Brilliant film with thrilling action and plenty of twists

Rating: 8/10 (31 October 2012)

James Bond is back after 4 years with Skyfall-50 years since first Bond film Dr No and the 23rd in the long-running franchise. After the slightly disappointing Quantum of Solace, bond is back with a new style and plot. Daniel Craig and Judi Dench return as Bond and M, with new cast members Javier Bardem, (No Country for Old Men, Biutiful) Ralph Fiennes, (Schindler's List, Harry Potter) Naomie Harris, (Pirates of the Caribbean, Miami Vice) Albert Finney, (Tom Jones, Erin Brockovich) Berenice Marlohe and Ben Whishaw. Skyfall sees the return of two Bond characters that were absent in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace-Miss Moneypenny and Q.
The premise of the film is that MI6 is attacked, and Bond's loyalty to M is tested when a secret from her past is revealed.
This was a really great film, probably the best Bond film yet. Daniel Craig is a spectacular Bond, second only to Sean Connery, and all the cast, especially Dench and Bardem, are fantastic. Bardem has already proved he can play a great villain, and in Skyfall it is the same. He is a truly menacing and great villain. Judi Dench is really never bad in a film. Right from the start, there is bucket loads of action, especially good was the London Underground sequence (which you will have a hard time believing is not actually filmed in the Underground) and a wonderful final act. The globe-trotting aspect of James Bond is still here as Bond travel to Turkey and China, though not as much as previous films have. Whishaw was a great Q and Fiennes, Harris and Kinney all put good performances in also, and Sam Mendes' direction was amazing, as was John Logan, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade's writing.
The only problems I had were that the 2 hour 40 minute run time was a bit too long, and some pacing issues meant that the film slowed down in some parts, lingering too long on a few parts while rushing a few. Nevertheless, a really good film.