When a serious menace threatens MI6, James Bond is on the case — putting aside his own life and personal issues to hunt and obliterate the perpetrators. Meanwhile, secrets arise from M’s past that strain Bond’s loyalty to his longtime boss.
Brian
Rating: 10 out of 10
If I sound vague sometimes in the review, it’s only to keep it spoiler free.
It’s a great time to be a fan of James Bond. Not only has the character evolved over the last 50 years of films, but they have also grown stronger and attracted a higher and higher level of talent both in front of and behind the camera.
Skyfall is a mixture of everything that makes James Bond special and yet reinvents the formula to create a compelling mixture of action and humanity within the Bond universe. So much of what makes Skyfall stand out is the technical prowess behind the camera from both Director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) and Cinematographer Roger Deakins (Shawshank Redemption, No Country For Old Men). This is the prettiest Bond film to look at of all time. All of the locales each have their own distinct visual styles: Gold and natural light in Asia, deep blues and darkness in Britain, and deep washed out browns in Turkey. But, you don’t want to hear about the visuals do you? You want to know whether it has a good story? Good characters? Is Daniel Craig his usual ass kicking self? Yes to all of the above. Craig has brought so much more to the role than just being a martini sipping quip machine. He has a past that is explored here including his loyalties to his M, where he comes from, who his parents were, and why he became an orphan. It adds a humanity to his character that draws you in and Craig’s performance suits this modern Bond so well that I can’t see anyone else in the role. Supporting work all around is also excellent. Judi Dench is giving a lot more screen time in this one and she’s typically outstanding, newcomer to the series Naomie Harris is appealing and likable, Ralph Fiennes is great, and Javier Bardem is the best Bond villain ever. You heard me right….ever. Why? The most interesting villains are the ones that aren’t completely single-minded. He has a damn good reason for wanting revenge against the MI6 agency that Bond works for. His methods are evil but his reasons are legitimate. All of it is delivered in a captivating way by Oscar-winner Bardem, who’s ability to play fantastic villains may end up being what he’s best remembered for.
I could go on about all of the action scenes, the terrific dialogue, or the plot progression and pacing, but I’ll close the review with this: Skyfall is the finest Bond film ever made. There goes our Top 5 Bond Films.
The Movie Brothers 
You nailed it! Loved “Skyfall” and your review. It’s pretty in line with my review as well:
http://forreelz.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/skyfall/
I’m a big fan of the blog!
Thanks for reading! Your blog is off to a nice start! Keep it up!
I completely agree…Bardem is an incredible villain, and Craig is hands down the best Bond there has ever been. Doesn’t rely on cheap gimmicks or silly gadgets, and instead focuses on the plot and characters.
You are so correct, Brian, it IS a great time to be a fan of James Bond.
Loved this film. Really enjoyed Casino Royale and haven’t seen Quantum of Solace yet but this one was great in its simplicity.
I still haven’t seen this, and don’t normally watch Bond films – but apparently this is one of those films that it’s pretty much illegal not to see. Thanks for the review!
You guys may be interested: I’ve just written a blog about EMDB, a programme that helps you keep track of every film you’ve ever seen. Check it out: http://www.thestupidbison.com
10/10, eh? You liked it even more than I did. One of my favourite scenes was the Home Alone-style last stand in the country pile. It’s a pity none of Silva’s mooks got smacked in the face by an iron.
I enjoyed Skyfall as an action movie but to me this is not a really real bondmovie. It tries to hard being dark – Bond it too much of a tormented soul in my opinion. It has some moments yes, but I want more humor, Oddjob and Jaws-like henchmen, gadgets that are more imaginative than just a product placement.
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agreed definitely a 10. was entertaining from start to finish.
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I had never seen a Bond movie before this and I was a bit disappointed. While I enjoyed the story and action, there were not gadgets, and you don’t even see the “cool car” until the end. After years of hearing about James Bond’s famous gadgets, cars, and even his line “shaken not stirred” this is kind of what I was expecting from this movie. After seeing it, I watched older Bonds and even though the effects weren’t as great, I must say I enjoyed them more. Was I missing something from this movie or is it just my lack of Bond knowledge that makes me disagree a bit with you?
If you like James Bond more for cool cars and gadgets then you and I are not in agreement. I’ll take interesting characters and fantastic visuals all day.