Skyfall

Skyfall is currently streaming in Australia on MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel, and its case-by-case structure never gets in the way of the bigger story. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Daniel Craig anchors it, but the writing does the real work. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on MGM Amazon Channel.

Skyfall is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The plotting in Skyfall is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. When Bond's latest assignment goes gravely wrong, agents around the world are exposed and MI6 headquarters is attacked. While M faces challenges to her authority and position from Gareth Mallory, the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, it's up to Bond, aided only by field agent Eve, to locate the mastermind behind the attack. The writing gets a boost from Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, who sell every scene they're in. It was released in 2012. What makes Skyfall hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Skyfall delivers. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Daniel Craig's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.