Skyfall

You may not have noticed, but there is a new Bond movie out this week. You may not have noticed because you live in a lead lined box. Otherwise, you would know.

You don't really go to see a Bond film for the powerful deep script do you? You don't even go for the beautiful girls, or the hunky Bond. No, you go see a Bond movie for the chase scenes. The script just ties them all together and the girls add a little allure as you get your breath back for the next car chase or fight scene. And on that basis, the new Bond film is possibly the best. There isn't an iconic image from it, like the cat stroking or Ursula Andress appearing out of the sea, but the quality of the chases is imperious. That's clearly where the budget is blown, although I guess Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench make a few bob out of it. But who dreams up the chase scenes? I mean, I went to Istanbul too, but at no point did I think, "Oh, the roof of the Grand Bazaar will make a great venue for a motorbike chase."

It was also good that a lot of it was set in London. Well, I guess we have to recognise that London is cool and hip again. Of course you have to suspend belief just a tad to enjoy this sort of thing, but overall a decent way to spend a couple of hours. Looking forward to the next one.