Skyfall
007 (Daniel Craig) becomes M's only ally as MI6 comes under attack, and a mysterious new villain emerges with a diabolical pl...
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Fifty years after "Dr. No" first made him a movie star, James Bond returns to the big screen for the 23rd time with "Skyfall."
Daniel Craig's third film as the British super spy is already a massive hit in the UK, and it's been generating rave reviews from critics for everything from Sam Mendes' direction to Javier Bardem's latest villainous wig.
This time, Bond is tasked with tracking down a stolen file containing the names of undercover NATO operatives -- names that former MI6 agent-gone-rogue, Raoul Silva (Bardem), is threatening to reveal as a way to get revenge on the agency, and in particular, M (Judi Dench).
And to ensure you're properly prepped for one of the year's most hyped releases, here are 23 more things to know about 007's latest adventure.
1. It's been four years since the last Bond movie. Or, just long enough for people to forget about "Quantum of Solace."
2. Bond has apparently lost a step during the layoff. This affects his marksmanship, but not his ability to drink without upsetting a scorpion perched on his hand.
3. Drinking games are way more fun in Turkey.
4. "Skyfall" doesn't follow the storyline of the first two Daniel Craig movies. Instead, it's a stand-alone story.
5. Expect all the requisite Bond trademarks (the martini, the famous introduction, the campy villain), and a few nostalgic touches. But no exploding pen.
6. "Skyfall" reintroduces Q and Moneypenny to the franchise. One's done elegantly. The other, not so much.
7. At 143 minutes, "Skyfall" is the second-longest Bond movie of all-time. Plan accordingly.
8. Adele's title theme song will be stuck in your head for much longer than that. Again, plan accordingly.
9. A third of the movie's budget reportedly came from promotional tie-ins. Of all the product placement, expect the straight-razor industry to be the biggest beneficiary.
10. Speaking of product placement, Bond is shown drinking a beer for the first time, a Heineken. This almost set off an international incident.
11. Bond is also heard making a joke about his sexuality. This, too, almost set off an international incident.
12. "Skyfall" is the first Bond movie to be shot in digital, as opposed to film. This went largely unopposed, thanks mainly to cinematographer Roger Deakins.
13. It's traditional to give gold for a 50th anniversary, and Deakins is still looking for his first statue. Hint hint, Oscar voters.
14. Speaking of Oscars, "Skyfall" is the first time Bond has had an Oscar-winning director behind the camera in Sam Mendes.
15. Mendes was clearly heavily influenced by "The Dark Knight" -- and "Home Alone," apparently.
16. French actress Bérénice Marlohe plays one of the movie's Bond girls. She's not to be confused for French actress Bérénice Bejo from "The Artist," despite having about the same amount of dialogue.
17. "Skyfall" focuses so strongly on Bond and M's relationship, Judi Dench could be considered the movie's third Bond girl.
18. The villain in "Skyfall" has serious mommy issues. For that matter, so does Bond.
19. Bardem's Silva doesn't show up until almost an hour in, but he certainly knows how to make an entrance. And an exit.
20. When it comes to playing a villain with a terrible haircut, Javier Bardem has still got it.
21. Despite their obvious on-screen chemistry during the Olympics' opening ceremony, the Queen doesn't make a cameo in "Skyfall."
22. James Bond will return. He always does.
23. "Casino Royale" was still just a little bit better.
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25. Tanya Roberts, Stacey Sutton (‘A View To A Kill’)
Stacey, who's supposed to be a geologist who helps James prevent a man-made earthquake, takes the cake as the most useless girl to ever pop up in a Bond film. (And we're not just saying that because we think of her as Donna's airheaded mom on "That '70s Show.")
24. Denise Richards, Dr. Christmas Jones (‘The World Is Not Enough’)
It's a race to the bottom for Bond's bimbo-scientists (and Stacey Sutton wins by an '80s feathered hair) but Richards makes the least believable nuclear scientist ever. And frankly, we don't care how many times a year Christmas comes. Once is enough.
