It has been four years since the last James Bond movie, and for a while there was a legitimate concern the Quantum of Solace would be the last James Bond movie with MGM going bankrupt. That would have been a horrible way to end the series. But here it returns to its glorious form a perfect mix of what we have come to expect from both the character in relation to the series and Daniel Craig's spin on the character. Skyfall is a perfect blend of what we should expect from James Bond living in today's world.
No matter what Daniel Craig does with the rest of his time as the world's most famous spy. All of his work will always be compared to Casino Royale. And in that respect it probably doesn't live up to the near perfect reboot of the franchise. But if you were to treat this movie independently of the franchise the story is compelling and the actors shine. The only hint of hindrance comes from some of the moments that every James Bond movie has to have and the audience expects from a movie like this
At 44 years old you have to wonder how many more movies Daniel Craig has in him. Already in his third installment in the series they already play up the angle that he may be too old too still be a Double-0 agent. Yet his haunting blue eyes and slick coolness still aid him in being perfect for the role, for now. Cool as ever and he is still able to nail the action sequences even if they don't come as often from when he first started the series.
Sam Mendes does a fantastic job with the story making it more of a thriller than a straight up action flick. He forces his character to come to terms with who he is for the dramatic parts and still directs terrific action sequences. Most notably the opening which immediately grips you in. To his credit he finally gives Judi Dench a role she can firmly grab onto instead of just a bit part. It is a shame to have wasted all the potential of the character throughout the series but it was wonderful that someone finally let Dench be Dench
Hitting the 50th anniversary of the series the movie hits the moments that you have to. From the drink order to the action sequences to the music. But somehow after all this time it is still impossible to get sick of all the moments that we already know are coming. What is different about this movie from the previous two installments is that they have fun with some of the cliches that we are expecting the movie to have. This movie has a self-referential humor about it that was missing from Quantum of Solace.
The best part about this movie though is without a doubt Javier Bardem as the main Bond villain, Silva. As he walks onto the scene with bleach blonde hair and knowing what he can do as a villain from his time at No Country For Old Men there is a high expectation, and he knocks it out of the park. He plays the part completely over the top which is what you usually expect out of a Bond villain and that was a fun change of pace for the series.
This movie seemed to provide a solid mix of the realness that the other two Bond movies that garnered Casino Royale such praise with the campiness that we have come to expect. Like the previous two movies, Craig still plays a darker, harder version of the Bond character. He leaves the over the top acting and many of the one liners to his nemesis This is a Bond that is updated to the times, and for that I think we can all be thankful. B+
