Classic Review: Skyfall (2012)

"Skyfall" stars Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, and Judi Dench. Released in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2012 and in the United States on November 8, 2012, the film has James Bond facing against a former agent from M's past.
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The film is directed by Sam Mendes, who also directed films such as American Beauty, Road to Perdition, and Revolutionary Road. It is the 23rd film in the James Bond franchise. To celebrate the upcoming release of Spectre, I decided to look back at the film that got me fully interested in the character. I heard about James Bond from watching parts of a few 007 films on television. Plus, my family has Tomorrow Never Dies on VHS. The first time I saw this film was back in 2012 when I saw it in the theater with my dad. I ended up loving it in terms of Craig as Bond and its cinematography. However, I didn't get a chance to explore more on how I feel about this film. Looking back at this 007 flick, does it still have enough energy to keep this 53-year-old franchise running?

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The cast delivered some great performances throughout. Daniel Craig dons his suit for the third time as James Bond, an agent who is tasked on investigating the attack on MI6. He was really impressive on how he made Bond an actual human being and not just some indestructible super spy. Judi Dench was also the big highlight as she reprises her role for the last time as M, and believe me, she did her role justice. The chemistry between Bond and M was magnificent. Javier Bardem plays the new villain, Raoul Silva, an ex-MI6 agent who plots revenge against M for betraying him. He was also great in the film and his character provided a big challenge for Bond. One of the things I loved about this film was Bond's character. Director Sam Mendes managed to go deeper in the world of James Bond that no other 007 films have done before. The film also showed some scenes of Bond being rusty after a mission gone awry, which I believed added more depth in the character. The action sequences were brilliantly choreographed and very intense without going too over the top, of course. Another big highlight of the film was the cinematography by Roger Deakins. It was amazing! There were a few scenes that were beautifully filmed including the skyscraper scene in Shanghai and the opening sequence. Mendes knows how to make a spy film gorgeous to look at while also maintaining the intensity of almost every action scene. I also really loved what they did with the title sequence. It was really artistic and fits very well with the title song "Skyfall" performed by Adele, which won an Oscar for Best Original Song. The pacing in the film was consistent with its running time and the editing was flawless in terms of the action sequences.
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Overall, "Skyfall" (aka James Bond 23) breathes new life in the world of spy cinema in terms of its remarkable performances, brilliant cinematography, and some amazing action sequences. I know I'm making a big deal out of this, but I had never seen an action film so gorgeously filmed and well-performed throughout my life and Sam Mendes did a great job at adding realism in the 007 universe. This is one of my favorite films of 2012 and one of my favorite action films of all time. Fans of the 007 film franchise and/or Mendes' filmography will definitely enjoy this film.

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A