A must see

Daniel Craig returns as James Bond for the third time. Craig, over the last three films, has given Bond a greater depth than all of the other actors that have played him. He is arguably at his best here and has a lot of great material to work with.

The film touches upon aspects of Bond’s life surprisingly never mentioned before. The results of a psychiatric evaluation allude to ‘childhood trauma’, specifically the death of his parents. This is expanded upon throughout the film and better familiarises Bond to us like never before – a difficult thing to do with such a famous character.

The supporting cast is top class. ‘Skyfall’ marks Judi Dench’s 7th appearance as M. Her relationship with Bond is much stronger this time round and they have a closer connection. Dench is excellent throughout, as is Javier Bardem as the ego-maniac villain Raoul Silva. Bardem has some great lines of dialogue and is so good in the role, that I believe his performance will come to be regarded as iconic. ‘Skyfall’ also marks the return of Q, the supplier of Bond’s gadgets - noticeably missing from the last two films. Ben Whitshaw, with his sarcasm and dry delivery, embodies the character well.

The film is a spectacle; much of the credit goes to director Sam Mendes. Shots are meticulously composed, the lighting is particularly beautiful and the action scenes rank among the greatest ever in a Bond film.

‘Skyfall’ will likely be seen as a turning point for the franchise and the character. Is ‘Skyfall’ the greatest Bond film ever? Difficult to say. It’s definitely a magnificent piece of work, worthy of such praise.

By Kelan Headley