Welcome back 007, it's been too long!

Rating: 8/10 (27 October 2012)

With the temporary glitch from Quantum of Solace and then the suspension of filming due to financial troubles, it seemed that Bond's best days were far behind him. Surely whatever followed would be better no matter what we saw. Oh how true this is. Four years later, Skyfall doesn't just surpass expectations; it smashes them and then some.
With the longest running Bond film ever at two hours twenty two minutes, Sam Mendes has given us a very satisfying Bond entry; everything hits the spot: the narrative structure, the development of characterisation (allowed to be explored even further thanks to the simple plot), the action sets and locations (despite most of the film being set in England which surprised me), I couldn't fault the film at all. It's one of those films where I couldn't stop smiling throughout. From the adrenaline fuelled ten minute pre-title sequence, Adele's fantastic Bond song, to a very intense and emotional ending, Mendes has created a landmark Bond film. It's sophisticated, clever, original, and plays homage to the conventions that defined Bond all those years ago – the gadgets, vintage cars, subtle humour, and of course Javier Bardem's hide out, an island full of crumbling ruins which has all the splendour of Stromberg's floating palace and Blofeld's volcanic base.
The acting is top notch. The chemistry between Bond and M is so real it feels there really has been a 50 year history between the two. M's character is explored deeply, as is James Bond's, more so in the gripping and spectacular final scene in Scotland. Javier Bardem gives us simply an Oscar-worthy performance as one of the most disturbing Bond villains ever, and the supporting cast is outstanding, with Albert Finney, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris all on hand to help our hero.
My only criticism would be the positioning of the gun barrel sequence, again; it feels misplaced at the end, but hey, you can't have everything.
This oozes class, and Mr Craig has well and truly moulded into the role, and I can't wait to see what he does for Bond 24 in 2014. Dare I say it, the best Bond film ever? Happy 50th anniversary Mr Bond! An absolute pleasure to watch.