PREVIEW-Skyfall (12A)

The Cinema at Gloucester Guildhall could not say farewell to 2012 without screening a film that has become, in the space of merely 6 weeks, the highest grossing film at the UK box office of all time surpassing James Cameron's juggernaut Avatar. At £95m and counting, not only is this the 23rd film in the series but 2012 marks half a century of a cinematic, nay national, institution that has enthralled audiences around the world since the release of Dr.No in 1962. All the girls, gadgets, cars, villains, exotic locales and Vodka Martinis (shaken not stirred) have lead to this moment.The name's Bond...James Bond. The film? Skyfall.

Once again seasoned regulars Daniel Craig as Agent 007 (hot off his previous appearances in Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace) and Guidlhall favorite Judi Dench as M (marking her 12th year in the role) lead an all-star cast including Academy Award Winners Javier Bardem, Albert Finney and Ralph Fiennes along with Naomi Harris and Ben Wishaw as a younger nerdy Quartermaster. They are all under the direction of what can only be described as the best possible production team assembled for the 50th anniversary. Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road To Perdition) helms some of the best people working in the business including cinematographer Roger Deakins, composer Thomas Newman and multi-award winning artist Adele who provides the title theme song. It certainly the biggest Bond film in history but it is the best?

Of course we don't want to give too much away about the plot, but in short...Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

It's perhaps fair to say that for all its longevity and mass appeal, the Bond franchise has had its fair share of high and low points, none more so than the immediate and misguided predecessor Quantum Of Solace. It is therefore such a relief to find that, thanks to Mendes and everyone involved, the series has surged into the stratosphere and has produced a completely smart, sexy and riveting action thriller that automatically qualifies as one of, if not THE, best 007 film to date. Part of the genius behind Skyfall is that it takes it back to the classic formula but updates it for 21st century. It has jaw-dropping set designs and some of the most exciting action scenes of the entire series but it also features complex characters and an overall sense of fun that has been lacking from the series of recent. The reboot that began in Casino Royale has now come full circle and even if you have never seen a single Bond film before, you owe it to yourself to see this one. 

"Skyfall is a resurrection, and will go down as one of 007's best"

Kate Muir, The Times

“This film is a supremely enjoyable and even sentimental spectacle, giving us an attractively human Bond”

Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian.

“Skyfall shakes together familiar elements of the Ian Fleming canon - the cars, the guns, the exotic locales with the dames to match - into a blistering comic book escapade.”

Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

Check out the trailer below:

Skyfall (12A) opens Tuesday 18th December until Thursday 20th December @ 7:45pm except Tuesday which is Screen Tea (2pm) only.