350 replies to this topic

[Cabarita Island]

It is Bond with a Capital 'B' and there can be no doubt about that.
I have been contemplating and ruminating over Skyfall for the past few days. Leaving the cinema I said it was a very good Bond that would sit comfortably in amongst the classics of From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, OHMSS and Casino Royale. On further viewing in the weeks and months to come I may come to the conclusion that it is even better than that.
It is a dark, gothic and introspective creation while at the same time giving us some of the best laughs in a Bond movie for a very long time.
I think it does it's very best to give all things to all types of Bond fans and yet nothing feels compromised. The dark, cold yet sentimental literary Bond of Fleming's creation is present and the Suave, bombastic and tongue in cheek moments are also there.
As primarily a fan of Flemings creation on the pages of the novels I left the cinema feeling that Skyfall had certainly scratched my itch. It's as gothic and surreal in places as You Only Live Twice. The moments of depression, physical and mental fragility and hatred for his profession so vividly described by Fleming are also there on the big screen.
For me it is a triumph that those responsible have taken the corageous steps to bring these elements together in a Bond movie. That it is believable and not overly dark is in itself a triumph. In this respect the moments of frivolity are totally necessary and most welcome.
Skyfall draws most closely to the novel You Only Live Twice. In the novel Bond is the main protagonist. A man accutely aware of his own mortality. In Skyfall Bond is only a player and 'M' is without doubt the main character in the story. From the end of the opening sequence where she looks through the rain falling outside her office window to the scene in Skyfall lodge where she waits at the window in expectation of unwelcome visitors her demise be it professional or otherwise feels ominously near.
I particularly enjoyed the surreal scenes with the fantastic Mr. Silva on the deserted hashima island. I wholeheartedly believe that a Bond movie is only as good as it's villian and Skyfall's brilliance is in many ways thanks to the character and portrayal of Silva. The inclusion of 'Boum' playing across the dusty rubble was brilliant and set up Silva's mania just as Blofeld listening to Wagner in his Japanese castle sets up the mania of the character in You Only Live Twice.
Skyfall is a very rich tapestry. The continuous use of windows and mirrors is an appropriate motif and it's used so much you might think Skyfall could be mistaken for a screenplay of Wuthering Heights. The movie draws from many sources and they are chosen playfully. The sound of John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom 'Booming' across a Scottish Lough playing from speakers hanging from the underside of a Merlin chopper draws obvious comparisons to Bill Kilgore in Apocalypse Now. At a late stage in the proceedings it helps to underline the flamboyance and the mania of the character. No opportunity in the detail is lost.
As for Berenice Merlohe I must admit I was more than a little worried when I viewed a promotional advert not so long ago. My concerns were not founded. She was brilliant in the role and she will go down as one of the the great Bond femme fatale. That is some acheivement when she was only on the screen for 15 or 20 minutes.
Craig for me is the closest incarnation of Fleming's James Bond and as such my favourite. His performance was top notch in Skyfall and I feel he played the role perfectly as a counter to Judi Dench's leading role.
I thought her portrayal of M in Skyfall was frighteningly real and I would agree that she has gone out on a huge high point.
I would generally leave the cinema asking the question where are they going from here. Where can they go. We have been teed up nicely for No. 24 and it can go in any direction it wants now thanks to Skyfall.
I dont think we need to worry about that for the time being and we can look forward to a few more years of teasing it out on internet forums.
Fot the time being I think that it is appropriate to just bathe in the glory of Skyfall.

Edited by Cabarita Island, 01 November 2012 - 04:56 PM.

[SecretAgentFan]

I find Bond holding the dead M in his arms with something like "Mother" playing on top of it far worse. Would have been a good call not to use any music.

Then the scene would be lacking something, hence why it was spotted in the first place. I really don't see what's so melodramatic about that cue, no saccharine strings (ala Death of Vesper) - just very subtle synth chords, followed by the stately brass theme. Pretty understated if you ask me. Works very well in the chapel with the chorale-like sound.

That said, I disagree on virtually every point. I'm not going to argue about anything else there, since I know we have very different ideas about Bond films and their music.

I agree with you, Shark. And I not only disagree with gkgyver´s review - I think it is full of misunderstandings and probably deliberately polemic misinterpretations. And what the heck does he mean with "fending off Danny deVito"?

[Pussfeller]

Maybe he's thinking of Joe Pesci.

