The Best Bond in a Very Long Time

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2015)

Bond is back. After the fairly standard Quantum of Solace and repeated delays due to funding problems, MGM and EON productions have gone all out for the Bond franchise's 50th anniversary, and the results are spectacular.
In his third appearance as James Bond, Daniel Craig continues to show why he is the best man for the role. Suave and sophisticated, intelligent, immensely physical, able to go from deadly serious to playfully charming at the drop of a hat, and showing utter disregard for procedure and authority, Craig epitomizes everything we love about the character. His earnestness and skill as an actor make situations that would otherwise be ridiculous believable, or at least nearly so. Connery will always be the best Bond, but Craig comes in a fairly close second.
And as with the previous two films, Skyfall continues to deepen the character and give us a sense of who he truly is. Not merely a playboy or a killer, Bond is a man of duty and honor. Given an easy out and every reason to give into bitterness and turn his back on Queen and country, he still returns to save the day yet again. He puts himself at the greatest risk again and again, not for money or fame, but for someone who has used him, taken advantage of his past circumstances, and made it abundantly clear that he is expendable. That he chooses the course he does is truly the mark of a hero.
Judy Dench is to be commended as well for giving her best performance yet as M. In the face of failure and disaster she is unshaken. Tired, doubted by those above her, and beset by enemies professional and otherwise on every side, she remains resolute, offering a powerful defense not only of herself but also of her profession. I was also glad to witness the return of Q, and highly approve of his re-imagining as a young computer wizard. In reinventing the character the filmmakers have both made him more relevant for the 21st century and avoided any hint that the new actor is merely a replacement for the late Desmond Llewellyn
And casting Javier Bardem as the latest villain was inspired. As Silva, Bardem evokes memories of Alec Trevelyan and Francisco Scargamonga, with a hint of Hannibal Lector and strong overtones of Anton Chigurh. He is an absolute genius, easily on par with Blofeld in his ability to weave complex plots and predict his enemy's moves. He has all of Bond's knowledge and skills as an agent, and then some. And he is utterly insane. There's something about him that produces a powerful sense of unease the moment you see him, one that is greatly heightened by his every word and movement. In his first meeting with Bond, the interplay between the two is sublime. Their rivalry is a perfect game of will and wits.
This being a spy thriller there are of course plenty of gunfights, chases and explosions, all of which are expertly done. The movie starts strong with one of the series' best pre-title sequences, a fast paced car and foot chase featuring one of the most original uses for construction equipment ever put on film. The 'fight of the silhouettes' is another high point; a sort of martial arts meets Cirque du Soleil. And nothing beats the drawn out final showdown, with its gunplay, massive explosions, and surprisingly emotional finale.
And the icing on the cake is that Skyfall always knows just the right tone to strike, and always nails it. It's funny, romantic, somber, or heart pounding exactly when it needs to be. It knows when to be a tense, serious thriller, and when to go for goofy, over the top action. It even manages to be self referential at times, with homages to previous films, including an important appearance by a very famous car. And unbelievable as it may seem for a Bond movie, Skyfall has a clear message: There are still threats to our safety and freedom lurking in the shadows, and that's where they must be fought. MI6 is as relevant today as it was at the height of the Cold War, and so is James Bond. Here's to the past.