KOOL TV REVIEW: 'SKYFALL' - BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL PACK

The world needs him more than ever. James Bond (Daniel Craig) is back for good in SKYFALL. Images: MGM/EON/

SKYFALL

Starring Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007

Written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, and John Logan

Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli

Directed by Sam Mendes

Available on Blu ray, DVD and in DIGITAL DOWNLOAD combo packs from MGM

Reviewed by Scott Weller

“Think on your sins…”

A dangerous mission to recover a stolen hard drive, containing the names of key British agents embedded in terrorist organizations worldwide, takes an almost fatal turn for the legendary hero James Bond 007. Critically injured and believed dead, his eventual return to the British Secret Service co-incides with an even greater threat, as his superior M finds her life in danger from a mysterious figure from her past, who launches a vicious terror attack deep into the heart of MI6 itself. Still recovering from his previous ordeal-his physical and psychological injuries still raw and embittered- can 007 restore his status and abilities to make a difference once again?

To the delight of fans of Ian Fleming’s super-spy franchise hero, Daniel Craig is back in action in the most successful James Bond motion picture ever: Skyfall-out now on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download.

Blu-ray release trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShPJLqGy1tU

In his duty above and below: Daniel Craig in his third outing as James Bond.

Very much our British Steve McQueen, this latest round of globe-trotting intrigue and big-stakes action sees Craig’s modern man interpretation of Bond adding new layers of vulnerability and doubt to his psyche, helped enthusiastically along by new to the series director, and all-round British talent, Sam Mendes, totally immersing himself into the franchise in his first action movie genre experience. With Craig he has a true star to work with: one of the country’s finest actors. His face may look older, a little craggier, but the eyes are as clear blue and resonant as ever (plus, for the girls, the movie gives them another chance to see him back in his famous blue swimming trunks, as seen in Casino Royale!)

The spirit of the movie Bond series is present in Skyfallbut it’s in a much more intense and darker state here than we’ve even been used to, as Craig gets further under the skin of the Ian Fleming character in his “brave new world” than his nearest rival: the equally tough-edged Timothy Dalton, and what he gamely did with his two films in the mid-eighties. (The Bond producers actually have a lot to thank Dalton for-primarily getting the audiences into accepting new aspects to the character in a way the filmmakers could build on to further creative success years down the road.)

On location in Istanbul with director Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig.

In this third film, does Craig make his mark on the series in the same way that Connery did with Goldfinger, or Moore did with The Spy Who Loved Me? No, I don’t think so, as he’d already stamped his style with audiences straight from the get-go with Casino Royale, delivering his fresh and surprising interpretation of Bond quickly and efficiently. But changes to the character and his portrayal are seen as vital by both the actor and Mendes in Skyfall, pulling their resources together to give Bond that shattered personality, and certainly his most severe physical appearance yet: too close cropped fair hair and deep cut suits adding to the changes. The confident, if sometimes emotionally vulnerable hero that was Bond, gaining his 007 “license to kill” status in Casino, isn’t totally present for the first third of Skyfall.

Shaping Skyfall, you have to admire Sam Mendes for having a true vision for the film and developing it into every area of the films complex behind the scenes making, putting his indelible stamp on the project. With several unsuccessful movies (Jarhead, Revolutionary Road) under his belt in recent years, Mendes needed a box office hit to regain career equilibrium, and Bond was that chance, betting the farm and ultimately winning big-time, in part thanks to his strong love and nostalgia for the franchise, which clearly shines through, combined with his need to add that gritty realism, building on, though not necessarily bettering, Martin Campbell’s earlier fines work launching Craig into the series.

A battle weary, injured Bond is analysed by his superiors.

