I don’t trust any journalist who describes Daniel Craig as “the man with the golden hair” so I’m naturally suspicious of a just-posted review of Skyfall by the Mirror‘s David Edwards. He sounds too giddy. So his declaration that Skyfall “might be the best James Bond film ever” comes with a grain of salt.

“Enthralling, explosive and often very funny, Skyfall doesn’t just exceed expectations but shatters them like a bullet to the head,” Edwards writes. “Unfortunately, the very best thing about the 23rd 007 film has to remain top secret, in case it spoils the experience. Let’s just say that what starts as an action movie becomes a weepie in its final ten minutes.”

“After a cracking opening scene in Istanbul in which Bond is shot and left for dead, we travel to London where MI6 boss M (Judi Dench) is in hot water after a hard-drive containing her field operatives identities goes missing.

“It’s only with the reappearance of 007 that she learns the thief is a former agent, played by Javier Bardem, who plans to use the knowledge to bring down his former boss.

“While Skyfall looks and feels like a Bond film — the exotic locales, the memorable villain and an appearance from that iconic silver Aston Martin — director Sam Mendes hasn’t been afraid to play with the formula.

“The themes of cyber terrorism, including a bomb attack on a rush-hour London Tube train, bring the franchise bang up to date.

“And, believe it or not, there’s even some playful flirting between him and Bardem’s openly-gay villain.

“The gadget-loving Q also returns after a 10-year absence, this time played by Ben Whishaw, and gets the biggest laugh of the film when, after supplying Bond with a revolver, remarks, ‘Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don’t really go for that anymore.’

“Craig is as reliable as ever, portraying a spy as icy as his cobalt-blue eyes while Bardem’s character rivals the likes of Blofeld and Jaws as 007’s most transfixing bad guy.

“Prepare to be shaken, stirred… and amazed.”