Skyfall (2012)

Credit: MGM

Best. Bond. Ever! I knew five minutes into the movie that this was going to be something special when Bond used a tractor to link two train cars together; from there it just got even better. The 23rd James Bond movie finally has the perfect blend of action, stunts, dramatic moments, and even humor too.

I am new to the world of James Bond as I've only been a fan for over a year, but in my time as a fan, I quickly gobbled up the films in a little under 6 months; several even in back-to-back sittings. I was instantly drawn to the humor, whether it was intentional or unintentional. I loved the high-speed chases, the crazy villains and their henchmen, even their pets, which were typically sharks. I was a little disappointed when these new Daniel Craig movies lacked humor, though maybe it was for good reason to ditch that aspect and restore some credibility to the series. Luckily for me, Skyfall has a healthy portion of humor which is mixed with what is arguably the series' best plot.

Previous James Bond movies (prior to Casino Royale) tried to add a more dramatic layer to the series and even to the character, however they were slightly flawed in their execution. On Her Majesty's Secret Service ended in tragedy for Bond, in Licence to Kill he was out for revenge, and The World Is Not Enough featured a plot which shares some similarities with this current film. Both plots heavily feature the character of M, with Judi Dench portraying the head of MI6 in each. Without giving too much of Skyfall away, both movies feature MI6 being under attack for past transgressions, but this movie ditches some unnecessary subplots. In fact, most Bond movies seem to over-complicate things, with bad guys not just wanting to take over the world, they were also drug dealers on the side. Skyfall is the most straight-forward plot since early in the Connery years. I like how M is shown to be a tough and smart leader of the British Intelligence agency, though she is human too, as her actions have bitten her in the behind one too many times.

Humor is a key ingredient in this movie, but its not the main focus. Skyfall has an elegant look and feel to everything that happens on screen, including a rooftop chase on motorcycles and silhouetted brawl inside of a skyscraper. Each Bond movie also features a unique song, this time coming from current hit-maker, Adele. I didn't care much for the song at first, but hearing it within the context of the movie, its excellent. One more ingredient is a villain, with this movie's enemy ranking among the best of the series. Though I always wonder how bad guys like this can recruit an army of goons to do their bidding. I suppose its not as easy as Blazing Saddles makes it out to be with their promise of "bad guy badges".

Now I typically try to avoid writing too much about the plot when I write my reviews, but there is something crucial that I cannot avoid. James Bond dies. It happens early in Skyfall, though its a good thing, as it gives the character some perspective and brings out the humor that the series has been lacking. Not just borrowing from The World Is Not Enough, this movie also references past movies in the series, and even references another popular series, too. I noticed quite a few similarities to The Dark Knight, and by the end of Skyfall, it references the character of Batman. That's not to say I disliked it though, as previous Bond films even borrowed from current trends. The climax of Moonraker was done because Star Wars was incredibly popular in the late 70's, I feel that Octopussy was given its setting because of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and some have said Casino Royale's action and stunts were lifted from the Jason Bourne series. I think everything comes together to make this 23rd Bond film a melting pot; with the end product producing the best James Bond film yet.