2012: The Year in Film: "Skyfall" Review

So it's pretty fair to say that Daniel Craig has been a damn fine Bond. One of, if not THE best is the general consensus.  It certainly helps that the film series has aged beyond the silly sci fi gadget-obsessed nonsense of the latter Bronson films and into a gritty quasi-realism MUCH more befitting a post-9/11, post-Bourne film world.  "Casino Royale" is a real gem among Bond films and does an amazing job both establishing Craig as the new 007 and updating his world into a modern, believable post Cold War spyscape.  The Craig series was briefly derailed with a slight misstep with Quantum of Solace, which lacked a charismatic villain or an easily comprehend-able plot, both hallmarks of the Bond series, and along with a bankruptcy from MGM, left the Bond series in hiatus for a time.  In steps Sam Mendes, unarguably one of the finest filmmakers working today, to resurrect 007 just in time for the 50th Anniversary of the series.  Mendes might have directed some things you've heard of, having done movies called "American Beauty", "Road to Perdition" (in which Daniel Craig played a supporting role oddly enough), "Jarhead" and "Revolutionary Road".  So popular action is a serious departure for a filmmaker whose career to this point has consisted primarily of awards bait.

Skyfall opens with Bond on mission with another agent.  At this point he's the finest agent in all of MI6 and a close confident of director M (Judi Dench).  After a botched mission results in the presumed death of Bond and the scandalous release of the identities of undercover operatives of NATO intelligence services, M and MI6 in general find themselves up against the wall.  A revenge-obsessed former agent left for dead begins an all-out assault on M and MI6 as Bond struggles to get himself back to full strength.

The Good: First, as I said above, Craig is absolutely pitch-perfect as James Bond.  He brings a needed gravitas and physicality to the role while retaining the charm and humor that we've come to expect from 007. The supporting cast is great as well, with Javier Bardem being alternately frightening, charming and unhinged as a former MI6 agent obsessed with bringing down M, and Judi Dench slipping into the comfortable shoes of M without a hitch.  Newcomer Ralph Fiennes (low level HoB "boy status") assumes a role that will have him returning for other films is, as always, great.  Visually this film is spectacular.  There are a number of shots in Shanghai that are simply incredible... a battle in a glass high rise in particular.  Mendes brings an artist's eye that really brings a new element to what could have been a relatively straightforward action flick.  The plot, by and large, makes sense and is plausible, even despite employing the old Hollywood trope of being able to control everything via "hacker skills".  Casting Bond and MI6 as outgunned and outmanned was an interesting turn, and allowed Bond to really shine as an innovator and all-around badass.  Plus, this being the 50th anniversary of Bond, this one really referenced some classic Bond moments and scenes in a fun and deferential way.



The bad: Casino Royale was only 6 years ago, and it was presented as a Bond origin story.  In this flick, Bond is presented as old and getting towards washed up.  Is the operational effective life of an MI6 agent really only 6 years?  I know that Craig as an actor is getting older, in his mid 40's, but if that's the case, why present him as a new agent in Casino Royale?  Either way, that's seriously my only big criticism.

All in all this is a film that is visually thrilling, well crafted, well written, tremendously acted and an all-around good time at the movies.  Craig and Bardem really bring their A-games, and for my money, this is the best Bond flick of them all.  We really need to continue this trend of combining top flight directors with action scripts, Hollywood.

8.5/10.