Skyfall

Skyfall is the best Bond yet. There, I said it. Directly influenced by Chris Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, while the darker moments here are plentiful, that's not to say Skyfall is without its healthy dose of Bond-esque humour. It's a balance struck perfectly with Sam Mendes at the helm, Daniel Craig in the titular role and Javier Bardem as the menacing villain. As one of the most anticipated movies of the year - the 23rd of the franchise - Mendes had a lot to deliver. When the credits rolled to a room filled with deafening applause, it seems 'deliver' he certainly did.

For Craig's third outing as the MI6 operative, he stars here opposite the best Bond girl yet; Judi Dench's 'M'. Although the painfully beautiful Berenice Marlohe had been pushed as the front and centre femme fatale, it's actually 'M' who stands out here, acting as the emotional anchor of the film. With Dench's character on the cusp of forced retirement, Skyfall's plot brings everything that bit closer to home, adding a layer of sentimentality not usually found in a Bond film. With the safety of MI6 under threat now more than ever, Craig faces the best villain since Blofeld, that being Bardem's Raoul Silva. Though not introduced until half way through the film (a brave move to say the least) Bardem brings something new to Bond; a very authentic sense of the foreboding, akin to Batman's Bane. What's more, he's pretty damn funny too.

Beautifully shot by Roger Deakins (No Country For Old Men, Revolutionary Road) with a whopper score from Thomas Newman, Mendes squarely hits the nail on many levels. The back and forth between M and Bond is fantastic (even with Bond atop a train, grappling with his first target, the banter fails to wane) while the respectful nods to earlier films - among which a slick vintage motor is included - are a treat. The edge-of-your-seat action scenes are as impressive as you'd expect, with one in particular making you less than excited about your next experience on the London Underground.

What's most commendable about Skyfall however, is the blue-eyed blonde haired Bond, Daniel Craig. Granting us access to the more personal details of his past while demonstrating that he hasn't got the emotional depth of a rock, Craig shines through the complexity of this role. While his character's physical and mental state may be somewhat worse for wear here, Craig himself is certainly on top form.

Keeping things simple and more personal, Skyfall more than supercedes its lukewarm predecessor Quantum Of Solace. Cheeky, action-packed and emotionally satisfying, there's little more here you could want.