Skyfall

Following the disappointment of ‘Quantum of Solace’ and the near bankruptcy of MGM, many people feared for the future of the legendary Bond franchise, but after a four-year absence Daniel Craig returns in ‘Skyfall’.

The 23rd official film in the 007 franchise ‘Skyfall’ is directed by the accomplished Sam Mendes, whom I’d argue has produced one of the best Bond films of the entire series.
A Bond film wouldn’t be complete without a moody yet powerful song and following in the footsteps of such powerhouse singers as Shirley Bassey, Nancy Sinatra and Tom Jones, Adele’s ‘Skyfall’ proves to be a fitting if unspectacular soundtrack for the subsequent feature.

There was a great deal of scepticism when Mendes was first announced at the helm of the project, having not previously directed a conventional action thriller, but with ‘Skyfall’ he has produced a film that delivers in every possible department.

Daniel Craig returns as the secret service agent in undoubtedly his best performance as Bond yet and one feels he has finally identified what his take on the legendary character should be. His performance is full of confidence whilst also providing a great insight into the inner torment of Bond’s character, a narrative development that builds on the good work found in ‘Casino Royale’.

However, despite Craig’s compelling performance, the strength of the film’s cast , combined with the quality of the writing ensures that characters’ such as Javier Bardem’s Silva and Judi Dench’s return as M prove to be even more complex and interesting.

Bardem’s casting was an incredibly shrewd piece of business from Mendes, as the incredibly talented Spaniard delivers one of the all time great Bond villain performances, as the mysterious, flamboyant, yet permanently dangerous Silva.
Whilst Judi Dench gives her strongest turn in years as M, whose inner conflict between her fondness for Bond and her job to achieve results at any cost is made more evident than ever. Dench’s onscreen chemistry with Craig ensures that the pairs scenes together are incredibly captivating and at stages, profoundly moving.

Mendes has spoken of how Christopher Nolan’s work on the Batman Trilogy had raised the bar for what a modern action thriller should be and this influence is clear to see with the film providing spectacular, meticulously crafted action sequences, all of which are constructed upon a foundation of thought provoking socio-political issues. (Even if these are not always resolved)

Simply put, just because Bond is famous for moments of mass spectacle and sharp wit, this doesn’t mean that the audience aren’t capable of handling a more complex narrative arc that demands their attention, beyond gasping at jaw dropping stunts.

Without giving anything away, the plot revolves around Bond’s loyalty to M being tested to the limits with 007 having to track down and eliminate any threat regardless of the increasing personal cost. Following a mission that goes wrong and an attack on MI6 HQ, M’s authority faces its first real challenge and we witness Craig’s character working in the shadows to ensure she retains control.

With a strong story, the expected spectacular production values and intriguing, well established characters, performed terrifically by a strong cast of talented actors, ‘Skyfall’ utterly revitalises the series providing an enthralling 143 minutes of entertainment.