Prime Video movie of the day: Skyfall sees Javier Bardem as a Bond villain and it’s perfect weekend viewing

Skyfall is expecting you, Mr Bond

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Every day, we cut through the bottomless list of streaming options and recommend something to watch. See all ourNetflix movie of the daypicks, or ourPrime Video movie of the daychoices.

The weekend calls for some action-packed thrills, and where better to start than aDaniel Craig Bond movie?Skyfallmay be the 23rd outing for James Bond, but it’s fresh as ever, using a tried and tested format that always delivers. Suave spy? Check. Compelling villain? Check. A dramatic intro song? It’s all here.

This isn’t the first time we’ve recommended a Sam Mendes flick in ourmovie of dayseries, having previously rated his harrowing war movie1917. Mendes’s first Bond movie is just as impressive, delivering all the fast cars, picturesque locations and gunfights you’d expect from a spy thriller. Even the opening scene alone will have you on the edge of your seat, while you watch Daniel Craig engaging in a gunfight on a moving train (rather him than me, to be honest).

Of course, it’s not a Bond movie without a great villain and Javier Bardem delivers an excellent performance here as Raoul Silva, a cyberterrorist and former MI6 agent who harbors a deadly grudge against a former coworker. Bardem is an excellent villain and his performance is worth a rewatch even if you’ve seenSkyfallbefore. Oh, and don’t forget Adele’s theme song, also namedSkyfall, which won numerous awards including Best Original Song at the Oscars, the Grammy’s,andthe Golden Globes.

Another Sam Mendes classic

Skyfallis certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a critic score of 92% and an audience score of 86%, impressing both critics and moviegoers alike as well as yours truly, with it firmly earning a place on ourbest Prime Video movieslist. Many praised the visuals, world building and performances, as well as Sam Mandes’s direction.

The Independent on Sundaywrote: “Mendes’s breezily, imaginatively directed film shows faith in the thrill of the real – not the weightless dazzle of CGI but the feeling of actual objects (bikes, cars, Tube trains) crashing and colliding in a solid world.”

Detroit Newsadded: “Great heroes are often enhanced by the villains they face, and such is the situation here. To really work, Bond needs great bad guys. Silva is bad at its best.”

WhileIndieWiresaid: “Sam Mendes adds freshness in this smart, character-driven film, as middle-aged Bond thrives in today’s terror-ridden world. Still loaded with action, the best Bond in years.”

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

You might also like

Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What’s on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd.

4 spy shows on Prime Video with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes

Prime Video’s smart new X-Ray feature is finally a good reason to add AI to streaming

Your doctor may have an AI assistant taking notes during your next Zoom call