Yesterday, I entered the theatre filled with anticipation, but keeping an open mind. I am very pleased to say that Sam Mendes' "SKYFALL" is a triumph! By far, the best movie I have seen this year. I would put this film up against "The Dark Knight Rises" & "Paranorman" and say that "SKYFALL" trumps them all. Mendes' bond is not formulaic in the slightest of ways. While it remains faithful to the franchise, it does not rely on any of the "old tricks". The film strongly addresses multiple points about Bond's character and seamlessly ties them together to make a story that treats all the characters with dignity. There are no throwaway moments in Mendes' masterpiece. His camerawork flawlessly puts the audience into this unique world he has created, and subtly reveals clues that all come together to form meaningful moments of small revelations leading to the climax of the film. Mendes' has not only raised the bar for Bond films, but has redefined action movies by doing the most by using less. At no point did I feel an element of his filming was overused. His camerawork is modest when necessary, but always carried a flare of genius as it lead into a telling moment.
The IMDB review I read a few days earlier has no credibility. Javier Bardem's performance was remarkable, and he was working with an equally remarkable script. The villain avoids being this plucky madman who simply wants to "rule the world or watch it burn". While there are moments that his character is humorous, his motivations are specific. It is important to have some lighthearted moments with your villains, because when executed properly then can disarm the audience and make the character unsettlingly threatening. Sam Mendes is a master of playing with an audience's expectations and Skyfall does precisely that. The review was grossly underselling the film, and it is no surprise that I can no longer find the article.
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