Arguably the best PTS and the worst climax of the entire series in the same movie....

Rating: 6/10 (2 November 2012)

"Skyfall"'s pre-title sequence ranks right up there with the series' very best ("Octopussy", "GoldenEye", "The World Is Not Enough", etc.): it's an exhilarating action mini-movie, expertly directed by Sam Mendes, that instantly washes away the memories of the terrible editing of the action scenes in the series' previous entry, "Quantum Of Solace" (unlike Marc Forster, Mendes understands the importance of establishing shots, so that we know who is where and what he or she is trying to do). After this PTS gets you pumped, there is Adele's very beautiful title song (easily the best Bond song since the underrated "The World Is Not Enough"), coupled with some unique and fascinating images during the opening credits. The movie seems to be on the right track, and then....we get a "Rocky"-type "comeback" story about an (initially) out-of-shape, weathered, almost resigned Bond; isn't that the same Bond that JUST started his career as a 00-agent two films back, in "Casino Royale"? How can he be getting sick and tired of his job already? Daniel Craig himself gives his most confident performance as Bond so far, and "Skyfall" also re-introduces some classic series characters: their appearance may not be what you expect, but they all have good chemistry with Craig and they look like they will make a solid team in the following Bond film. However, the villain of "Skyfall" is such a patchwork of previous Bond (and non-Bond) villains (Max Zorin for the hair and the crazy laugh, Alec Trevelyan for his MI6 past and betrayal, and that's just the Bond ripoffs) that even Bardem can't create a new fresh character out of that recipe. And the entire climax of the movie, where Bond devises a mind-bogglingly stupid plan to "trap" the villain, is an almost total misfire, apart from two outstanding moments: Albert Finney's "Welcome to Scotland" (which is also probably the best line in the movie), and Bond's seriously angry look when the bad guys destroy his beloved Aston Martin! One more good sequence: the London tube chase - during rush hour, no less! It's funny and exciting. And one more bad: Severin's cruel death. It's crass and distasteful. **1/2 out of 4.