[Roebuck]

Actually, the more I think of it (I've seen it yesterday and haven't stopped thinking about it since), the more I guess this did to me what OHMSS must have done to the viewers back then: a very odd Bond experience, light-years away from what they knew or expected, yet in the end a true masterpiece.

OHMSS had some genuine Bond moments, and just because it had Bond showing some feelings doesn't make it a radically different experience. On the contrary, it is, to me at least, the perfect Bond movie (or one of the few).


With the foot chase through the London Underground, Bond has finally turned into Bourne, only that Bourne did this stuff better.
It all goes very quickly at the end, and the movie not so much ends as it just stops. Awkward transition to the gunbarrel, also thanks to the music.

Bond living in a shack on the beach invites an automatic comparison with the second Bourne. So does some of the vehicle action in the PTS, and you could even argue (stretching things) that the finale of Skyfall owes a bit to the farmhouse scenes from Identity.

Problem is that most of what makes up the Bourne style, from the quick editing of the fight scenes to the metal crunching car action, comes from OHMSS. And while it’s unfortunate EON took so long to reclaim what was theirs, I can’t say I’m unhappy at the results.

[Dustin]

Beware: Spoilers!

So, finally got around to watching it. It being - of course - SKYFALL. Which I mightily enjoyed, but that's probably not a surprise for most around here. I'm very fond of Craig's depiction and his third outing to me is definitely his best. And not just his best, but the best from the current Eon board of creatives, period. Cinematically it's an enormously satisfying experience, exuding a rich air of completeness. A most worthy effort to celebrate a full five decades of cinematic adventure devoted to one single hero. I can't imagine how SKYFALL could have accomplished this mission better, what more it could have added or what it perhaps was missing out on. SKYFALL does have everything for me.

I won't draw comparisons to the last major celebration of Eon's series, it simply wouldn't be fair. SKYFALL gets most everything right where the entry ten years ago failed at its own momentum and aspirations. But SKYFALL also doesn't have to shy away from comparisons with the less controversial Eon productions. In fact its rightful place is probably amongst the very best of Bond films, with maybe taking the fated crown in a lot of people's eyes. It's perhaps too early to ask such questions - much less to expect an answer not influenced by the overwhelmingly positive reviews and the general hype surrounding SKYFALL. But I suspect nonetheless it may end up as one of the three best Bond films in an awful lot of polls of years to come.

If so, this will be due to the extraordinary performance of cast and crew throughout the entire production. Script, dialogue, cinematography, stunts, editing, score - everything here speaks quality to me. It's a film not shying away from action, neither depending on it too much, for the wrong reasons or to cover holes in its plot or to please audiences that will just not accept anything less action-y. SKYFALL is remarkably strong on dialogue for a Bond film, but not just quality-wise. There is a lot of talking going on throughout the whole affair. And yet everything feels nicely balanced with the equally important action parts, which are in this case exceptionally well incorporated into the plot. SKYFALL manages that precarious balance on the razor's edge and succeeds spectacularly.

Which is not a small feat, considering the enormous expectations this production, its lead actor and its director had to face up to. And taking into account SKYFALL is basically a remake, and even of one of the less popular Bond films: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.

Granted, 'remake' isn't probably the right word to describe SKYFALL, not in strictly cinematic terms. And yet plot-wise it's just that, with the added bonus Logan and P&W revisited also Fleming's original novel for inspiration, making SKYFALL an amalgam of both THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - THE MOTION PICTURE and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - THE LAST FLEMING NOVEL, and thus probably the closest we'll ever get to a straight adaptation of the book. If you look closely it's all there on the screen now: Bond returning after having been missing-in-action for a period, Bond having to convalesce and re-establish himself with his people, Bond tracing a hitman with a highly suspicious preference for one specific ammunition by the very remains of this ammo in the body of an agent (Bond's in SKYFALL, Fairbank's in TMWTGG, via proxy of his girlfriend), Bond in Macao being lead to his adversary by the villain's girlfriend (Severine/Andrea), the villain residing on a secluded island, the idea Bond and the villain are essentially the same breed, the allusions on homosexuality in the novel now played out in a Bond/villain talk, the various mirror/shooting gallery/funhouse images starting in Shanghai and reappearing until the final battle at the Skyfall lodge, the exploding gas canisters (cut from TMWTGG), the William Tell shot (where in the book only Bond shoots and the target of course survives), the cavalry arriving at the island by following a tracking device (in TMWTGG it's Goodnight's and Bond is supposed to come to her rescue). And finally that centre piece of SKYFALL and one of the best parts of TMWTGG's fist few chapters: the attempted assassination of M.