23. Mie Hama, Kissy Suzuki (‘You Only Live Twice’)
Okay, so Bond did marry her, but it was part of his cover, so it doesn't count. Kissy is sadly one of the most forgettable women to ever share the screen with Bond. Her predecessor, Ako, who died saving Bond's life, made a much more lasting impression.
22. Lois Chiles, Dr Holly Goodhead (‘Moonraker’)
Bond tries to suck up to this feminist doctor by telling her, "Of course you're more than just a beautiful woman," but that doesn't fly. At least, not at first. But soon this CIA agent-slash-astronaut is murmuring, "Oh, James," with the rest of them, except she's the only one to do it in space.
21. Maud Adams, Octopussy (‘Octopussy’)
Maud, you have amazing hair, your cheekbones are to die for and you were great in those two other Bond films (she was also in "The Man With the Golden Gun" and had an uncredited scene in "A View to a Kill") but there's no getting over how cringeworthy your character's name -- and this whole movie -- are.
20. Britt Ekland, Miss Mary Goodnight (‘The Man With The Golden Gun’)
Her punny name isn't as double entendre-iffic as, say, Plenty O'Toole. And although she makes for pretty eyecandy, she doesn't have much to do besides look good in a bikini, bed James and bonk the bad guy on the head when needed.
19. Carole Bouquet, Melina Havelock (‘For Your Eyes Only’)
Another smart Bond Girl who's not just along for the ride: She's after the man who killed her parents. She's also handy with a crossbow and makes scuba gear look good, which is lucky since so much of the film takes place underwater. We never get the sense that she and James are hot for each other -- at least not until the obligatory pre-credits clinch.
18. Lana Wood, Plenty O'Toole (‘Diamonds Are Forever’)
"I'm Plenty," this buxom beauty tells Bond and he can only reply, "But of course you are." It's a brief but memorable role, thanks to the eye-rolling name and Wood's ample cleavage. She has two unforgettable pool scenes that couldn't be farther from the usual Bond fare. (And she never even gets to sleep with Bond, poor girl.)
17. Barbara Bach, Major Anya Amasova (‘The Spy Who Loved Me’)
Anya is supposed to be Bond's enemy (the Cold War was still going on in 1977), but of course they're forced to team up against formidable foes like Jaws. She's also got her sights on Bond since he killed her lover but that's a mere road bump to 007. Her Russian accent is awful but James doesn't seem to mind.
16. Talisa Soto, Lupe Lamora (‘Licence To Kill’)
In the role of a supervillain's girlfriend whom James must seduce and win over to his side, Lupe gets a lot more mileage than most Bond Girls. She's also much smarter than the other villain's mistresses, since she manages to stay alive and land a less dangerous sugar daddy by film's end.
15. Halle Berry, Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson (‘Die Another Day’)
Berry in a bikini! Her heart-stopping beach entrance may have actually eclipsed that of original Bond Girl Ursula Andress, and she's as tough as James and perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Granted, that Jinx spinoff never happened and some of her jokey lines fell flat.
14. Michelle Yeoh, Wai Lin (‘Tomorrow Never Dies’)
She's not your traditional Bond Girl, but an agent who's as well-trained as Bond, as capable (or more) of kicking ass and able to spot a life-saving exit in a split second. In another movie, their being handcuffed together might get kinky, but in this action-oriented pairing, it's just one more complication in a motorcycle chase.
13. Maryam d’ Abo, Kara Milovy (‘The Living Daylights’)
Kara at first appears to be a sniper, but she's really the most innocent of all Bond Girls, one who has no idea what's happening for most of the film. When she gets dressed up for a night on the town, it's the most covered-up of any Bond date in history, but there's still room for an "Oh, James" or two.
