A little more serious than it warrants at times but generally engaging Bond thanks to the talents of those involved (SPOILERS)

Rating: Null/10 (10 November 2012)

When I saw the previous Bond film (Quantum of Solace) I did quite like the more serious edge to it, but remember feeling like the bits between the action were still only the bits between the action and that none of it really amounted to much. With Skyfall this direction has been taken further and we end up with a film that is surprisingly light on action and heavy on thematic content. Neither of these things work quite as well as I would have hoped but generally it makes for a much more serious Bond film with some interesting things going on.
I say it doesn't totally work though because, in my view it doesn't; there is an odd lack of impact with the action sequences and there is an odd lack of satisfaction from the film as a whole – even as I enjoyed it I was surprised by how infrequently it thrilled me as a film. Opening with a punchy action sequence that leads into a visually strong title sequence, the film then slows down a little to focus on M as much as on anyone else. Her decisions, her mistakes and the consequences of both are key to the film and it was a theme I liked a great deal; there is a lot around this in dialogue and also in the characters (with the most obvious being the motivation of the villain). While the damage done to him by M is key to the plot, the damage done to Bond is also a constant through the plot, with the two men very close in some aspects. There is a lot of meat here although it must be said that, while serious, the film doesn't totally make the most of it and I would have liked more dialogue sequences like the couple delivered in the first meeting between Bond and Silva, and between Silva and M. At times the film doesn't make the most of it and as a result it seems serious and slow for the sake of it, rather than it really being rewarding as such.
In combination with this serious air, the action seemed pared down in terms of bravado and fun; I liked the serious air that has come to the films with Craig's tenure but I would have liked a bit more of the type of action we saw in the opening sequence. There is still plenty to enjoy but some of the action lacks spark and I can understand those who see the conclusion of the film to be a bit of a weak affair in terms of payoff (although personally I liked it). It doesn't help that some of the writing is poor when it comes to events – the ability of Silva to have planned for everything (for example, the exact chamber where Bond would catch up to him in the underground) is generally just ignored while other leaps (Bond's survival, recovery and return doesn't get any context at all) are just written off as the cost of doing business; in Moore's Bond perhaps these would be less important, but in this more serious film such convenience stands out.
The film still works though and in a bit part it is down to the talents of those involved. Although more could have been done with it, Craig, Dench and Bardem all make the most of the themes. Craig is best when struggling and he makes for an engaging Bond. Dench seems to appreciate the material to be more than just a supporting character and she does very well, but it is Bardem for me who really makes the film. His performance delivers on the serious content while also providing a cold yet camp menace throughout and he is able to bring the mental damage and rage through frequently. He is a great character and, while the serious tone occasionally makes the others seem a bit stiff, he is never affected by this. Harris is not as well used as I would have liked and doesn't fit that well, but Marlohe is enjoyably tragic. Fiennes is a good addition too. This acting talent is reflected technically too; I'm not totally sold on Mendes as the director here, but Deakins as cinematography is a great move because the film looks great from start to finish whether it is the dull atmosphere of a small Scottish church, or the neon confusion of a fight in a Shanghai tower block; I don't know who edited but this is also strong and makes the most of the visuals.
Skyfall is a strong Bond film though. It steps further from the gadgets and silliness of the franchise than any other film and it mostly makes it work thanks to the abilities of those involved. Some of the writing isn't as good as the tone of the film suggests and some of the action is less exciting than it should have been, but it still works. Not the crowd-pleasing Bond that many will be looking for, but a stronger and more interesting film for it.