Just Got A New No.1 Bond Film!

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 2012)

If I were to do a list of the greatest Bond films ever made, Skyfall would easily top that list. After several attempts to reinvent the character, Sam Mendes finally succeeded (not just in reinventing but most importantly) in bringing back the classic "Bond" back to life. While most moviegoers would expect the movie to center in action and suspense, Mendes triumphed in laying the greatest strength of this movie: making characterizations and themes co-exist alongside with the traditional action-packed nature of every Bond movie. I even had had the sense of watching a Christopher Nolan film because of what seemed to be a similar pattern that this movie trailed from start to finish, proving there's a lot more things to explore in Bond, and in Skyfall, Mendes proved what he can do more to raise the layers of the said character to a new high level, giving it renewed spice and flavor. Eventually, Sam's take on the said character was enough to pull Daniel Craig out of Sean Connery's shadow; Craig was finally able to define "Bond" in his own right and authority, without compromising the classic attributes of James Bond. Mendes's refreshing vision was able to give the franchise a whole new treatment without straying from the original essence and true spirit of "Bond", while also proving the saying "the old ways are still the best" ultimately true and in this installment's case, sensible. Some of the greatest shocker events in Skyfall were: the movie giving us hints of "M"'s (Judi Dench) secretive past, Javier Bardem's comically ravishing portrayal of Raoul Silva (the main antagonist), and introduction of new characters like "Eve" "Q", which gave us glimpse of the characters we would surely see in the next installments. And while the presentation of Ralph Fienne's character (which is mysterious?), actually seemed insignificant from the beginning, it was actually proved wrong in the end, when the iconic role Judi Dench had played for seven 007 films, "M", was finally turned over to Fiennes, giving us hint of how vital Fienne's role would be in the next James Bond movies. Now Fiennes was left with the challenge of stepping out of Lord Voldemort's shadows (an iconic role he previously played in HP Series) and continue the legacy left by Judi Dench by playing the role of MI6 Head and Bond's commanding officer.
As for some flaws noted in the film, one could easily observe the absence of lots of girls, the intimate and steamy scenes we usually see in a Bond film and some predictabilities in later part (which couldn't be major and still tolerable). Ultimately, Skyfall's classical sense rested on delving on Bond's character—the invulnerability he also possesses —, the attributes that define Bond—his unmistakable charm, verve and intellect—, the escalated thrill brought by heart-throbbing action sequences, and the wonderful journey the cinematography of this movie brought us by capturing the exotic scenery of Istanbul, the magnificent night skyline of Shanghai and Macau and the breathtaking landscape of Scottish Highlands. Truly, Sam Mendes was able to give the movie the "classic Bond feel" while also introducing Bond in a ground breaking treatment people would easily find lacking in the previous entries in the franchise. And indeed, as the world celebrates Bond's 50th anniversary, Skyfall's milestones are just fitting and timely to top the celebration.