No longer able to smash through walls as seen in his launch film, Bond is broken after the cataclysmic events of Skyfall’s exciting pre-titles sequence, set in Istanbul, with two bullet wounds, one from his enemy combatant Patrice, the other from his own colleague, the spy-in-training Eve, almost polishing him off for good. When he returns to a soggy and grey London, weakened and out of shape, his enforced leave of drink and drugs adds to his rotten condition and bitter soul, as his colleagues wonder if he’s now just too old for the job of protecting M and discovering the truth behind her mysterious attacker. Fortunately for Bond, and for us, as the audience travels with him on his journey of ultimate resurrection, as he proves his worth and capabilities anew, and the fulfillment of his duties in protecting Britain, whilst giving the screenwriters and director something fresh to bring to the table (though the idea of a demoralized Bond was already hardly new, what with the early sequences of Pierce Brosnan’s captured and betrayed incarnation in Die Another Day, a film that, of its time, also celebrated the character’s Fortieth Anniversary). The stubbled Bond of the films first half, the unshaven, weary soldier look of the beaten bruiser, thankfully gives way to the fair haired, in control warrior of her majesty’s service, as he pits his unique talents against the equally unique and skilled baddie known as Raoul Silva. Our 007 is down but most definitely not out…

British writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade take another walk on the wild side in conjuring up story ideas for a franchise that always strives to be inventive and fresh. The added pressure of the Fiftieth Anniversary must have seen in an additional determination to succeed and bring hitherto unseen aspects of Bond’s troubled past to the fore, namely with the films finale, as the orphaned Bond’s heritage finally get a look in (seeing in a special cameo from British film legend and one time potential Bond candidate Albert Finney (originally thought by fans to playing the next M in this film), as the shotgun wielding estate minder, Kincaid, who just loves welcoming people to his native land.

Further echoing our modern, very troubled times, there’s death on YouTube, house select committees on the way our country is defended and protected, plus the security threats faced by cyber terrorism. MI6 once again gets blown up in the space of as many years (the first being in 1999’s The World Is Not Enough).

The problem with Bond films in general, though, is that we love them so much, probably too much, that they come with a lot of our personal expectations as to what we want to see in them. If a film gets as close to the near perfection of Casino Royale then we’re pretty lucky. And Skyfallalmost lives up to that films strong foundations, but I have more criticisms of this one than the previous, and still superior, final Fleming adaptation. Try as hard as he does, Mendes can’t quite match the verve and energy of Martin Campbell. He also doesn’t have Quantum of Solace director’s Marc Forster’s flashy skills. He does possess the aforementioned firm grip of story narrative and is not hindered in the same way Forster was by a locked in stone shooting start date already hampered by a crippling writer’s strike: a situation that severely hurt Quantum in all areas of its development, and led to it becoming known by Craig as “the difficult second album.” Mendes is also fortunate to be assisted by one of cinemas finest cinematographers, Roger Deakins, who knows how to compose scenes and highlight character and drama into the lense. Another plus: Skyfall, thankfully, has a far longer running time than its predecessor, which was all-too short and swift in its execution. Here with the story and its characters have room to breathe and unfold without it all feeling too zippy.

Bond 23 certainly has the familiar Fleming-esque elements, but ultimately the only one who can truly write for Bond and create his adventures was his late creator- the very reason why the fully adapted films of his work remain the best in the series. Additionally, Skyfall doesn’t always feel like a Bond film, sometimes to its detriment, with its continuance and building grimness making it closer to the homes of other more realistic, flawed characters like British spy underdogs Callan or Michael Caine’s Harry Palmer series, both of whom, in many ways, were deliberately created as anti-Bond figures back in the mid-sixties. When I go to see a Bond film I want James Bond- The Real McCoy-not the prospect of seeing a photocopied, degraded facsimile!

Taking Bond through cinematic good times and bad: Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes.

Whether die-hard fans think Skyfall’s ultimate gamble in showing a more somber vision of 007 is too dark or not is certainly up for debate, but the movies incredible success worldwide indicates that audiences found something in the film that strongly resonates with them, alongside Craig’s always 100 per cent dedication in playing the title role. As well as Mendes (who was actually brought to the table by friend Craig), kudos to distinguished long-term keepers of the series flame Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson (watch out for his all-too brief regular film cameo!) for maintaining the integrity of keeping Bond a fresh and vital presence with cinema-going audiences, especially now. But getting the balance right of action, character, humour and spectacle, and that true and unique 007'ness in these films always seems very difficult. I do have worries and reservations that the brilliant character-confidently up there with British icons like Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who- is starting to lose some of that uniqueness. The more the filmmakers try to make Bond too gritty and believable, the less I enjoy it. Though granted I also don’t want the film series to go back into comedy mode, as certain parts of the Roger Moore era did, but too much po-faced seriousness is not good for the franchise long-term IMO. The Mike Myers Austin Powers spoofs, despite their fun, did a lot of damage, and have made the Bond producers more serious and straight-laced than ever before. Still, such a viewpoint as mine is surely in a minority, especially now that this particular adventure has made so much money at the world box office.

