Movie Title: Skyfall
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery
Writer: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Bérénice Lim Marlohe, Albert Finney, Rory Kinnear, Ola Rapace
Review: When James Bond's (Daniel Craig) latest assignment goes terribly wrong, it leads to a calamitous turn of events: Undercover agents around the world are exposed, and MI6 is attacked, forcing M (Judi Dench) to relocate the agency. With MI6 now compromised inside and out, M turns to the one man she can trust: Bond. Aided only by a field agent (Naomie Harris), Bond takes to the shadows and follows a trail to Silva (Javier Bardem), a man from M's past who wants to settle an old score.
Skyfall is the third installment of the Daniel Craig James Bond series. This film restores the greatness established by Casino Royale. Where Quantum of Solace fell short, Skyfall came back with a vengeance. This film is an unbelievably entertaining action thriller. As the 23rd movie in the Bond franchise, there are plenty of homages to Bond films past, but also a more modern touch that really accentuated the cutting-edge action and visuals. The acting is fantastic, especially the dynamic between Daniel Craig's Bond and Judi Dench's M. This is the first Bond film to really explore this unique relationship; one which Bond has with a female character that is amorous in a much different way than we are accustomed to seeing. This film is as much about M as it is about James Bond, and could not have been a better Bond franchise swan song for Judi Dench. This movie also features one of the best Bond villains in recent memory. Javier Bardem plays a great villain in Raoul Silva. Silva is a classic Bond villain in the mold of a former M16 agent who is out for blood after being betrayed by the agency, and M in particular. Bardem plays Silva in a way that evokes empathy, while still maintaining very terrifying, sadistic, and psychotic traits. It should also be noted that Adele's intro song is superb. There's so much to like about this film, from the story, to the acting, visual effects, and entertainment value. If you're a fan of Bond, you must watch this film. It is without a doubt, one of the best offerings this storied franchise has to offer.
Fun Fact: Dame Judi Dench has more screentime in this film alone than Desmond Llewelyn had in his seventeen films as Q, making her portrayal of M the most recurrent character in the franchise, after Bond.