Vatican newspaper gives blessing to James Bond in 'Skyfall'

The Vatican's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, has given a rave review to the new James Bond film "Skyfall".

Although the 151 year old paper has been making moves to be more in tune with popular culture in recent years, their glowing praise for the latest 007 adventure is without precedent.

The review says the film shows a new, introspective side of the British agent while thankfully cramming in the usual dose of exotic locations and "extremely beautiful Bond girls".

Wednesday's edition also covered the 500th anniversary of the Sistine Chapel, the appointment of new bishops in Peru and the Philippines, and the news that catholic numbers are rising in Ireland.

Alongside five other articles dedicated to Bond, the paper's review began: "To celebrate 50 years of the world's most famous secret agent – which even the Queen paid homage to at the Olympics – we needed a film that rose to the occasion."

"Skyfall does not disappoint. The 23rd Bond film is one of the best in the longest cinematic story of all time," it states, adding the film "does not lack any of the classic ingredients which have made James Bond a legend – the title credits song, adrenalin pumping action, amazing hyper-realistic chases, exotic locations, extremely beautiful Bond girls, the usual super villain and the essential vodka martini."

Craig is "ever more convincing" as 007, Dame Judi Dench is "perfect" as M, and Javier Bardem, is described as terrific, "up there with Goldfinger, Dr No and Rosa Klebb".

007 is "less attracted to the pleasures of life, darker and more introspective, less invulnerable physically and psychologically and because of this more human, even able to be moved and to cry – in a word, more real."

Concluding their review titled '007 Licence To Cry', the paper says that "nothing will ever be the same again on the big screen for James Bond."

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