Of course there is more to SKYFALL than just the parts I've listed above. But at the core the story takes that premise of TMWTGG and replaces the brainwashed Bond with a brainwashed/tortured Silva and makes the assault on M - and in extension the SIS - the main motif of the villain. It of course also cuts a copius amount of excess fat, mainly the silly slapstick. In exchange we observe the drama of Dench's M between her crumbling Secret Intelligence Service and the public inquiry into her work. Bond, despite not having passed his field work test, is still the one agent she can count on; an element which resounds faintly of COLONEL SUN and the usage of that book's plot in TWINE. And yet here the entire idea is so much more realized, so much in line with the characters and their chemistry. Bond here 'kidnaps' M to force his adversary's hand and face the final battle on familiar ground and on his very own terms, a fresh and exciting idea that at once connects the inverted TMWTGG plot and the notion of that book's Scottish peasant with the Bond backstory borrowed from YOLT's literary obituary. In an unexpected turn of events - at least if you haven't been following the production of SKYFALL on the internet, as we do - the film reassembles its protagonists at the ancestral home of 007 and presents us with one of the very best Bond allys in years, Kincade.

The final battle then delivers something for everybody, the action-freaks and the character-junkies, and both sides can leave that battleground thouroughly satisfied. Javier Bardem's Silva is easily the best villain since... a long time ago. The concept of having a previous 'star agent' return from the grave and turning on his employer isn't exactly new. But I've never seen it used with such overwhelming effect and so convincingly. Dench gives a likewise splendid performance, easily worth many years of supposed overuse. Her M exposed and attacked in such a manner was only ever possible by her strong presence in previous films. With her ends a whole era in Bond films; her successor Mallory will hopefully have a likewise defining influence on future films. And Berenice Marlohe is a most welcome addition to what must be regarded as Bond's family from now onwards.

Daniel Craig has once more captured a different aspect of Bond's character. And has given a most convincing answer regarding questions about his ability to depict the agent for a longer period. Here's hoping Craig sees at least two more Bond films, simply because by now it seems increasingly unlikely the part will meet with a better actor in the future. Whoever it will be in the end, the guy is not to be envied, for Craig has upped the stakes significantly in just three films.

Sam Mendes, one of my favourite directors, has delivered a marvellous Bond entry, period. If only he'd come back for more. But I suppose chances are slim at best. Mendes already hinted he'd have to have the right feeling, and that would mainly stem from the right kind of script. Having Logan on board for the next two Bond scripts would doubtlessly help a lot, but it's hardly a given. And Mendes might even pass on a good Bond script in favour of other projects. As sad as this may be, Mendes already delivered an epic Bond entry, which in the end was more than I was hoping for.

Edited by Dustin, 02 November 2012 - 11:18 AM.

[MkB]

Here's hoping Craig sees at least two more Bond films, simply because by now it seems increasingly unlikely the part will meet with a better actor in the future. Whoever it will be in the end, the guy is not to be envied, for Craig has upped the stakes significantly in just three films.

Agreed, wholeheartedly!
Maybe when Craig bows out and a new Bond is revealed by EON we'll see some "BondIsNotCraig.com" ranting website!

[Pussfeller]

It's a nice problem to face.

[Messervy]

I have a question I've been thinking about these last few days: am I correct in assuming that Bond now actually did have sex with Moneypenny? Quite a change in the Bond/Moneypenny subtle relationship from all the previous films, wouldn't you say?

[Vauxhall]

I have a question I've been thinking about these last few days: am I correct in assuming that Bond now actually did have sex with Moneypenny? Quite a change in the Bond/Moneypenny subtle relationship from all the previous films, wouldn't you say?

I don't reckon they do. She brings Bond his instructions, flirts with him during the shave, and then they both head off to the casino.

[SecretAgentFan]

Indeed an interesting question. I got the impression from the shaving scene that this is, um, foreplay, and that they both really get in on afterwards. Of course, since it is not shown or otherwise alluded to later on, Eve just might swing a mean razor.

