“So much for my promising career in espionage.” —Q
Today’s quick review: Skyfall. Injured on a mission and presumed dead, James Bond (Daniel Craig) resurfaces to help M (Judi Dench) track down Silva (Javier Bardem), a resourceful man whose explosive declaration of war has left MI-6 reeling. As Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) leads a government investigation into M’s handling of the situation, Bond teams up with Eve (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to track down the mastermind.
Skyfall is a spy action thriller and the third entry in the rebooted James Bond series starring Daniel Craig. A failed mission in Istanbul leaves James Bond injured, MI-6 in shambles, and M facing a political crisis that could end her career. Skillful acting, a thrilling plot, subtle thematic work, and a hefty dose of action make Skyfall one of the most robust films in the franchise.
Skyfall has a much more personal tone than previous Bond films. Left physically and emotionally scarred by his injuries, Bond must pull himself back from the brink to have any hope of defeating Silva. Meanwhile, M faces her greatest crisis as years of cold, pragmatic decision-making come back to haunt her. The drama is handled expertly, resulting in an unusually thoughtful story laced with rich thematic connections.
Nor does Skyfall forget the action. In spite of his handicap, Bond is at his peak, tackling each new challenge with the right mixture of skill and struggle. Skyfall does not opt for the flashy, iconic action scenes of other spy movies. Instead, it takes a subtler approach. Each action scene is polished and exciting, but none of them distract from the whole. The result is an action film that is thrilling yet cohesive.
The one drawback of Skyfall is a matter of taste. The film continues in the dramatic tradition of Casino Royale, playing up the cold and troubled side of Bond. Much like Casino Royale, Skyfall puts its drama to good use, but the serious tone of the film will not sit well with fans of the more adventurous side of Bond.
Skyfall is an impressive film that stands with the best Bond has to offer. While its tone and storytelling style are very different from the classic version of Bond, the quality of the film more than justifies its departures from the old formula. Any action fan will want to give Skyfall a shot. For the full story, start with Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. For an action thriller of similar caliber, try Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
[7.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1074638/). I give it an 8.0 for excellent craftsmanship.