663 replies to this topic

[Harmsway]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

Naturally. But it does signal that M will have a bigger part to play in this film than the two before it. And given that QUANTUM OF SOLACE had far too much M for my liking...

How about this: Fiennes *WAS* 007 prior to Craig/Bond taking over the number at the start of CR. He did a personal favor mission for M (possibly like the FYEO short story), but it went bad, '007' was believed to be killed, and M covered it up to protect herself. This would even tie in to some CR dialogue : "I knew it was too early to promote you (because we had a perfectly good 007)" and "I understand 00s have a short life expectancy" (Bond knows damn well what happened to his predecessor).

Oh, that's clever. I could see that. Love how you'd tied it into CR. Seems in line with the type of Bond stories BB&MGW tell too.

Admittedly, that's quite clever.

[Dustin]

I think the time to do something interesting about M's loyalty has come and gone already with CR. If she had been working for the enemy from the start it would have made at least some sense in operational terms, she choosing Bond while pointing at him on behalf of LeChiffre, she marking Vesper as a target and she finally killing Vesper and faking her suicide before Vesper is able to warn Bond. Dench's M could even have called Mr White in the last scene to tell him 'The bitch is dead.'

As it is nobody really can have any doubts about M's loyalty. If the plot involves her getting under suspicion she probably was forced to do whatever by simple blackmail.

[marktmurphy]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

Naturally. But it does signal that M will have a bigger part to play in this film than the two before it. And given that QUANTUM OF SOLACE had far too much M for my liking...

I don't know if that's a bad thing; she is quite good and I don't think there's anything wrong with the series having more than one main character.

Sounds like she might be on the back foot in this one rather than just barking at Bond; that'll make it different enough for me. QoS just wasn't written well enough, so I don't know if we can take that film as a sure sign that the concept of having M around is bad in itself; they just handled it badly.

[Captain Tightpants]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

That's why I reckon EON have only given us the subplot. No matter which way I cut it, I still cannot account for Javier Bardem's presence in the film, and he's the primary villain. I think Bond will be off to deal with Bardem, and while he is, the subplot about M's actions will complicate life for him.

[DaveBond21]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

Naturally. But it does signal that M will have a bigger part to play in this film than the two before it. And given that QUANTUM OF SOLACE had far too much M for my liking...

I don't know if that's a bad thing; she is quite good and I don't think there's anything wrong with the series having more than one main character.

Sounds like she might be on the back foot in this one rather than just barking at Bond; that'll make it different enough for me. QoS just wasn't written well enough, so I don't know if we can take that film as a sure sign that the concept of having M around is bad in itself; they just handled it badly.

Michael G Wilson has always said "you don't have an actress like Dame Judi Dench and not use her..."


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[Matt_13]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

Naturally. But it does signal that M will have a bigger part to play in this film than the two before it. And given that QUANTUM OF SOLACE had far too much M for my liking...

I don't know if that's a bad thing; she is quite good and I don't think there's anything wrong with the series having more than one main character.

Sounds like she might be on the back foot in this one rather than just barking at Bond; that'll make it different enough for me. QoS just wasn't written well enough, so I don't know if we can take that film as a sure sign that the concept of having M around is bad in itself; they just handled it badly.

I agree completely. Quantum had a good idea in place, but the lack of a polished script harmed the final product. It sounds like plenty of thought was put into the screenplay this time around. As Zorin said, the whole film will not be that one sentence. If I had to assume, M will have between 10 and 15 minutes of total screen time (unless she is involved heavily with the finale). It's still Bond's show, and I'm really confident that it'll be quite the show, indeed.

[MrKidd]

Heh, nothing like a bit of REAL Bond news to get us fair-weather posters back on the boards again! Well I'm delighted it's all rolling along again and the cast looks tops, esp Javier B who has the potential to be an amaaaazing baddie. With that said, I have to agree with freemo's sentiments - I think a little part of me died on reading the synopsis...M...??? Again??? Don't get me wrong, I like Judy D - she was great in that sitcom with Geoffrey Palmer, and she makes an awesome Queen Elizabeth I but I am so booored of her as M - trust issues or otherwise. With that said, it is only a brief synopsis and I'm certainly not slagging off a movie that hasn't even been made yet but I was really really really hoping for something a bit different. Hey, perhaps Judy is 'compromised' in the first 2 minutes of the pre-title sequence and Bond has no choice but to shoot her 5 times right between the eyes. She falls to the ground and he puts another 3 in the back of her head just to make sure she doesn't come back for Bond 24. I could live with that plot development.
With that said, my gut tells me that after the disappointment of QoS (discuss...I'm sure there's a thread on that somewhere..) the Powers That Be will be all out on making a great Bond movie and until its been made by them and watched by me I must reserve judgment on the matter. Just saying I'm disappointed with what I've read so far.
With all that said, who's the bird on DC's right in the press pictures??? Not Naomi H, the other one? Corr, she's lovely she is!