To further credit, Mendes and the writers also sneak in some subtle celebratory homages from the past into Skyfall which fans surely appreciated- he even bravely engineers his own little salute to his first Bond movie experience: 1973’s Live and Let Die, and Roger Moore’s infamous crocodile leap scene, as Skyfall sees Bond jump on to a Komodo Dragon to escape death. Sadly, it’s one of the few scenes in the movie (amongst several other light humour moments) that I thought felt strangely out of place, breaking the movies perhaps too rigidly established realism.

Beyond slippery CGI dragon mis-steps, though, the film’s dark heart is bolstered by the director’s knack and charisma in assembling one of the best supporting casts put together for any recent motion picture, let alone a James Bond one!

The acclaimed Javier Bardem brings his talents to the franchise, as the devilish Silva.

Certainly becoming one of the best villains to have graced the series in a long while-and its about time that we had a big name actor involved, adding more respectability and box office clout to the long-running series- the charismatic Javier Bardem has a superb monologue introduction- an inspired and well directed sequence by Mendes- his character going on to channels parts of Anthony Hopkins Hannibal Lecter (even getting a similar confinement cell at one point!) and Heath Ledger’s version of the Joker (the whole movie itself going some way in echoing certain elements of the brutal and realistic Christopher Nolan BATMAN film trilogy), whilst also adding the requisite slice of camp (notable during Silva’s homoerotic scene with Craig, designed to break Bond’s captured spirit and unsettle him above all else. The plan fails, thankfully, with a classic retort from Bond: one that certainly gave the film audiences a big laugh at the original theatrical screening I attended). Intriguingly, as Silva’s character layers are slowly peeled back, and veteran screen writer John Logan adds some additional dialogue polish, one almost starts to feel sorry for the ambitious once spy, ultimately betrayed by the mother figure of M. You can understand, but not wholly accept, his venom and desire to kill her. Sadly, as Silva and his men begin their final battle, my hopes for a little more Bardem menace linked to his skilled performance in No Country For Old Men sadly fails to materialize. Especially disappointing is that there is no real and final physical conflict between Silva and Bond-the last two rats standing.

As stoic as her china bulldog, Judi Dench returns as MI6 guardian M.

Silva having been a beast she partially helped to create, now threatening to consume her with his revenge, the matriarch figure of M, so well personified by Judi Dench, has always had shades of grey about her personality and her decision making for the good of Queen and Country. Often a dark horse with her resolute methods, her spy boss reign proves controversial, and in the end damaging, to her superiors. In the previous films she’s made mistakes, but in Skyfall she makes the biggest of her career and life, with Bond, almost like a son in many ways, being the only man capable of protecting her with his indomitable and often unexpectedly maverick talents. Her “take the bloody shot moment” that leads to his almost demise at the start of the film is one of the character’s best moments, cruel and decisive in equal measure, showing the lengths she’ll go to, even if it means sacrificing her best agent in the process, and later incurring his wrath when he actually returns from the dead, feeling betrayed and out in the cold. Even more so here, Dench and Craig shine in their intuitively played, well written scenes, as the actresses time within the franchise ends on a genuine, if sad, high.

Seeking an advantage over Silva's technological might, Bond and M head to Scotland, and an encounter with the past.

As new management comes into Bond’s life, more gradual links from his past, now future, begin to emerge-part of Craig and the producer’s long-term plan to build things up expectantly anew and excitingly for both the character and the audience. I always thought that long-term crowd pleasers Q and Moneypenny were pretty played out by the end of the Brosnan era, contributing very little to the story telling machine, and I didn’t really miss their non-appearance in the previous two Craig outings. In a move that proves a retrograde step back rather than pushing the franchise forward, the general audiences wanted their return and that’s what they get…

Ben Whishaw makes an intriguing new Q.