On the other hand, I would welcome the notion that Moneypenny and Bond have done it once. Brosnan´s Moneypenny so clearly wanted to in DAD and even got her wish fulfillment virtually - I guess going back to the "pining for the unreachable bachelor"-Moneypenny would be dated and boring.

Beware: Spoilers!

So, finally got around to watching it. It being - of course - SKYFALL. Which I mightily enjoyed, but that's probably not a surprise for most around here. I'm very fond of Craig's depiction and his third outing to me is definitely his best. And not just his best, but the best from the current Eon board of creatives, period. Cinematically its an enormously satisfying experience, exuding a rich air of completeness. A most worthy effort to celebrate a full five decades of cinematic adventure devoted to one single hero. I can't imagine how SKYFALL could have accomplished this mission better, what more it could have added or what it perhaps was missing out on. SKYFALL does have everything for me.

I won't draw comparisons to the last major celebration of Eon's series, it simply wouldn't be fair. SKYFALL gets most everything right where the entry ten years ago failed at its own momentum and aspirations. But SKYFALL also doesn't have to shy away from comparisons with the less controversial Eon productions. In fact its rightful place is probably amongst the very best of Bond films, with maybe taking the fated crown in a lot of people's eyes. It's perhaps too early to ask such questions - much less to expect an answer not influenced by the overwhelmingly positive reviews and the general hype surrounding SKYFALL. But I suspect nonetheless it may end up as one of the three best Bond films in an awful lot of polls of years to come.

If so, this will be due to the extraordinary performance of cast and crew throughout the entire production. Script, dialogue, cinematography, stunts, editing, score - everything here speaks quality to me. It's a film not shying away from action, neither depending on it too much, for the wrong reasons or to cover holes in its plot or to please audiences that will just not accept anything less action-y. SKYFALL is remarkably strong on dialogue for a Bond film, but not just quality-wise. There is a lot of talking going on throughout the whole affair. And yet everything feels nicely balanced with the equally important action parts, which are in this case exceptionally well incorporated into the plot. SKYFALL manages that precarious balance on the razor's edge and succeeds spectacularly.

Which is not a small feat, considering the enormous expectations this production, its lead actor and its director had to face up to. And taking into account SKYFALL is basically a remake, and even of one of the less popular Bond films: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.

Granted, 'remake' isn't probably the right word to describe SKYFALL, not in strictly cinematic terms. And yet plot-wise it's just that, with the added bonus Logan and P&W revisited also Fleming's original novel for inspiration, making SKYFALL an amalgam of both THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - THE MOTION PICTURE and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - THE LAST FLEMING NOVEL, and thus probably the closest we'll ever get to a straight adaptation of the book. If you look closely it's all there on the screen now: Bond returning after having been missing-in-action for a period, Bond having to convalesce and re-establish himself with his people, Bond tracing a hitman with a highly suspicious preference for one specific ammunition by the very remains of this ammo in the body of an agent (Bond's in SKYFALL, Fairbank's in TMWTGG, via proxy of his girlfriend), Bond in Macao being lead to his adversary by the villain's girlfriend (Severine/Andrea), the villain residing on a secluded island, the idea Bond and the villain are essentially the same breed, the allusions on homosexuality in the novel now played out in a Bond/villain talk, the various mirror/shooting gallery/funhouse images starting in Shanghai and reappearing until the final battle at the Skyfall lodge, the exploding gas canisters (cut from TMWTGG), the William Tell shot (where in the book only Bond shoots and the target of course survives), the cavalry arriving at the island by following a tracking device (in TMWTGG it's Goodnight's and Bond is supposed to come to her rescue). And finally that centre piece of SKYFALL and one of the best parts of TMWTGG's fist few chapters: the attempted assassination of M.

Of course there is more to SKYFALL than just the parts I've listed above. But at the core the story takes that premise of TMWTGG and replaces the brainwashed Bond with a brainwashed/tortured Silva and makes the assault on M - and in extension the SIS - the main motif of the villain. It of course also cuts a copius amount of excess fat, mainly the silly slapstick. In exchange we observe the drama of Dench's M between her crumbling Secret Intelligence Service and the public inquiry into her work. Bond, despite not having passed his field work test, is still the one agent she can count on; an element which resounds faintly of COLONEL SUN and the usage of that book's plot in TWINE. And yet here the entire idea is so much more realized, so much in line with the characters and their chemistry. Bond here 'kidnaps' M to force his adversary's hand and face the final battle on familiar ground and on his very own terms, a fresh and exciting idea that at once connects the inverted TMWTGG plot and the notion of that book's Scottish peasant with the Bond backstory borrowed from YOLT's literary obituary. In an unexpected turn of events - at least if you haven't been following the production of SKYFALL on the internet, as we do - the film reassembles its protagonists at the ancestral home of 007 and presents us with one of the very best Bond allys in years, Kincade.

