Film review: Skyfall (4 out of 5 stars)

The first ever Bond movie I ever saw at the cinema was Goldfinger and it still is the best in my humble view.

So it was pleasing to see Skyfall has many elements of that 1964 movie, the light humour coupled with plenty of tension and, of course, the iconic Aston Martin DB5.

In fact, this latest film in the franchise is certainly a turning point in which the team have obviously decided to go back to the basics in future projects.

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So the next couple of Bond movies are going to be very interesting for fans.

But back to the present and Skyfall is certainly packing the audiences in.

Let’s face it, the production team have pretty much covered all the bases.

We have action, mystery, beautiful women, a handsome man or two, amazing stunts and some quality acting.

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With the likes of Dame Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem and even a cameo from Albert Finney, you shouldn’t really go wrong.

Bardem is excellent as the villain and Ben Whishaw as the new Q adds a delightful modern twist to the role.

However, even after all these years there is still a strong feeling that some of the women are just introduced because they look good and aren’t given a chance to develop their part.

For anyone who has missed one of the many trailers the plot focuses far more on Bond’s boss M (Dench).

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A secret from her past threatens MI6 and Bond’s loyalty is tested as he tracks down the man behind the plot.

Daniel Craig has settled into his role far more comfortably in this his third outing.

The problem with some past Bonds is that they got too old and the credibility melted away.

However, in Skyfall another of the plot strands is the fact that the super-spy is ageing, a fact he has to come to grips with.

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As you would expect these days, there are some incredible action sequences and, with a 12A certificate, even the younger fans can enjoy the big screen experience.

However, at a massive 143 minutes long the movie did feel a bit like two or three films stitched together.

There’s not much certain in life, but you can guarantee that Skyfall will make masses of money at the box office and there will be more of the genre to come.

What isn’t certain is the direction the franchise will head towards.

Movie details: Skyfall (12A) 143 mins.

Director: Sam Mendes

Starring: Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw

Steve Payne

Screening courtesy of Cineworld Crawley

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