Old dog, new tricks...Skyfall

When you turn 50, are you done? Are you a quaint relic in the eyes of a younger world? Not on your life, Mr. Bond. With a smashing sense of purpose and invigorated storytelling, Skyfall gives us what is truly one of the best Bond pictures in ages, in all likelihood one of the top 5.

Director Sam Mendes is an inspired choice as director – combining his strength at working with actors (American Beauty) with his ability to juggle heart with gritty dynamics (Road to Perdition), Mendes also brings the enthusiasm and fastidious attention to detail of the lifelong fan – the combination works beautifully and he gives us one of the all-time best Bond films – as does Daniel Craig. Not only do we get a decent story that’s satisfying for adults, but we actually get to learn more about who Bond is – where he came from and how he came to be the man he is. It’s fascinating and incredibly satisfying.

Some impressive standouts include Naomie Harris (28 Days Later), sensational as a realistic and engaging MI6 agent – she’s a great accompaniment to a particularly bruised and payback-hungry Bond. Bond films practically invented the “opening action sequence” and Skyfall has you gripping the seats and in the thick of it like you won’t believe. Way to get our attention, gentlemen! It’s a great delight to discover that Adele delivers a theme-song that ranks among the very best. It’s modern, but does a fine job of echoing the character of all-time favorites from the Shirley Bassey era. It’s easily the best theme since Live and Let Die.

The way Skyfall evokes moments and grace-notes of the best vintage bond films while tipping the hat to them in a fresh new way reminds me of the similar savvy craftsmanship in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Like Rise, when the credits end, you’re ready for the next film to begin now!

Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes are splendid here and used to maximum effect – and Javier Bardem gives us a villain who’s a bit more twisted than the usual Bond adversary. He’s charming, perverse and maniacal and goes after the role full-tilt. Scenes on an abandoned island are particularly chilling. When Mendes strikes a more modern pose, there are moments in Skyfall that have the same intensity and fierce involvement as the best episodes of Luther – except we’re on a much bigger stage.

The stakes are more personal and haunting for Bond than we’ve ever been treated to before – Skyfall brings it all together in a deft and fitting salute to five decades of Britain’s most tenacious protector. It’s an incredibly satisfying meal that will leave you ravenous for the next course. Very highly recommended.