The final battle then delivers something for everybody, the action-freaks and the character-junkies, and both sides can leave that battleground thouroughly satisfied. Javier Bardem's Silva is easily the best villain since... a long time ago. The concept of having a previous 'star agent' return from the grave and turning on his employer isn't exactly new. But I've never seen it used with such overwhelming effect and so convincingly. Dench gives a likewise splendid performance, easily worth many years of supposed overuse. Her M exposed and attacked in such a manner was only ever possible by her strong presence in previous films. With her ends a whole era in Bond films; her successor Mallory will hopefully have a likewise defining influence on future films. And Berenice Marlohe is a most welcome addition to what must be regarded as Bond's family from now onwards.

Daniel Craig has once more captured a different aspect of Bond's character. And has given a most convincing answer regarding questions about his ability to depict the agent for a longer period. Here's hoping Craig sees at least two more Bond films, simply because by now it seems increasingly unlikely the part will meet with a better actor in the future. Whoever it will be in the end, the guy is not to be envied, for Craig has upped the stakes significantly in just three films.

Sam Mendes, one of my favourite directors, has delivered a marvellous Bond entry, period. If only he'd come back for more. But I suppose chances are slim at best. Mendes already hinted he'd have to have the right feeling, and that would mainly stem from the right kind of script. Having Logan on board for the next two Bond scripts would doubtlessly help a lot, but it's hardly a given. And Mendes might even pass on a good Bond script in favour of other projects. As sad as this may be, Mendes already delivered an epic Bond entry, which in the end was more than I was hoping for.

Splendid review, Dustin, and kudos for pointing out the "TMWTGG-remake-idea" which I did not recognize when watching the film but see it very clearly now, thanks to you! SKYFALL really is full of Fleming, Mendes, Logan and P&W know their greatest source very well.

[Elvenstar]

amazing film!
Im hooked again as I was after CR!
cant write anything now but this guy almost 100% sees it the way I do (- Batman reference cause I've never seen a Batman Nolan film ))) so I'll link it.
Not sure about the action pre-Scotland
it seemed a bit boring to me + I wanted some action scene in the middle of the film
On the 2nd viewing though it wasnt a problem for some reason
idk Maybe bcause the most inteersting in this film is not action so you turn your attention more to the relationship stuff
all the awards to Bardem. Idk how he managed to be campy, tragic, serious, hilarious & threatening @ the same time. Applause!
Speaking of the audience, there was no applause but the line about 'not the 1st time' brought huge laughs out of the whole crowd


its so great & strange @ the same time to see so much squeeing from teenage girls on tumblr! ha I cant count the amount of posts starting with 'Ive never seen a Bond movie but just saw SF & yay Im hooked!'
lol makes me think that the Twilight audience & SF one will indeed overlap ))))
& the power of Q cant be underestimated Ben really did a great job & will appeal to lots of youngsters
Happy to read everyone's excited thoughts that reminded me of myself circa 2006

Edited by Elvenstar, 02 November 2012 - 11:12 AM.

[I never miss]

First viewing was a week ago. I left the cinema in a semi state of shock because the film was so different. I gave it 4.5 / 5 at that point. I went on holiday for a few days and found myself thinking about the film constantly. Saw it for the second time yesterday and was totally blown away by it. Skyfall is magnificent. Magnificent. It was a privilege to watch it. I'm in my thirties and imagine that this is how it felt to be watching frwl and gf in the sixties. Only caution is preventing me from saying that it is the best film in the series. It has blown apart my top five and who knows where the pieces will land. How will eon top this next time?!

[Hockey Mask]

How will eon top this next time?!

They won't need to top it until the 100th Anniversary.

[thecasinoroyale]

I liked the way that during the shaving scene, Eve was toying with Bond and flirting, and as he tried to undo her top, she managed to stop him and get him to focus on what was going on.

Sort of as they mean to go I felt, nice that she has her standards and put him in his place as we never saw what happened next so can't assume they slept together. She knows the rules.

