If you were to take every James Bond movie ever made and take all the pros, drop all the cons and mash it into a modernized gritty version … you have the best Bond movie ever made; Skyfall. The concepts that have been a defining factor in the Daniel Craig incarnation as Bond have come to fruition and brought us a whole new Bond.

This movie continues to focus on the relationship between M and 007. The mother/son aspect really comes to the fore as Bond meets his older “brother” and past favorite of M's, former MI6 agent Silva, played to creepy and slightly, overly emotional, perfection by Javier Bardem.

You wonder at the name Skyfall for a large portion of the movie as you continue watching. “Where is the name?” You hear it once early and then nothing more until suddenly it's upon you. So no worries, you do find out why it's called that, unlike the previous movie, Quantum of Solace … a horrendous name.

Bond Girls

Eve, played by Naomie Harris

 

You start with the sassy agent who supports him at the beginning of the movie. She's driving the SUV in the opening chase. The movie simply labels her as Eve but you get a sneaking suspicion early on that she's key somehow. She recurs throughout the movie to bring Bond back to the here-and-now every-so-often. The actress plays her as if she's in the know about Bond but still wants to flirt with him anyway.

 

Sévérine, played by Bérénice Marlohe

 

This bad vixen is a classic Bond girl. Easily charmed in to giving James what he wants. Her bar-side banter with Bond is interesting and full of innuendo and double-talk. Marlohe lends the character some soul as you quickly grow to like her and hope for eventual escape to end-credits with Bond on a raft or in a field somewhere to be found by Q via some impressive spy gadget.

 

 

The Quartermaster

After a bit of a hiatus from the series, the erstwhile quartermaster of 00-agents returns … some 30+ years younger. Ben Whishaw, takes up the baton and runs with it. His initial encounter sets the tone for the pair's point-counterpoint dance in all future dealings. Whishaw manages to convey some of the wisdom of his office while remaining new and fresh-faced towards his charge. The new Q could easily be labeled a minimalist when he reissues Bond his Walther PPK. Another couple of hyphenated terms to describe this young quartermaster could be self-aware and self-assured.

The Mysterious Gareth Mallory

Someone get Ralph Fiennes a job. His turn as Tom Riddle/Voldemort over, Fiennes needs a new franchise character to possess. However, even though most of the movie screams at you about his roll, you'll be mildly surprised by the ending and how Ralphie fits in. Even though you see it coming, it still feels unreal when it does arrive. The man is a perfect bureaucrat.

The future of Bond, James Bond

The franchise firmly stepped up and waved the banner of Bond. Daniel Craig is already set to star in two more installments as the suave and debonair master spy for a whopping £31 million ($49,336,500) for the two films. We can only hope that Mendes is on board for another or two. But as always, the new Bond has my vote for best Bond. I'm gonna have to sneak back for another go or two before this moves on to video. Make sure you get to the theatre to see it. It's at the IMAX.

IMAX

Sidenote: Destiny USA's Regal Cinema will host an IMAX theatre and an RPX Theatre in the future. I've gone on about IMAX in the past and I do love it. RPX (RPX: Regal Premium Experience) is also a large format digital projection theatre with humongous screens and state-of-the-art sound. I can't wait for both to be fully installed at Regal Cinema 17.