Skyfall

What Nolan has done for Batman,

Mendes has done for Bond, James Bond.

Sam Mendes brings us the best Bond. The best Bond film. And one of, if not the best film you will see all year. Up front, I'm not a huge Bond fan. Until now, I've considered them little more than throw away fun. Quippy, silly, and generally nonsense. Even Daniel Craig's fairly serious debut as 007 was never going to be a classic film - despite me thoroughly enjoying it. What we have now is theme, thought, cinematography and some out of this world acting and directing.

I would love to give a synopsis of the plot, but I do feel the less you know the better in this case. Go and see it if you want to know.

There are two main comparisons I feel I'd be remiss to leave out of a review - the work of Nolan, as mentioned above, but also that of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss in TV's Sherlock. What I think we are seeing is, in the wake of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, film makers with big budgets insisting on plot, character development and not treating their audience like total morons. Mendes decided on a base-line theme, a point of convergence for the film to fit around - in a very Nolan-esque manner - and in my opinion something Nolan has glossed over in his Batman Trilogy. We see the effects of age hitting Bond and M together. We see the new, technology driven generation stepping in and asking why do we need such old fashioned ideas like espionage. It provokes genuine, plot driven interest outside explosions and chases - which you care about far more with realistic characters. And are especially awesomely done, I think. Then there is the Britishness, the everyday people getting in the way, the shots on the moors, even just the lighting comes almost straight off the fantastically directed Sherlock.

I guess one thing I should do is quickly defend the opening remark about "best film of the year." I will stand by this. The Dark Knight Rises was top contender for such praise - and I'm taking nothing away from it at all. I came out of that film perfectly happy that the trilogy had a fitting and thoroughly enjoyable ending. Skyfall was just one better. It dealt with the re-building of a broken man in a far more convincing, more feelings driven way than Rises, and its final act was magnificent in a measure that was lacking in the showdown in Gotham.

Apart from being beautifully thought out and shot, the acting is top notch. Bond, himself is believable (unlike Quantum of Solace - less said about that film the better), Judi Dench played her more central role very convincingly and a range of supporting cast were all put together nicely. Now to the important casting decision - the Bond Villain. Javier Bardem does not disappoint, manically and camply brilliant in his malevolence - a kin to (again) Andrew Scott as Moriarty crossed with Heath Ledger's (othersideofBatman) Joker.

All these similarities are not to say the film is unoriginal - by no means. It's a pity it is released post these two other works, as it was in production at the same time, so it was merely due to the post-production schedule that it is being seen later in the year.

I loved it. It really was a FILM worth watching, not just a good Bond film. I don't have the time or the space to mention everything worthwhile seeing in this film. Long may it last, and Happy 50th Birthday to the old man.