Skyfall the service. Javier Bardem was cast as the film's principal villain, Raoul Silva, a cyberterrorist who is seeking revenge against those he holds responsible for betraying him. Bardem described Silva as "more than a villain", while Craig stated that Bond has a "very important relationship" to Silva. In casting the role, director Sam Mendes admitted that he lobbied hard for Bardem to accept the part. Mendes saw the potential for the character to be recognised as one of the most memorable characters in the series and wanted to create "something [the audience] may consider to have been absent from the
Skyfall 100 based on 49 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". A number of critics, including Kate Muir, reviewing for "The Times", Philip French, writing in "The Observer", IGN's Daniel Krupa and the reviewers for the "Irish Independent" and the "Daily Record", all asked whether "Skyfall" was the best Bond film produced. "The Daily Telegraph"s film reviewer, Robbie Collin, considered "Skyfall" to be "often dazzling, always audacious", with excellent action sequences in a film that contained humour and emotion. Todd McCarthy of "The Hollywood Reporter" thought that "Skyfall" was "dramatically gripping while still brandishing a droll undercurrent of humor", going on to say