Skyfall

If you had asked me prior to about 2006 if I had ever seen a Bond movie my answer would have been no. I had seen snippets here and there over the years, but never a full movie. I am not really sure I had seen a full scene from a Bond movie in fact.

Even though I had never actually seen any of the movies I knew the culture that is Bond. It is pretty hard to not know the Bond lore. I knew who M and Q and Moneypenny were. I knew the music when I heard it. I knew the great debate over who was the best Bond. I just knew it all.

I had simply never had a desire to see any of the movies. I can't explain why really. I mean I love movies in general, and I especially love action and spy flicks. It wasn't that a good deal of the movies were older, I love old movies. I just for some reason never actively went out and tried to watch the Bond films.

One year at an annual pool party a friend of mine throws, he had put the Bond movies on repeat on the TV inside as background noise. Toward the end of the party I wondered inside and caught the end of Goldfinger. It was the most of a Bond film I had ever seen.

I think it was at that same party that I finally saw my first full Bond movie. I might be mistaken, it could have been at some point not much later, but that isn't important really. I saw Die Another Day, with Pierce Brosnan as Bond. It was ok. I mean it wasn't terrible, but really it didn't sell me on the Bond series. After watching it I sort of shrugged and decided I really wasn't missing all that much.

And then they cast Daniel Craig as Bond in Casino Royale. I really like Daniel Craig. I also really was intrigued by the things I was hearing about this new reboot. My friends who have read the Bond books were excited because Bond was being taken back to being a grittier killing machine and less of a suave martini swilling playboy with fancy gadgets.

So I gave it a try when it came out on HBO, and I was hooked. I loved it. I loved Craig as Bond. I loved the movie. I loved everything about it. It was exactly what I was looking for out of an action and spy movie. This movie sold me on Bond.

I eagerly watched Quantum of Solace when it came out. It was everything I wanted in a direct sequel to Casino Royale. I was happy that it was an immediate sequel. I liked that it continued the story where we left off. I like that sort of thing. Craig still captivated me as Bond.

So when I saw Skyfall was coming out I got all excited. I wanted to see this movie so bad. I had heard it had a feel that was more of the 70's era Bond films which sounded really interesting to me. I have no real point of reference since I still have never seen one of those movies, but after watching the movie I can see where that correlation could be made.

Skyfall was a little less on the gritty hand to hand prowess and more of the lets shoot people. While I love watching a well choreographed fist fight, I am alright with people just getting shot at. The shootout scenes were well done, so you know this action junkie was satisfied.

I was very pleased to see the introduction of Q and Miss Moneypenny. I really enjoyed Q. He is a Q for the modern day. There was this pleasant level of snark and superiority to him that I found very endearing. He was a modern day geek spy. I loved it.

I also just in general really loved Bond in this movie. I mean in the last two he had some emotional issues that he dealt with, but this one was different. I liked watching him deal with some more internal issues and develop. It keeps him from being a two dimensional character that just pulls a trigger and shags hot women.

Ohh and can I just say that Javier Bardem was amazing. What an incredibly creepy crazy bad guy he made. I mean at one point I was squirming in my seat. He was just so brilliant and obsessed and insane. His bad guy made every other character shine. It was well written and brilliantly performed.

Add to all of that a wonderful directing job and fantastic music this movie really just hit all the right notes. Adelle's Skyfall is wonderful. It is so rich and earthy and so very Bond. It has that very classic Bond feel to it. Again I can see how people would liken it to the 70's Bond franchise.

I absolutely adored it, though the Husbeast couldn't manage to give it more than an "it's ok" as a review. I ribbed him that he didn't love it because I think Daniel Craig is hot, but he insisted that wasn't it. He reminded me that Craig isn't his first Bond, and much like you never forget your first Doctor, you never forget your first Bond. I totally understand that sentiment.

Still, even if Craig is not your Bond, he is a great Bond. If you have any love for Bond at all I highly recommend this movie. Hell if you like action and spy movies I highly recommend this movie.