Movie Review Repost - Skyfall (2012)

So Spectre is finally here! And I'm psyched! I'm planning on seeing it this Tuesday, so I'll probably end up posting my review on Wednesday. In case you're curious of what I thought of the previous 007 film, Skyfall, I've decided to post the original review I wrote for it. Looking back, my opinion of Skyfall pretty much remains the same and I stand by what I've written. The only difference is that since then I've now seen all the 007 films and I now appreciate Skyfall for the subtle references that it makes to the other films in the series. Anyways, here's the review I wrote back in 2012.

Has it really been fifty years since the first 007 film? Well in case you haven't noticed, Skyfall – the 23^rd James Bond movie – is a celebration of those fifty years. With the return of a few classic characters, the original Aston Martin car, some neat gadgets (thankfully not as silly as they used to be), and just those quirky spy movie cliches that we all recognize, Skyfall clearly knows what it is and where it came from.

In his third 007 outing, Daniel Craig does the same excellent job we've come to expect. In her seventh and last appearance as M, Judi Dench gives what is probably her finest performance yet in this series and serves as the second main character. Plus it was cool to finally see her kick some ass during the final battle. Skyfall's villain, a cyber-terrorist Raoul Silva, is played by Javier Bardem. In short, he's definitely a Bond villain: kind of funny, kind of flamboyant. While he may not be one of the most menacing Bond villains, he is certainly one the most tortured and unpredictable.

Similar to Quantum of Solace (and unlike Casino Royale) the plot is easy to follow and you don't have to watch the movie four times to finally understand what's going on. Like I said before, some classic characters whom the recent movies have been lacking are now back: Miss Moneypenny and Q. The stunts and fights are (as always) top-notch. The last battle scene is like an extreme version of Home Alone.

However this movie does has a few slips. For example, some of the CG effects don't look all that great – especially on a couple scenes that feature CG animals. Also, don't expect a whole lot of that “resurrection” stuff you may have seen in the trailers. In the film it's not that big a deal.

Try not to let that distract you from how exciting this movie really is. Skyfall is a combination of everything that makes a good 007 film and is a must-see for fans of the series as well as any action/spy movie fans.

Final rating: four and a half stars out of five.