For his 50th anniversary, Bond is back in his 23rd cinematic adventure. Things go wrong while Bond is trying to recover a stolen hard drive containing a list of undercover MI6 field agents, and this leads to 007 being presumed dead. In the wake of all of this, the new chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (Ralph Fiennes) calls for M’s retirement. Meanwhile, MI6 headquarters is compromised, and they are forced to relocate. The attack appears to be part of some personal vendetta against M (Judi Dench) for something she did in her past. M doesn’t know the reason she is being targeted, and must rely on 007 to track down and eliminate whoever is behind all of this—but Bond may not be in any shape to get back in the field, and may still hold a grudge against M for the bad decision that almost got him killed.

Like all Bond films, the movie opens with an exciting action sequence—a 12-minute chase through Istanbul with motorcycles driving down busy alleys, through the Grand Bazaar and across rooftops, culminating in a fight atop a train as it rushes through tunnels. However, this is where we see one of the film’s first departures from the classic Bond formula. This opening sequence usually shows Bond gaining some victory before moving on to mission of the film, but that is not what happens here. Also, this time Bond is joined on his mission by a partner, field agent Eve (Naomie Harris).

Skyfall introduces us to new villain Silva (Javier Barden), but he is more concerned about getting revenge on M rather than dealing with Bond. Silva an excellent addition to the ranks—he feels like a classic Bond villain, with the perfect mix of evil, craziness and mastermind. However, he is a bit more grounded and realistic in his motives than some of the baddies we’ve seen in the past—it’s not just that he’s crazy and bent on world domination.

In as much as this Bond film strays from some of the past conventions, it also brings back some of the aspects of the classic Bonds that we haven’t yet seen in the Craig era. The new MI6 building resembles that of the classic films, with its expansive concrete basement and testing areas. Skyfall also introduces a young Q (Ben Whishaw) and his cool gadgets for field agents. Plus, we see the return of the Aston Martin DB5.

While I found the entire film to be captivating, the final act of Skyfall is truly amazing. It plays out like a classic Western where our hero is low on resources and must shore up his defenses and prepare his fort for the upcoming showdown with the bad guy who will be rolling into town with his posse to attack. From the preparation, to the attack, through to the end of the film, this final act is one spectacular hour of cinema! When the movie ended, I was already eager for Bond’s next adventure!

Overall, the theme of Skyfall is that of M and 007 facing their pasts. This leads to a great dramatic story at the heart of the film, while also giving us the action and adventure we expect from a Bond movie, and this helps the film feel more grounded and realistic. Add to that some great new characters and excellent performances all around. I really enjoyed Skyfall—it’s quite possibly my new favorite Bond film, and is an easy recommendation.

What’s Included:

Film (2:23:09)
Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 2.40:1
• Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, English Descriptive Audio 5.1, Spanish DD 5.1, French DD 5.1, Italian DTS 5.1, Russian DTS 5.1, Ukrainian DD 5.1
• English SDH, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Swedish, Estonian, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Chinese subtitles

DVD:

• 480p / Widescreen 2.40:1
• Audio: English DD 5.1
• English SDH, Spanish, French subtitles

Digital Copy:

• iTunes Digital Copy
• Ultraviolet Digital Copy (Vudu or Flixster)

Extras:

• Shooting Bond (59:24)
  Fantastic behind-the-scenes feature that gives an extended look into the making of the film. It is broken into 14 segments/chapters, but there is also a Play All option. The sections include Intro, Opening Sequence, The Title Sequence, 007, Q, DB5, Women, Villains, Action, Locations, Music, End Sequence, M, and The Future.
• Skyfall Premiere (4:28)
  Interviews from the red carpet of the Skyfall World Premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
• Commentary By Director Sam Mendes (2:23:09)
  The director provides commentary throughout the film, discussing why he made certain choices and giving interesting behind-the-scenes information.
• Commentary By Producer Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson and Production Designer Dennis Gassner (2:23:09)
  The producers and production designer discuss the logistics involved in making the film. There are some gaps in the commentary where they seem to be watching more than talking.
• Theatrical Trailer (2:31)
• Soundtrack Promotional Spot (:40)
• Sneak Peek
  Trailers for “A Good Day To Die Hard”, The Blu-ray Experience, 3D Comes Home, Bond 50th Anniversary, “Red Dawn”, “Taken 2”, “Broken City”, “Hitchcock”, “Marine 3”, and “Shadow Dancer”

Final Thoughts:

The picture on this blu-ray was spectacular—everything looked crisp and clear. The audio was also amazing—you can feel every explosion and are completely enveloped when that all-too-familiar soundtrack kicks in.

The bonus features are also fantastic—especially the extensive hour-long behind-the-scenes featurette. Plus, there are two audio commentaries that give more behind-the-scenes information—though I would have loved to have had a commentary with the actors.

Skyfall is quite possibly my new favorite of the Bond films. It’s got all of the action and excitement of a Bond film, but also a more realistic dramatic story at it’s core. Add to that the return to some of the elements of the classic Bond films plus the introduction of some interesting new characters, and it gets a Highly Recommended from me.