The latest addition to the epic 50 year James Bond series is one of my favorites. From the opening scene where Bond is smashing VW Beetle cars with a backhoe on a speeding train, to the fabulously fiery ending, every moment in Skyfall is packed with excitement and thrill. Daniel Craig does his usual intense hand to hand fights and sharpshooting, but gets help from some elderly friends to emerge victorious.
The rogue MI6 agent that plays his nemesis is especially unique, because not only is he a psychotic mastermind, but he has an eternal hatred for a senior citizen and manages to tie Bond to a chair and attempts to seduce him.
The classic Aston Martin DB5, tricked out with bulletproof glass, machine guns mounted behind the headlights, and an ejection seat that Daniel Craig threatens to use on his boss makes a comeback in Skyfall, giving veteran Bond fans something to marvel at. In one scene in a Shanghai casino, the entire audience gasped when Bond manages to aggravate some chunky Chinese body guards, and when the dust clears, a pair of massive Komodo dragons are feeding on the body guards as 007 brushes himself off.
As for Bond girls, Naomie Harris plays a fellow MI6 agent that’s finding her way in the agency and proves herself vital to 007’s success, including shaving his scruff upon his return to field work on the balcony of his hotel room.
The film kept me engaged unlike the plot-less firefight Quantum of Solace. I was initially concerned that Bond would follow in the footsteps of Transformers and The Hangover down the staircase of disappointing and trashy sequels, but it thankfully didn’t follow this trend.
Overall, the film was fast paced and humorous and had a sad yet satisfying ending that left me counting down the days until the next Bond thriller.