It was obvious that the next incarnation of Q would be some kind of super-nerd-the Bill Gates of British Intelligence- but star on the rise Ben Whishaw brings a strong streak of likable intellect and friendly bite to his scenes with Craig’s Bond, delivering a fresh interpretation that subtly keep some of the late Desmond Llewelyn flame alive (Q’s insistence that the items he gives Bond come back in one piece being a prime example). There’s hardly any gadgets in the series now-so much can be done on your iPhone nowadays its played that plot element of the Bond franchise out-so Q’s abilities as a super hacker and computer intelligence expert take to the fore instead. Though the character, despite his superior abilities, is ultimately made to look a bit of a dimwit against Silva’s incredible skills. Lets hope Q gets better developed plot involvement and a chance to shine brighter next time.

Red alert! Naomie Harris arrives as Eve.

Naomie Harris’s agent in training Eve adds to the films youth factor, though the ultimate revelation of her being Moneypenny was no real surprise. Rather, the final confirmation/revelation of her surname in the films closing scenes brought a familiar smile to everyone’s face. Harris has some good material to work with in the film, handles the action capably and plays well opposite Daniel Craig, having a fair amount of pleasing sexual tension, though if she continues to appear in future Bond adventures, lets not have her confined to a mahogany table and word processor in M’s old school office.

Not in control of her life, the manipulated Severine (Bérénice Lim Marlohe) wants her freedom from Silva. 

Bond’s second lady in Skyfall, beating all the "hopefuls" competition (including British rising star Gemma Chan), is the strikingly beautiful French Cambodian actress/model Bérénice Lim Marlohe, who makes a memorable entrance in the film's middle, during its tense Shanghai assassination plot, lighting up the screen in her sadly all-too brief scenes. Helped by a keen Sam Mendes, the actress had clearly thought long and hard about how she was to portray the important plot-moving role of the manipulated and abused Severine, changing her allegiance from Silva to Bond in the hopes that he really is able to kill her paymaster and ex-lover, bringing femme fatale danger but also vulnerability and sympathy to the character, maintaining the Fleming tradition of gutsy heroines who have overcome some of the terrible things that have affected them in life- though her gamble with Bond is ultimately lost. Seeing her shine on screen, I can’t believe that this terrific actress failed to get any strong film work before Skyfall-the offers are flowing through now, and rightly so. Not only does Marlohe look fantastic, she also has that allure about her that has, with a few exceptions, been missing in quite a lot of the Bond Women over the last ten years or so: she is a true and positive throwback, with added character dimension, to those wonderful ladies of the sixties. (Behind the scenes clip: http://www.glamour.com/entertainment/blogs/obsessed/2013/02/exclusive-clip-skyfalls-bereni.html - .URqShaSpkhM.twitter)

Linked to Severine’s destiny, a special nod too to Danish actor Ola Rapace (best known to UK viewers for his role in the hit Swedish series WALLANDER) as the assassin Patrice: he doesn’t say a word in the film but he makes his presence felt as a formidable physical force against Bond in the pre-title sequence, and later in an exhilarating silhouetted head-bashing encounter in an empty shanghai rooftop view-my personal favourite scene of the film.

Ralph Fienne's Mallory marks a new chapter for the series.

Back in downtrodden Blighty and into the world of departmental politics, Ralph Fiennes impresses as former military man tuned government liaison Gareth Mallory, and finds an all-new franchise to be a part of now that his role as reptilian arch villain Valdemort in the Harry Potterseries has come to an end. Bond fans early expectations that he was to be a baddy- a shady politician out to get our hero- would be in for a surprise by the films end, as, after surviving a gun battle against Silva, settles into a more familiar and iconic role linked to our hero. Back for his second film, Rory Kinnear makes a stronger impression this time around as M’s faithful colleague, Tanner.

Bond arrives at a casino hotspot in Macau.

Other vital elements that have helped to make the Bond film franchise so unique and successful have their boxes ticked, though not quite presented in the way we’re used to. Innovative and approachable production designer and eccentric hat wearer Dennis Gassner’s big sets evoke grandeur in the tradition of the legendary Ken Adam but are much more grounded in realism. The abandoned Chinese island city is an inspired idea for a villain’s lair, and a superbly realized location/exterior set that sadly has too little screen time, deserving a longer, bigger action set piece. Kudos, too, on the prior Macau location, built on the Pinewood Studios backlot, enhanced with CGI, which looks brilliant.

In his deserted island city, Silva enjoys his surroundings.