[Syndicate]

The idea of MI6 being the target is quite nice for a Bond movie, too.

Indeed. People have pointed out the similarities to TWINE, but there is one critical difference here - in TWINE, MI6 was the instrument of the attack; here, they might be the target. And that's a major difference.

Yep and ONLY in a Bond or Super Spy type movie they can get away with a idea like that. Never in a close to the real worldy type spy movie. It would just be too far-fetched.

Edited by Syndicate, 05 November 2011 - 12:48 AM.

[dinovelvet]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

Yes people do get into a tizzy about the strangest things. One line barely tells you what's going on in a Bond film anyway, e.g.

Vague EON-esque description of DAD - Bond takes on a rogue North Korean general, at great personal cost, which leads to conflict with M.

"Sounds dull. I clearly know every twist and turn this film will be taking based on that description, and it's the usual predictable bollocks. The plot is obviously FRWL meets TLD. Probably just people talking for two hours. Bet there's no action. Rogue general? Ripoff of Octopussy. This is TWINE all over again. James Bond sucks."

[Dustin]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

Yes people do get into a tizzy about the strangest things. One line barely tells you what's going on in a Bond film anyway, e.g.

Vague EON-esque description of DAD - Bond takes on a rogue North Korean general, at great personal cost, which leads to conflict with M.

"Sounds dull. I clearly know every twist and turn this film will be taking based on that description, and it's the usual predictable bollocks. The plot is obviously FRWL meets TLD. Probably just people talking for two hours. Bet there's no action. Rogue general? Ripoff of Octopussy. This is TWINE all over again. James Bond sucks."

Indeed, it's hardly as if we know even half of it. The final film may take whatever course, there's no telling from that tidbit.

[00Twelve]

Folk do realise that the plot strapline is not the whole story, but a brief titbit intended to raise interest without giving anything away. SKYFALL will not be wholly about that one sentence.

Yes people do get into a tizzy about the strangest things. One line barely tells you what's going on in a Bond film anyway, e.g.

Vague EON-esque description of DAD - Bond takes on a rogue North Korean general, at great personal cost, which leads to conflict with M.

"Sounds dull. I clearly know every twist and turn this film will be taking based on that description, and it's the usual predictable bollocks. The plot is obviously FRWL meets TLD. Probably just people talking for two hours. Bet there's no action. Rogue general? Ripoff of Octopussy. This is TWINE all over again. James Bond sucks."

Well put, as always, dino.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

TWINE + Colonel Sun = SkyFall

[archer1949]

What's with all the TWINE hate?

I liked Twine. Yes, it was overlong and a bit flabby when it came to editing (for example, the pre credits sequence should have ended as soon as Bond jumped out of the building) but I found the two main villains interesting, the plot refreshingly layered and gave Brosnan's Bond some much needed gravitas.

It's up there with Licence to Kill with underrated favorites.

So if you guys are going to use TWINE as a negative example, I don't know what to say. If SF DOES resemble TWINE, I'll have no problems with that.

Edited by archer1949, 04 November 2011 - 10:55 PM.

[Pussfeller]

I'm with you, Archer. After GoldenEye, TWINE is my favorite Brosnan film. Even with Denise Richards in it, it's one of the Bond films that I'm most often in the mood to watch. It's infinitely better than the film that came after it. But TWINE is also the first film to overdose on Judi Dench, so it's remembered for that, and for its supposed miasma of effeminacy, an accusation which I've never really understood.

[DamnCoffee]

The problem I have with TWINE is... it's just boring.

[Harmsway]

I don't know if that's a bad thing; she is quite good and I don't think there's anything wrong with the series having more than one main character.

There isn't anything wrong with it, in concept, at least, but I'm quite tired of Dench's M.

[Captain Tightpants]

I don't know if that's a bad thing; she is quite good and I don't think there's anything wrong with the series having more than one main character.

There isn't anything wrong with it, in concept, at least, but I'm quite tired of Dench's M.

