An old agent of M's comes back for revenge and his chase forces James Bond to use his old past to protect M.

Rating: 7/10 (9 November 2012)

This movie is unlike any James Bond I have ever seen.
That is both a good and bad quality for this film.
The film starts out with a bang like any other typical Bond film, but then it slows down quite a bit. One can clearly tell that its director is from a darker, drama background rather than a high-octane Michael Bay resume. This is great news because it gives James Bond a much more human character than any previous movie. Bond actually feels like a man that can bleed, be scarred, be drunk, and get feeble.
But this darker, more in-depth look at Bond and M comes at a price, and that price is pacing. This movie doesn't so much sprint and stops to catch its breath, but rather, it gently trots along and sprints every now and then. Most of the action is in the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes. The entire middle section has sporadic action, but don't expect the usual Bond spectacle that we've all gotten used to. This is good in a way because it also doesn't get as ridiculous with the typical I-have-an-antimatter-satellite-in-space-made-out-of-gold Bond villain.
Javier Bardem plays a fantastic villain with a very simple goal: kill M. His character required him to play a man that's bitter but also eccentric and genius. He gets it perfect. He makes playing the character effortless. Daniel Craig also plays a less secure Bond than he did in first two. He was confident and arrogant, which made him seem naive. His Bond in this film is much more mindful that he's a bit more frail than he lets others see. He is more vulnerable this time around, and Craig carries that over seamlessly. But lets not forget Judi Dench in this movie because this is the most we have ever seen M. The story is actually from her point of view, and she has the most screen time out of any Bond film. It's nice to finally see M show more emotion and depth past handing out briefings. She comes off as a flawed boss who is more callous than Bond originally thought, but he is loyal to her nonetheless.
As a final note, the visuals in this movie are amazing. The colors and the compositions are of a true master director. Scaling landscape shots, saturated colors, silhouettes of fight scenes, and framing techniques make this film a treat for the eyes. The composition of shots stand out as startlingly interesting, and the color palette has a darker but saturated mood. This is a beautiful movie to watch. It is also physically darker than the rest, but I think that was a conscious choice by the Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes.
The script slowed down the action and excitement quite a bit to explore more depth and drama within Bond characters that we've never gotten a chance to see, but that drags the movie down at parts and you will definitely notice it. Don't go into this movie expecting the same kind of exciting action adventure Casino Royale brought to the table, but be prepared to have a slower feast that will probably leave you feeling more full at the end.
I recommend you see it for the fantastic acting, amazing visuals, and character depth. Just remember to see it with an open mind for change in the Bond formula, and don't go for just pure action or a super engaging script.