by Roy Runnels

Special coupon for Dinuba Platinum Theatre at the end of this review.

Four years after Quantum of Solace, Bond is finally back and Daniel Craig once again nails the role. Casino Royale looked like it would be the strongest of the new Bond movies, but Skyfall manages to rip away that title rather easily. Skyfall not only improves upon the new Bond movies in just about every single way, but it also brings back familiar traits from some of the older movies. Expect to see a gadget or two (along with the return of Q) and one incredibly memorable villain, something the previous two movies lacked.

Skyfall fleshes out Bond to be a much more relatable character instead of just the suave killing machine he normally is. We not only see a more vulnerable side to the character but also a bit of an origin as well. The movie brings a lot of surprises in ways I never would have expected and one final showdown that has to be seen. Don’t let that make you think the rest of the movie isn’t equally impressive though. The visuals and the shots that are used are stunning at times and beautiful in others. It’s obvious that a lot of care was put into this movie. Sam Mendes really knew what he was doing while directing it, and I am extremely excited that he is co-writing the treatment for the next Bond film.

Visuals would be nothing if it wasn’t for the incredible cast. Everyone brings something to the table to make the movie feel fresh. Judi Dench as M gets to show a lot more emotion than we are used to from the character, and we get to see just how smart Q can be. The real surprise however is Javier Bardem. Bardem is no stranger to villain roles, but he really gives it everything he’s got for this role. Not only does he really pull off the whole thing, but it’s nice to see a villain with brains and a great back story. It really makes the showdown with Bond all that more engaging and tense.

Meet Bond’s new Q in this video:

There are so many nods given to past movies that it feels appropriate for this to come out on the 50th anniversary of Bond. Don’t expect any over the top gadgets or anything along those lines, the movie tries to stay grounded in reality just as the previous two have. You can expect some great action scenes though, and pyromaniacs will be pleased. Everything comes together beautifully and I can’t wait to see where the franchise goes from here.

Skyfall never plays it safe in terms of what we’re used to from a Bond movie, and provides surprises around every corner. This movie is definitely worth your time and I look forward to seeing where it stands come next Oscar season.

Skyfall is currently playing at Dinuba Platinum Theatres 6. Showtimes for other shows playing in Dinuba can be found on their website.

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Roy Runnels is a 21 year old aspiring writer currently working on becoming an English teacher. He has a great deal of interest in television as well as video games, when he is not busy writing. Roy was born in Lake Jackson, Texas and moved to Reedley, California in late 2012.