What little larger than life fantasy there is in Skyfallis very much based on what’s possible in the here and now, toned down or buried around concrete blocks of harder edged realism, permeated into the film to such a degree that perhaps the lower and very tight budget of this new film, via the then financially squeezed MGM, precluded such big risk ventures? The kind of volcano bases that Sean Connery jumped into now well and truly extinct!

Not to yield. In London, Bond races to save M.

Outside the studio work, the globe trotting location filming continues in Istanbul and Shanghai, but for the most part stays central to the UK for numerous important sequences, and its aforementioned nod to Bond’s literary past. Equally, it’s also another way of saving money, though the Broccoli mantra of seeing every penny on the screen is adhered to. In a deliberate cinematic choice by Mendes, the London based scenes fail to capture the true spirit and verve of the city as it is now. Instead, feeling that its largely unattractive as a screen presence, the director is deliberately content to make it look like an archaic London Dungeon ride for the most part, rather than monumental and vibrant- his deliberate metaphor for a tarnished British Empire and the mistakes made by M- a creative move that I wasn’t a great fan of and looked too dowdy. Likewise, I was unimpressed with his ultimately pointless London Underground chase between Bond and Silva that did little to advance the plot and the tension. When Silva picked up a clothes parcel from two of his disguised policemen terrorists, why didn’t he just go with them, change in the car and then travel to the inquiry that way? Why the need for the cat and mouse antics and an unnecessary train crash done just for the hell of it, when something bigger and better, and more worthy to the plot, above ground could have been done instead?

Top assassin Patrice (Ola Rapace) shoots at his pursuers in the films opening titles.

Bond fights Patrice for the stolen hard drive, atop a fast moving train.

Keeping Bond active beyond his subterranean antics, where would our heroes screen legend be without his defining action sequences. Certainly, such ingredients in Skyfall are well staged and deliberately created so as to have more dramatic meaning and integration into the plot than ever before, but they don’t quite feel as inventive or have as much of the wow factor as they did compared to previous films in the series-the action didn’t quite topple Quantum of Solace’s previous dizzying car and plane chases, the scaffold fight between Bond and spy baddie Mitchell, nor its explosive finale set at the solar powered desert hotel. A critical and respected fixture of the Craig era, Gary Powell’s return to train the star and choreograph the key action with adrenaline, but there’s no heart grasping, death defying WOW moment like the inspiring and patriotic ski jump of The Spy Who Loved Me, the dam fling or tank chase in Goldeneye, or the opening, relentless parkour chase of Casino Royale. I know that, with the plethora of action films out there, and rival’s like the Bourne series, that it’s getting harder to stage original action work, but I think that, after a four year absence from our screen, and despite the film already being shored up by the dependable presence of Craig, whose popularity in the role continues unabashed, the towering celebrations of the character’s Fiftieth Anniversary year should have had something even bigger to cherish, and more of a cash injection to deliver the goods further for the audiences.

Getting an edge, Bond fights back against Silva.

As well as Powell, other fine old guard members who made Casino such a success, but disappeared from Quantum, make a welcome return to Skyfall, contributing greatly, including Alexander Witt’s second unit, and the skilled alchemy of experienced film editor and director Stuart Baird, working with his daughter Kate, in keeping the complex drama and action flowing. The superb opening titles from Daniel Kleinman (much missed on Quantum) are pitch perfect, showing us the best visual ingredients taster of what’s to come, merging beautifully with singing sensation Adele’s nostalgic to the past power ballad, and evoking the spirit of visualist Maurice Binder (and echoes of his Live and Let Die work) whilst taking the pre-title arena into a stunning new modern edge era (potent and lingering imagery here shows 007’s near-death experience, then shooting at his own demon shadows, Silva’s horrific torture, and flame spouting mandarin dragons flying the skies, all culminating in the exploding blood meteors that hit the Skyfall estate).

Taking Bond into greater danger, Severine is one of the few characters in the film to get a musical theme from Thomas Newman.

