"He knows how to make an entrance."

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2012)

The most iconic film characters have dark beginnings. So is the case of Batman, and so it is with James Bond.
"Skyfall" is the 23rd official James Bond film, and could very well be one of, if not the, best one. We've come a long way from "Dr. No". Yes, Craig is still mostly brooding and tough, his steely eyes and cold voice resonates throughout the movie, but he portrays the character the way Ian Fleming intended it. Not unlike Timothy Dalton, but Craig is leaner and meaner, although some scenes of dry wit and humor do indeed make the cut. In "Skyfall" we explore his past and understand more why he has become the man he is.
The stakes are raised much more. Javier Bardem portrays Raoul Silva, a computer hacker/ex-MI6 agent, and what could possibly the best Bond villain since, I dunno, Auric Goldfinger and/or Franz Sanchez. Bardem's Oscar-winning performance as Anton Chigurh terrified me, and shades of it can be seen in the midst of Silva, but with more flair and uncomfortable, flamboyant glee. His only flaw was not having more screen time in the film than he had.
Judi Dench returns as M, the head of MI6. Unlike the previous six movies , M is given depth and resonance, played wonderfully and intensely by Dench that I actually cared for her and worried about the stakes at hand. You can see it in her that her past decisions have filled her up with guilt and she hides it all in despite her steely resolve, giving a new and fascinating depth to the character that will definitely make her more appreciated when I revisit the previous films. Along with Bardem, Dench steals every scene she's in with her superb acting qualities.
Nothing much to say about the other characters. I was wondering why Naomi Harris was underused, and then at the end of the film it hit me why. Berenice Marlohe, a stunning, seriously seductive and sultry beauty in true Bond girl fashion, too is very underused. Ben Whishaw steps into the role of Q the quartermaster. He's no Desmond Llewellyn but he definitely has some deadpan wit in him. Oh, and Ralph Fiennes and Albert Finney (humorously) show up too.
Now this is why the film may not fare well with most Bond films. The film is, for the first time in a Bond film, directed by an Oscar-winner, Sam Mendes ("American Beauty", "Road to Perdition", "Jarhead"). The screenplay was written by Bond regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade along with accomplished Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan ("Gladiator", "The Last Samurai", "The Aviator"). You can guess where this is going. EON Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson did the right move hiring these crew of calibre.
Because, the film alternates between being a James Bond action/adventure, and being a character-driven Sam Mendes drama. Most people will not stand for this. At 143 minutes (the longest in the franchise) it might seem tedious and too talky for those looking for globe-trotting escapades.
But it worked superbly for me. This is the first Bond film where I truly cared for the important characters (007 and M; in Silva's case, dread) and their outcomes, and the decisions that define who they are and what they have become. This darker, more intense tone, I think, is probably inspired and influenced by Christopher Nolan's serious and brooding re-interpretation of Batman. I believe Mendes' strong, focused direction and the strong, well-thought out script by Purvis, Wade and Logan is to be credited for this. Yes, some plot points were kinda contrived, but Mendes' direction and the screen writing is so good, I forgive it for its flaws. I enjoy darker films too, so as long as the filmmakers know what they are doing.
It's not to say the film is low on action. Far from it. Mendes has proved himself to be a capable man of action. From a high-octane chase through Istanbul to a struggle in between neon-lit skyscrapers in Shanghai, from a race against time in London, to a sensational, jaw-dropping and emotionally intense climax in the Scottish hillside, "Skyfall" packs the thrills. And perfectly balances both it and the dramatics without either upstaging the other.
Of course, credit goes to the ever reliable Stuart Baird and his daughter Kate for cutting and crisply pacing the dramatics and the action perfectly and smoothly. The cinematography by the gifted Roger Deakins is hauntingly beautiful and stunning in scenes and is shaky-free, capturing the action in all their epic glory (I saw this film in IMAX, and I have to say, just WOW).
Last but not least, the music. British sensation Adele sings the title tune with her sultry voice, and it is a good song that is classic Bond. Series regular David Arnold does not return from this one, instead Mendes favorite and veteran Oscar-winning (there's that word again) composer Thomas Newman creates suitable themes for the sultry that would make John Barry proud, but when it comes to the action the music is engaging and Newman knows how to time it perfectly. It's the emotional and dramatic themes that strike a chord, though.
Is "Skyfall" everything I hoped for? Yes. And then some. I particularly loved how the writers and Mendes paid tribute to the classic Bond films. I did not expect it to be a searing character study as well. This film has brought James Bond back to life, no matter what anyone says. It's like getting to know your best friend's troubled past, yet respecting and still enjoying his tales for many more years to come. What Christopher Nolan did for Batman, Sam Mendes has certainly done the same for James Bond.
A perfect film to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the EON James Bond films. Bond is back. And Craig is here to stay.
Overall: 92%