One of The Greatest Action Films of All Time

Rating: 10/10 (30 December 2018)

Skyfall is always going to be a special film for me. It's the first Bond film I ever saw in theatres and I vividly remember the hype this film had from Everyone around me. The film was everything I wanted it to be and more, to date it is my favourite Bond film of all time and, for my money, one of the best action films of all time.
One of the best things about Craig's film is that they make Bond into an actual character. He has his weaknesses and strengths and they're all conveyed perfectly in a way that makes him a better protagonist. Daniel Craig is again amazing as Bond it's a much more subtle performance than before that make his more emotional scenes a lot more fulfilling. It also gives the character a past and allows the audience to better understand how he became the man he did.
Sam Mendes is a terrific director, despite him not being know for action before this film I think he absolutely nailed it with this film. The action is absolutely pulse pounding and gritty, there's not a single action scene that isn't great and improves massively over the shaky nonsense that was present in Quantum. The film also looks spectacular thanks to Roger Deakin's cinematography, every single location looks different and every frame is visually alive . Without a doubt the best looking bond film of all time.
A great villains can make or break a bond films so it's so gratifying to say that this film has a truly wonderful one. Silva, played to perfection by Javier Bardem is a magnificent villain and one of bonds best foes. He has a fantastic backstory that really makes him a more personal villain than most villain. It's also great to see another unhinged villain in the bind series. The character is completely insane and it makes for a captivating presence. Bardem nailed his performance, another villain he played perfectly.
More than any other bond film, Skyfall made excellent use of its supporting cast. They all have a part to play big or small. Judi Dench gives her best performance as M in this film, her chemistry with Craig is perfect that makes the film about their relationship just as much as anything else. Moneypenny has a perfect return to the series, with her excellent chemistry with Bond and giving her a backstory as opposed to the fairly one note character that was present in the other iterations. It was also great to see Q back in the franchise as a younger less experienced version of the character. He has an excellent back and forth with Bond that creates for comedy gold and excellent dialogue. It's great to see Ralph Fiennes in the film that establishes him as a new presence in the franchise that makes it more satisfying to see him continue to play of Bond in future films.
Skyfall is a complete masterclass in acting, directing, action sequences and cinematography. It's the perfect action and bond film, my favourite in the series and it's going to take a lot for future films to beat it. It's one of the few films that both old school and new school fans can love and appreciate.
10/10 - A+ (Incredible)