One controversial choice to me, however, was the selection of Mendes music composer of choice, and friend, Thomas Newman, to the film, who provides an interesting if not totally satisfying score, feeling more like atmospheric incidental music rather than the likes of hummable, memorable classic Bond work previously handled by the likes of David Arnold (seemingly not available for Skyfall due to his commitments to the Olympic Games. What rubbish!), and the late, great John Barry. With the exception of the alluring Severine and a stately beat for M, there are few recognizable themes for the movie, and our main characters. Even the stirring, decades old theme for Bond is tragically under-used or has only sections of it appearing in select moments-deliberately stylized choices I assume made by Mendes alongside the composer. Worse still, Adele’s supreme main title track is barely used outside the stunning and ominous opening titles: a truly wasted opportunity as so few of the main title themes are ready or even done by the time the films music score is being completed in post-production.

Screen legend Albert Finney makes a brief but lasting impact in the film's finale as Kincaid.

With the behind the scenes creative forces sending our on-the-run hero, protecting M, into a final wild west-esque standoff action sequence at Bond’s old family estate (Some of the Twitterati have even cited the films finale as being akin to the classic John Hughes comedy Home Alonebut with an additional helicopter battle!), the often difficult to pull off third act shows promise but ultimately fails to inspire franchise greatness. Likewise, the reemergence of the classic Aston Martin (first seen in a lock-up not too far from the patch where I live), with its ejector seat button and later machine gun battle handiwork against Silva’s first wave of terrorists, works well in its opening reveal as a nice nod to the Fiftieth Anniversary, generating a wave of cool nostalgia and heartfelt ahhh’sfrom cinema audiences glad to see it again, but it ultimately doesn’t feel quite right appearing within Mendes darker universe, whilst the aforementioned final denouement between the two “rats”- Bond and Silva-proves slightly disappointing, despite all the obvious hard work that the stunt team and actors have put into it. M’s demise in the lonely run down church, and her parting words to Bond, thankfully save the day and creates one of the saddest scenes since the death of Tracy Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,with M proving to be the greatest female figure in Bond’s life. Period.

Silva's mercenaries are in for a surprise at the Skyfall estate.

Enter the world of the Skyfall lodge in this special Blu-ray promotion site:SKYFALL LODGE - Flash Player Installation

Aston Martin reveal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxAoHDA4gdY

Finale battle clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fcyay6COAY

Select die-hard fans of the series have often been unfairly critical of Judi Dench’s performance as M, but I always thought she brought a special charisma to the modern Bond series from Goldeneyeonwards, and had a far more intriguing rapport with Craig than she ever did with the likable Brosnan era (again helped in this film by some beefed up dialogue from John Logan). I personally think that Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson should have saved killing her off until the point in which Craig decides to hang up his shoulder holster. That way we could have had a new M in Mallory and a new Bond all at the same time, adding greater freshness to the franchise in one stroke.

Silva: not your usual trouble on the District Line!

In conclusion, a few plot holes here and there emerge that prove both inevitable and annoying. With assassin Patrice firing his unique uranium shell bullets all over the Istanbul marketplace early on, why didn’t any of the MI6 forensics team linked to finding the stolen noc list culprits not pin him down for the job sooner? Why did it have to take Bond’s removal of one of the shells from his body for MI6 to ultimately identity him? What have the MI6 agents been doing the last three or so months Bond’s been away? Additionally, I couldn’t believe, in the final battle at the Skyfall estate, that the first wave of Silva’s trained and experienced mercenaries could so bafflingly and completely overlook the gleaming Aston Martin and not bother to check to see if anyone might sneakily be inside it. I mean, this is James Bond we’re talking about! Silva wouldn’t have underestimated him, especially after the way Bond had earlier and successfully rushed in to save M in the Whitehall inquiry room.

Bond certainly had a big league villain to fight in Raoul Silva, but, going back to the last Craig outing, what on earth happened with the building story of the world grabbing Quantum organization? With their non-appearance in Skyfall, after having been carefully built up as a major new opponent facing Bond, the producers here just seemed to completely bury it from their minds and ignore it. If those business suited baddies aren’t going to be making any further appearances in the franchise it would have been nice at least for the producers to have inserted a line somewhere in the script between M and Bond saying that that unfinished business had been tied up off-screen between films, especially considering how much screen time they previously had. I personally think it’s a shame that Quantum the organization (and the film) have been so quickly banished by Eon Productions. Had it been better developed, they could have been a potentially superior and very dangerous threat to the Bond universe. (As a side note how intriguing would it have been if Silva, who was doing many of the things Quantum were previously up to, had been a shadowy member of their world-changing organization?).

