What can I say about James Bond as a character, that has never been said before? He’s a character that has been here for more than half a century and he remains relevant to this day. There must be something about this character that people are so entranced by, whether it’s his eccentric personality or his badass style that remains to be seen. However, there is one thing that we know for certain, it’s that the 23rd installment in the 007 franchise; Skyfall, is a pretty darn good movie.
How to Stream or Download Skyfall
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The Movie Review
There aren’t many films out there, that would tell you what to expect as soon as the intro credits start. However, when the song Skyfall starts to play at the very beginning of this movie, you know what to expect. Skyfall is one of the most advanced spy films that I have ever seen. It has everything that you expect from a spy film, from gunfights to betrayals and double agents, it has everything.
There’s a reason why this is known as the most regarded James Bond film ever made, and that is how good it is.
The film follows James Bond and his companion Eve Moneypenny as they’re in pursuit of a mercenary Patrice who has a file containing information about some undercover agents. However, hot on the trail, they run into a problem as Bond gets accidentally shot by Eve Moneypenny on the orders of their handler; M. Now, presumed dead James Bond must return from the grave so he can save M, his old handler and the reason why he got shot.
The film explores many parts of James Bond’s identity, From his emotional and moral life and mentality to his work and professional responsibilities; Skyfall explores everything. This was Daniel Craig’s third James Bond film, yet he played the role as if it was his very own.
I’m still surprised to this day, how Daniel Craig didn’t get an Oscar nomination for such a good performance as the 007 agent. However, that doesn’t matter as his performance speaks volumes just from the film itself. The part where Craig succeeds as the agent, while others failed is that he brings a huge emotion to the character.
If you watch any of the previous James Bond films without Daniel Craig as the hero, you will notice that the character is very badass and yet he lacks any sort of emotion. Craig’s version of the character brings a new nuance to the franchise and makes it more relatable as compared to the previous films.
Now it would be unfair to say that this film could have ever been of this level of quality if it wasn’t for director Sam Mendes. Sam’s direction, makes this two-hour and 23 minutes film fly by in moments. The pacing is so godly, that you never get bored despite the somber and slow moments and pacing of the film overall. When it comes to action, this film is jam-packed.
The film literally starts with a chase sequence in the middle of Istanbul, and it ends on a higher note than that. Though, that first chase sequence definitely shows you what this movie is all about.
The cinematography in this film is better than the cinematography in any other James Bond film. It is a humongous jump in quality, as well as the overall quality of the rest of the film is better as well due to the production.
The gunfights and the hand-to-hand combat feel smooth and realistic with great choreography. The set design and production design feels unique and brings out the spy film aesthetic even more than usual. Lastly the soundtrack; is pure pleasure for the ears.
The Bottom Line
So in conclusion, Skyfall seems to be the best James Bond film to ever be released. There is nothing about this film that I could complain about, it is a wild ride from the very start till the very end and yet it remains, grounded in reality.
Daniel Craig gives the performance of a lifetime, ironically while playing a pop culture icon. As a film, Skyfall remains true to its roots as a 007 film, and it also takes the franchise into uncharted territories and innovating as well as improving the overall quality of the franchise.