You needn't worry - SKYFALL appears to be writing Dench out of the franchise. I believe she has already confirmed that it will be her final film.

[The Shark]

TWINE is a schizophrenic, jumbled mess of a Bond film. It doesn't quite know what it wants to be.

[Captain Tightpants]

TWINE is a schizophrenic, jumbled mess of a Bond film. It doesn't quite know what it wants to be.

As I've said before, that's because it was rewritten. The original script played up the mystery of who was ultiamtely responsible - Renard or Elektra. The rewrites by Michael Apted's wife cut most of that out and played up the relationship between Bond and Elektra.

[Matt_13]

The problem I have with TWINE is... it's just boring.

Same here. A lot of good ideas are in place, but on the whole, it's really nothing more than a made for TV drama (and not a very good one at that). As Shark pointed out, it really doesn't know what it wants to be. It's serious, it's goofy, it's...mediocre in every regard. Still, it was a noble effort that could have come out very differently had a more capable director taken the reigns. I just don't think Apted had a solid handle on the material. Skyfall should prove to be quite different, but we won't know for quite some time.

[Pussfeller]

There is at least one respect in which Skyfall is guaranteed to be superior to TWINE: no Christmas Jones. I don't see any member of the Skyfall cast who could possibly deliver a performance as grating or incompetent. Even if we assume the very worst of Marlohe, she'll at least have an outrrrrrageous accent to hide behind.

[007jamesbond]

deleted

Edited by 007jamesbond, 05 November 2011 - 04:59 AM.

[Messervy]

"In SKYFALL, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost."

Well, when I first read this, I thought: "What? Another trust/loyalty/personal plot? Please!..."
Can't say I'm really enthusiastic about it. I know there's more to a movie than the 2-line synopsis revealed at a press conference, so let's see how it turns out, but in any case this is not something that gets me yelling "hurray".

[delfloria]

"In SKYFALL, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost."

Well, when I first read this, I thought: "What? Another trust/loyalty/personal plot? Please!..."
Can't say I'm really enthusiastic about it. I know there's more to a movie than the 2-line synopsis revealed at a press conference, so let's see how it turns out, but in any case this is not something that gets me yelling "hurray".

They say SKYFALL will be classic Bond but this story synopsis is everything but that. Classic Bond did not deal with shades of gray regarding character's backgrounds, motivations or loyalties. I know that's very 60's but that's classic Bond with a capital B.

[Captain Tightpants]

They say SKYFALL will be classic Bond but this story synopsis is everything but that. Classic Bond did not deal with shades of gray regarding character's backgrounds, motivations or loyalties.

Do you not remember FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, where the entire plot hinged on whether Tatiana could be trusted?

[dinovelvet]

"In SKYFALL, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost."

You know, I could have sworn we got much more of an extensive synopsis for the QOS press release, so I went back and looked for it. And bloody hell, THIS is what they put out for the initial press conference :

"Quantum of Solace" continues the high octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) in "Casino Royale.

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organisation which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

Forensic intelligence links an Mi6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organisation.

On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio). Using his associates in the organisation, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land.

In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organisation."

Quite a difference, eh? Now I wonder why they've kept things so vague and under wraps this time? I mean we don't even know Javier Bardem's character's name yet. This leads me to believe there's going to be a LOT of surprises they don't want people knowing about in advance.

[JimmyBond]

Most likely.

I'm getting a good vibe from all the pictures that have surfaced so far. Like the first glimpses at Craig as Bond in Casino Royale, these photos are equally intriguing and raise many questions.

[007jamesbond]

I think the producers and crew dont want to give much up because there is probably a lot of twist and turn that the producer and crew dont want to us know yet. Probably "the main part of the story" is really good and we wont know anything until a few months later probably March or April when they are near the end of the filming.....

[Captain Tightpants]

I think the producers and crew dont want to give much up because there is probably a lot of twist and turn that the producer and crew dont want to us know yet.

All the more reason to avoid spoilers.

If someone does what AOL did last time, and give away the ending for the sake of getting an exclusive story (since nobody else printed it), I'm going to scream.

[Jaws0178]

I have not seen the press conference (and yes, Nic, I know you posted it on FB), but from what everyone here seems to be saying, it does seem like something will happen to Judi Dench's M. Now, good or bad, who knows. However I am inclined to agree with the posters asking about the hating on The World is not Enough. Come on guys, where's the love. It can't be any worse than the 1967 Casino Royale or even the 54 Casino Royale.