Skyfall

The Bond legacy which began as a British fetish against the Soviet state and and an imaginary anti-communist propaganda movie could not have come so far if it lacked the imaginative and charismatic portrayal of a spy.  

One must agree that the previous two Bond movies featuring Daniel Craig were not that interesting. But Skyfall is definitely a game changer. It banks on the rivalry between M and Bond rather than Bond's loyalty to M's orders. A strong story/script (though it is slightly predictable) is the thing that gets you. The screen writer has definitely done a great job with the dialogues. We have a lot more punch dialogues in this Bond outing. The chases and fights are gripping and it keeps you on the edge of your seat for a large chunk of the movie. The movie succeeds in stunning you by throwing the least possible possibility at your face. The cinematography is a lot more creative and thoughtful. The settings do impress the audience for its originality and the attention to detail. It is a movie worth watching in the theatre preferably on a cold day ! Adele singing the bond track was a major success given the depth and mystery in her voice and her talent in writing the lyrics.

Some accolades that Skyfall has received on Rotten Tomatoes are

"Craig manages to get out of the shadow of Connery."

"Conveys the melancholy of loss, mortality, and future-shock anxiety, while at the same time leaving us plenty of space to enjoy one of the most complexly unhinged villains in Bond history."

""Skyfall" stands as one more shrewd blast of cinema ecstasy in a long history of compelling 007 spy movies."


As for the negatives , you can see a clear parallel between Christopher Nolan's Joker and Silva which I feel is not unintentional or coincidental. The bond girl's taste of lipstick did annoy me. Bond's romancing skills need a major upgrade. Honestly the shower scene is rather boring and outdated. Apart from that, the purposeful complacency of some characters making way for Bond's acrobatics is somewhat unbecoming of a Spy movie.

Some of the negatives comments on Skyfall are

"Skyfall keeps mocking 007 as old and out-of-touch. He goes unshaven and fails his physical! The ice-cold erotic charge of an immaculately groomed Bond is dead. Fleming's 'blunt instrument' has bad knees. He's one of us now."

"Skyfall doesn't have the layers it needs to strut so casually for so long."

"Where have you gone, 007? Skyfall has transformed you from the human, vulnerable, skillful spy into a Superhero Bond. In Skyfall, Bond is part Aquaman and part Road Runner, with some familial angst pilfered from Bruce Wayne. He's become an action toy."

Though many would complain that  blinded Bond fans need their dose of opium every year , I would say that this dose possess you throughout the movie. You need not be a Bond fan to run to theatres to check out this movie. Though you can find reviews showering extravagant praise or scathing criticism, it is best if you judge the movie yourself.