108 replies to this topic

[I never miss]

I rated CR as a five star Bond, alongside maybe four or five of the others. QoS always had a huge task in living up to CR's excellence. I rated it at about 3.5. I have a feeling - all just a gut feeling - that SkyFall will fall just short of CR but will still top any other Bond of the last 35 years.

Crazy to try and predict things at this stage but what's your gut feeling based on what you've seen and read?

[DamnCoffee]

I understand what you mean. Now, originally when Quantum of Solace was in production, I never really felt the 'buzz' that I did with Casino Royale. The only thing that came close to that was the theatrical trailer. With Skyfall, I'm feeling that buzz. Plus, Sam Mendes is a huge Bond fan, the only thing that worries me with Mendes is that he's the same guy who made Revolutionary Road and Jarhead. BUT, he's also the same guy who made Road To Perdition and American Beauty. I think it will be fantastic. I think it has a very good chance of being on par with Casino Royale.

Edited by Mharkin, 28 February 2012 - 09:30 PM.

[thecasinoroyale]

I agree. From the sheer brilliance of 'Casino Royale', it's fair to say 'Quantum Of Solace' took some of the sheen from Craig's Bond (or rather the current production team) and it was almost an impossible barrier to top.

But with the current crew and range of quality acting talent, as well as what seems to be a very well thought out and exciting shoot, I think 'Skyfall' will propel faith back in what Craig can do with the right team behind him.

I don't think it will have the impact 'Casino Royale' did (never will match an explosive and much hyped Bond-actor introduction!) but will able to fit snuggley just underneath.


...I think, anyway!

[I never miss]

Great thoughts. I think SF will be much closer to CR than QoS in terms of quality. I don't mind QoS but am hoping that, if Craig does 4 or 5 movies, QoS turns out to be his weakest.

[The Shark]

I'm fairly confident that it will better than CR. The absence of Paul Haggfish and David Arnold might have something to do with it.

[univex]

Mendes, Deakins, Newman, Fiennes, Finney, ...

SF will top CR.

[Eric Stromberg]

Impossible to know of course but I think Skyfall's potential to be even better than CR exists. Just look at the team of actors involved and the excellent director. It's the best lineup ever for a Bond film. That being said, there is always the potential for a misfire; sometimes supposed all-star teams don't gel.

There are a couple of other aspects that bode well. They are apparently doing most of the filming in London/UK. This should give the film a very English feel and it will be great to have Bond back on home territory for this story. Second, they are making the film on a relatively low budget and I'm hoping that means less explosions/globetrotting and more espionage and plot.

[Pussfeller]

I think my opinion of CR is not quite as high as most people around here. I loved the first half, but I found everything after Le Chiffre's death to be draggy and aimless, and I never bought the love plot.So I certainly hope that Skyfall turns out better than CR. I think it could. The cast is more promising, especially Fiennes and Bardem, the composer will not be Arnold, the cinematography will surely be excellent, and the director seems to have a good understanding of Bond. I expect Craig to give a more polished and classically Bondian performance, which will be nice. The absence of Quantum is a plus, since it implies a self-contained story. And based purely on the fact that people like Fiennes and Bardem signed on, the script would appear to be solid.

[Chief of SIS]

I feel like this question is a trap. I hope it's the best bond yet but me saying it here and now could probably bite me in the .

Edited by Chief of SIS, 28 February 2012 - 10:18 PM.

[I never miss]

Chief, it's not a trap, merely a feeling of the films potential. The comments here have really given me a huge boost of optimism. The 'Englishness' of it all is a brilliant point - those of us that like the aspects of this seen in some of the 60s Bonds will hopefully be well pleased. The talent behind the movie is formidable. All we can do is hope it's a four star movie or better.

Btw is Danny Kleinman returning or is it just too early in the production to need his services?

[SycloneFS]

Honestly I feel it will be in the same quality of CR. They hype for it is the same for me and that is what gives me great confidence in it. QoS I had I high hopes for it at first when they announced the name because the short story was awesome and name fit the story, but as filming went on it died down quickly. SF on the other hand has kept up with CR. SF will be good as CR...maybe better.....

[Goodnight]

Hopefully better than QOS but I don't think it will top CR.

[Pussfeller]

SF will be a huge commercial hit, as Bond films always are. It will contain strong, memorable performances by major actors - more so than CR. Bond's character and motivations will be more conventional and circumscribed, which will turn off some critics. It will be a more attractive, well-crafted film than QOS or CR. It will be a more exotic, globetrotting film than CR or QOS, which will make it seem more "Bondian".

[Royal Dalton]

I can't stand Casino Royale. So, this one will be better by default.

Anyway, it's got one of my favourites (Albert Finney) in it. So I'll like it more for that reason, even if it turns out to be a stinker.

[AMC Hornet]

The third time's usually the charm.
(GF, TSWLM, and sometimes TWINE)

[Captain Tightpants]

Crazy to try and predict things at this stage but what's your gut feeling based on what you've seen and read?

