Skyfall

            Since I really didn't want to watch any of this week's movies I decided to see last week's big film, Skyfall.  For all you evil bastards who wanted me to watch Twilight: We Don't Need Acting When We've Got Girls Willing To Give Us Money For All The Hotties On Screen, I hate you all.

            Instead you'll be getting my review of a film you've quite likely already seen.  As someone who has always enjoyed Bond films but never goes out of his way to watch them, I'm probably going to tick off people who actually know what they're talking about.  Meh.

            On to the review!

            Skyfall marks Daniel Craig's 3rd turn as James Bond, and it marks the estimated 839th time a Bond film has been released.  While I can't speak for every Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton and Brosnan outing, the Craig films have never failed to entertain me.  Shit, despite Quantum of Solace being considered 'tepid at best' I still like it better than every Brosnan appearance except GoldenEye. 

            So what's Skyfall going to do to try and get us hooked?  Why, a combination of back-to-basics and an actual admission of Bond's creeping age! 

            As we all know from the trailers, Bond is shot and presumed dead, then comes back to the fold just when he's needed most.  This time the evil mastermind is Silva (Javier Bardem), a computer mastermind and former agent.  Yes, the good old 'former coworker with a grudge' plot.

            While Skyfall could have been a terribly cheesy film in the wrong hands, director Sam Mendes takes great care with what the writers gave him, and he wrings excellent performances out of every member of the cast no matter how small their part.  Javier Bardem is especially memorable as an unhinged mastermind with a singular purpose. 

            However, what really sucks you in is the fact that James Bond looks ancient.  You know by this time he's been an operative for at least 15-20 years, and that high level of physical, emotional and mental training is visibly taking its toll.  He's slowed down.  He's missed a step.  Now he has to rely just as much on his intuition and training as he does his ability to physically get the job done.

            It's this humanization of the Bond character that makes Craig's Bond so good.  Since I haven't seen every Bond film in existence, I can't say whether or not this is the best.  What I can say for certain is that I haven't so thoroughly enjoyed a Bond film since Sean Connery was in front of the camera.

            Do yourself a favor.  If you crave an action film amidst all these comedies and dramas, check out Skyfall.  Even though I'm going to watch Red Dawn for you guys next week, I have a sneaking suspicion that it will fall far short of the spectacle and action that Skyfall delivers.

           Also, I really didn't like Adele's theme song.  Really, really didn't like it.