Now this is a 007 flick.
Like the previous entry, Quantum of Solace, this film is action-packed from start to end. Skyfall, however, is much more expertly driven from setpiece to setpiece. The flow of the story unfolds in a progression that feels natural and still maintains suspense and wonder.
An odd surprise is that this movie does not cap a trilogy and continue with the storyline of the previous two Daniel Craig entries. This is a nod to rebooting the old characters and structure of the legacy, leaving the door open for an infinite amount of follow-ups. While it is disappointing that Skyfall isn’t a direct sequel and now the series is again left to be a chronology of one-offs, the enclosed story actually works really well and has a clear beginning and ending. Audiences should be well satisfied with the presented package.
You might notice a bit of the cheeky repartee classic to some of the older James Bond movies. While the dialog sometimes approaches the realm of camp, it mostly serves to deliver more humor in a film that, while emotionally somber at times, looks to relieve anxiety with well placed laughs.
Overall, Skyfall isn’t a movie that redefines the genre or does something you haven’t seen before. It doesn’t need to live up to those expectations after the excellent reboot several years ago. What the film does need to be is a great stand-alone experience that doesn’t cheapen the new cannon. The cinematography is well done, the pacing of the action scenes and the emotional beats weave together naturally, and the movie is genuinely fun. Why haven’t you seen it yet?