I think it's impossible to judge, given the total lack of information that has been published.

The third time's usually the charm.
(GF, TSWLM, and sometimes TWINE)

Except that FRWL, LALD and GE were all stronger thatn GF, TSWLM and TWINE respectively.

[SecretAgentFan]

I can't stand Casino Royale.

What? Why?

[SycloneFS]

I can't stand Casino Royale.

What? Why?

Same here why!?!?!

[jaguar007]

I don't think it will have the impact 'Casino Royale' did (never will match an explosive and much hyped Bond-actor introduction!) but will able to fit snuggley just underneath.


...I think, anyway!

Ahh, but Moore's 3rd effort, TSWLM, made a much bigger impact than LALD did.

I hope SF will be as good as CR but is has the disadvantage of not being based on Fleming source material.

[Vauxhall]

I am confident that it will overall be a very good movie, given the calibre of the people involved, but there will be the usual selection of detractors who say it's not a good Bond movie and it's too gritty, etc. In the short term, as with every other Bond film, the forums will be mad for it, before things simmer down and SKYFALL finds its place in the Bond catalogue.

[PPK_19]

I'm confident that Skyfall will send CBN into meltdown. It's going to be top notch but even at this juncture, where we know nothing of the plot, i can already see the headlines from the critics: "Skybore" (The Sun).

I have a feeling that Skyfall- and this is not a negative in any way- will be thin on action and tonally so different to QOS and CR, both Bond films with a healthy amount and almost too much action in them respectively. And the critics will pounce on this.

Still, i'm not going to let that ruin what i expect to be one of the best Bond films we've seen- or i've seen- since TSWLM.

[SecretAgentFan]

I can´t imagine Sam Mendes doing a bad film.

That´s not to say that I loved all his films. But everyone of then, even AWAY WE GO, had something special. And with all the talent involved in SKYFALL this can only become something worthwhile. It certainly will be different from CR and QOS. And if it has not as much action (a big IF since we don´t know anything, really) it will only work in its favor IMO. Right now, every info evokes the feeling of an old school Bond film in which action is an important part but not the only or most important element.

[Ace Roberts]

I always say the proof is in the pudding. Once we see some official footage - via a trailer or featurette - then we'll have a better idea of what to expect. Hopefully, that will be soon - and it will include something more than people riding around in cars.

[DamnCoffee]

I'm confident that Skyfall will send CBN into meltdown. It's going to be top notch but even at this juncture, where we know nothing of the plot, i can already see the headlines from the critics: "Skybore" (The Sun).

Yes! This headline has stuck with me, too. I don't think it will be boring at all, but narrow minded 'film fans' (The Sun) will turn off because it's not action heavy.

[SecretAgentFan]

Don´t worry. Can´t every film title be ridiculed? If people get turned off by that - so be it.

[Dustin]

I have no idea.

[tdalton]

I'm fairly confident that SkyFall will be a good movie, although whether it will be the best in the series or whether it will even be better than Casino Royale is still something that is hard to determine. There's too much talent involved for it to be an outright bad film, but I can't say that I currently have any expectations for it, and probably won't have any expectations for it until I see some kind of trailer for it sometime in the coming months.

[Matt_13]

Despite knowing literally nothing of the content of this one, my expectations are through the roof. The team working on this one seems to have genuine affection for the franchise and understands what it's really all about. I'm very confident this will be winner.

[larrythefatcat]

Newman's good, but I have a feeling that people are going to miss Arnold... don't know why, just have that feeling.

Maybe it's because I've grown to like him since TND... or at least grown used to him. The only "good" thing he did back in the day, imo, was Shaken and Stirred.

Edited by larrythefatcat, 29 February 2012 - 11:19 PM.

[Leon]

In the spirit of speculation, I speculate, from what I have discovered thus far, that Skyfall may even be better than Casino Royale in many ways.

To be honest, I still find myself wanting to skip the entire chunk of airport scenes in CR, and the Venice stuff still feels a little out of place with the rest of it. They certainly have plenty of room to improve with the title song since the last two - I appreciated the attempt to give them some electric guitar balls and grit, but despite the talent involved they came out as wishy-washy and rather lame tracks.

On the subject of Thomas Newman, I actually wager that he'll give the film a welcome opening of a whole new atmosphere and quality of soundtrack composition. He's a much classier composer. Arnold did a great job, but it was mainly playing off the John Barry style (without as much class). That's nice and all, but in terms of creativity it's limiting. His last score with QoS was a little more interesting, but still just a toe-dip outside of his box, but I think that Newman will make things far more interesting. Also, it's not as if he'll downplay the entire film with delicate, reverb piano and not enough punchy dynamics for the action - it's a James Bond movie (a 50th anniversary one at that) and he's a highly skilled professional composer and creative talent, he'll be on it.