cast like Harris and Fiennes are great also. Quantum of Solace was a bit flat, this brings things right back up to standard, the characters are terrific, the story is well written and played out, the heart racing sequences are well executed with great special effects and stunts, the Oscar and Golden Globe winning title song by Adele is magnificent, product placement is certainly noticeable, seeing Bond drink a Heineken rather than Martini, "shaken, not stirred", and returning Bond conventions like the Aston Martin DB5, Q and Moneypenny make you reminisce on the past great Bond films, it is a brilliant spy action thriller and possibly my new favourite Bond film, with Goldfinger, it became the highest grossing film in the series, and in the UK. It won the Oscar for Best Sound Editing (tied with Zero Dark Thirty), and it was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Music for Thomas Newman and Best Sound Mixing, and it won the BAFTAs for Original Music and Outstanding British Film, wand it was nominated for Cinematography, Editing, Production Design and Sound. James Bond was number 3 on 100 Years, 100 Heroes & Villains, he was number 21 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols, and he was number 21 on The 100 Greatest Pop Culture Icons. Outstanding!