12. Daniela Bianchi, Tatiana Romanova (‘From Russia With Love’)
Another beauty that needs saving (don't they all?) but Tatiana, who's been trained to kill, also has a sweetness and vulnerability that endears her to Bond. That and her way of saying hello is to show up naked in his bed.
11. Camille Montes, Olga Kurylenko (‘Quantum of Solace’)
Camille is nearly as driven as James in his thirst for revenge. As the villain tells them, "You two do make a good couple. You're both damaged goods." It might not be a love match but it is a connection we haven't seen Bond make with many other women.
10. Teri Hatcher, Paris Carver (‘Tomorrow Never Dies’)
Hatcher was never lovelier than as one of Bond's old flames, who is now married to a power-mad broadcasting magnate. Although she's in the movie only briefly, Hatcher's scenes with James have more depth and heat than most of the other Bond girls combined.
9. Jill St. John, Tiffany Case (‘Diamonds Are Forever’)
Scheming Tiffany does come around to the right side, even if her mind is always on those diamonds. She's smart enough to take his fingerprints, but not smart enough to realize they're fake. (Thanks, Q.) As one of the most under-dressed Bond Girls, we applaud her choices in lingerie, bikinis and hot pants.
8. Izabella Scorupco, Natalya Fyodorovna Simonova (‘Goldeneye’)
One of the most independent and savviest of Bond Girls, Natalya manages to survive several attempts on her life, save James, outwit the villains and sass an interrogator. And she does it while dressed in a fairly sensible wardrobe. Nazdrovia!
7. Claudine Auger, Dominique Derval (‘Thunderball’)
As "Domino," Auger brings some European glamour to the Bond franchise. It's not just the '60s fashions that put us in mind of Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren, is it? She sports one sexy swimsuit after another, but her scene where she learns of her brother's death helps us (and Bond) fall for her.
6. Jane Seymour, Solitaire (‘Live And Let Die’)
She's gorgeous and completely off-limits, so of course James can't resist seducing her, even though a) she's a virgin, and b) it will rob her of her psychic powers. There's something very romantic and even a little old-fashioned about Solitaire. We get it, James.
5. Carey Lowell, Pam Bouvier (‘Licence To Kill’)
Who doesn't love a woman who has your back in a bar fight, who'll get a makeover to maintain your cover and who can fly a helicopter? She pulls out every tool in her arsenal, including an impromptu seduction of slick faux-evangelist Wayne Newton, which lets her swoop in and save James at the last minute.
4. Honor Blackman, Pussy Galore (‘Goldfinger’)
If we were ranking on character's names alone, of course Miss Galore would be first. After she huskily introduces herself, a groggy Bond marvels, "I must be dreaming." She can fly a plane and she knows judo, so we have a strong feeling she's equally adept in many other areas.
3. Ursula Andress, Honey Ryder (‘Dr. No’)
It's hard to top the original Bond Girl: Her iconic introduction in a white bikini with a knife strapped to her belt set a new standard for sexy. If only Bond weren't such a globe-trotter (and not so fickle), we imagine he'd have been quite happy spending his days -- and nights -- with Miss Ryder.
2. Diana Rigg, Teresa "Tracy" Di Vicenzo (‘On Her Majesty's Secret Service’)
The one and only Mrs. Bond was ready to kill herself until James came into her life. James picked a surprisingly sophisticated soulmate: She's independent, handy with a broken bottle in a fight and fiercely loyal. Too bad she's also doomed, since there can be no permanently happy endings for James.
1. Eva Green, Vesper Lynd (‘Casino Royale’)
One of the most complex and haunted of Bond's women and one of the most beautiful. Bond creates a drink in her honor, uses her name as an important code and then, when she's tragically killed, spends all of the next movie hunting down the men responsible. We'd say that makes her his favorite.
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Moviefone Canada | By Rick Mele Posted: 11/08/2012 2:38 pm EST | Updated: 02/21/2013 3:01 pm EST