The cast, with Sam Mendes and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, in Istanbul- 2012.

Despite these niggles, Skyfall was the cherry on top of a fine year for James Bond, who earlier in 2012 struck just the right chord with British fans with his more than justified appearance launching the pride and joy that would be the Olympic Games: Craig’s Bond cameo opposite a real Bond woman-the Queen- in the Danny Boyle directed opening sequence, backed up with the world’s overall enjoyment celebrating the character in his fiftieth anniversary celebrations, couldn’t have been more helpful in priming Skyfall for indomitable box office success when it arrived in Cinemas, after a long four-year wait between adventures. James Bond was riding the crest of the wave of public affection and anticipation like never before, and the first to enter the All-Time Top Ten most successful movies with its billion dollars plus box office takings, dethroning the popularity of a certain caped crusader along the way, whilst winning universal acclaim from film luvvies, critics and audiences alike (especially in the all-important US territory). All making the anniversary feel even more landmark and exciting than ever before. James Bond will definitely be returning…

An atmospheric scene in the London Underground makes for a super transfer onto Blu-ray.

Transferred onto Blu-ray, Skyfall looks superb: crisp and atmospheric all the way through, thanks to Roger Deakin’s striking work, with an evocative sound mix perfect for the home cinema experience (Skyfall's sound design documentary: SoundWorks Collection - The Sound of Skyfall). Thirteen brisk behind the scenes featurettes, adding up to about an hours viewing, cover every facet of the films production from beginning to end, with notable contributions from all the key players in front of and behind the camera (one notable and moving moment shows Mendes shedding a tear whilst filming the death of M). Plus, two enjoyable audio commentaries go into even greater behind the scenes detail on the movie. The first from Mendes (enthusiastically sharing his personal ethos and reasoning behind his storytelling: the key decisions that had to be taken), the other a team overview from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson with Production Designer Dennis Gassner, that recognizes and acknowledges the talents of all the people that worked on the film. Additionally, Gassner talks about the often herculean challenges planned, and last minute changes, for the film through its creative process and cinematic execution. Some intriguing snippets emerge about the aborted shooting that almost took place in India and South Africa for the pre-titles sequence, plus planned but unused areas of Shanghai and London. Broccoli also talks about some of the movies deleted scenes that will surely come with the film’s eventual re-release on a two-disc Collector’s Edition in a year or two. Finally, giving the set a rounded feel is a look at the films epic London premiere from last October, and the ultimate theatrical trailer for the movie in its worldwide release.

Making Fleming proud. Bond remains an action force to be reckoned with in the 21st Century.

Beyond Skyfall, it’s going to be very interesting seeing exactly where the franchise goes next with film 24. Will the fourth (and final?) film of the Craig era get even darker? Or will it become a bit more escapist? Will Bond get a chance to liven up a little?

I certainly think the stolen nuclear warhead plotline, and accompanying threatened ransom or armageddon days, are behind the series, but will the SPECTRE organisation, which the filmmakers now have the firm copyrights to, return in a re-imagined form? If so, will we get a new Blofeld- with or without his faithful screeching pussy!?

KOOL TV OVERALL RATING (MOVIE AND EXTRAS): At times more like a strong action/character drama with 007 elements rather than the other way round, SKYFALL may be a tad over-rated, but its certainly good enough to rank highly in the franchise’s all-time best. Die-hard aficionados of Connery and Moore may be disappointed with certain elements of the movie, but the majority will be thrilled-positively shaken and stirred- at the depthful storytelling and acting on display, alongside the very best of British craftsmanship and film-making dedication. Movie and extras. 3.5 out of 5.

Get SKYFALL here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skyfall-Limited-Steelbook-Exclusive-Amazon-co-uk/dp/B00B5W9I5K/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1360763711&sr=1-2

All three Daniel Craig films are available in a special Blu-ray box set release: Daniel Craig 007 Triple Pack: Casino Royale / Quantum of Solace / Skyfall Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Eva Green, Olga Kurylenko, Javier Bardem, Mads Mikkelsen, Gemma Arterton, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Mathieu Amalric, Martin Campbell, Marc Forster, Sam Mendes: Film & TV