This is a nice toy on the on-going tease/flirt between Bond and Moneypenny even going back to when Connery and Moore had the late, great Lois Maxwell.

Nice stuff.

[SecretAgentFan]

They won't need to top it until the 100th Anniversary.

Oh, no, they really have no other choice - as DC said so himself at the London premiere. Anything but topping SKYFALL would be a disappointment. As hard as that endeavour will be.

Well, at least they will have the chance to be different. Less personal, more a business-attitude for Bond, with a brighter, more colorful adventure, maybe?

Edited by SecretAgentFan, 02 November 2012 - 12:06 PM.

[Dustin]

...and kudos for pointing out the "TMWTGG-remake-idea" which I did not recognize when watching the film but see it very clearly now, thanks to you! SKYFALL really is full of Fleming, Mendes, Logan and P&W know their greatest source very well.

Really? I had an inkling early on when I saw the first stills of the Tell shot, with both Bond and Silva going at it. And even with a vintage gun, though not a Colt which would perhaps given away the game. When I then saw the final product it struck me the entire plot is TMWTGG broken into its main parts and reconstructed then around the killing of M. All updated and infused with generous amounts of sleight-of-hand to hide what's going on and topped with heavy influences of the TMWTGG's screenplay. I still marvel about how SKYFALL actually improves on both the book and the adaptation of it.

[thecasinoroyale]

Great review Dustin, good observations!

[Messervy]

...and kudos for pointing out the "TMWTGG-remake-idea" which I did not recognize when watching the film but see it very clearly now, thanks to you! SKYFALL really is full of Fleming, Mendes, Logan and P&W know their greatest source very well.

Really? I had an inkling early on when I saw the first stills of the Tell shot, with both Bond and Silva going at it. And even with a vintage gun, though not a Colt which would perhaps given away the game. When I then saw the final product it struck me the entire plot is TMWTGG broken into its main parts and reconstructed then around the killing of M. All updated and infused with generous amounts of sleight-of-hand to hide what's going on and topped with heavy influences of the TMWTGG's screenplay. I still marvel about how SKYFALL actually improves on both the book and the adaptation of it.

I didn't notice at all until you pointed it out. Seems quite obvious now indeed. Well done!

[ggl]

They won't need to top it until the 100th Anniversary.

Oh, no, they really have no other choice - as DC said so himself at the London premiere. Anything but topping SKYFALL would be a disappointment. As hard as that endeavour will be.

Well, at least they will have the chance to be different. Less personal, more a business-attitude for Bond, with a brighter, more colorful adventure, maybe?

Agree with that. It´s time for a 007 adventure with no personal links (if possible).

I really liked Skyfall, but it´s a great and big movie, made thinking in awards and international critical applause (the themes, the simbology, Tennyson... really depth waters). What does a Moonraker fan think about SF? Is Goldfinger or From Russia as deep as SF? No, but without doubt those are fantastic and classic Bond movies.

What´s next? A real classic Bond adventure or another "masterpiece" in search of awards?. Interesting double path for Wison and Broccoli: the Formula of "just? entertainment" or an auteur piece (Nolan, Tarantino, Spielberg...)?

Anyway, I trust in Wilson and Broccoli, so come early Bond 24!!

[Jack Spang]

Brilliantly made, well acted, lots of nice details along the way but none of it amounted to very much for me and I was sadly left rather under-whelmed overall. Simply as a cinema experience/first impression (and not necessarily meaning one is better than the other) I actually enjoyed Quantum of Solace much more and this seemed to be structured/paced as an over-reaction to the (IMO overstated) criticisms of that film; lots of meaningful pauses that the paper-thin story didn't really earn and self-consciously long-held shots during the fight scenes. After the teaser, it seemed to take forever for anything of interest to happen with the admittedly visually stunning detours through Shanghai and Macao being utterly superfluous (didn't like the way Severine was so glibly dispatched, either). Film finally seemed to find it's feet with Bond's pursuit of Silva (a terrific Javier Bardem) through London before grinding to a halt again at the admittedly well-staged climax where it's revealed that Bond is actually a Highland version of Bruce Wayne. The use of nail bombs by the 'heroes', terrorists disguised as Policemen and atrocities in central London left a bad taste for me and seemed odd choices for a film seemingly determined to drop the 'real-world' politics of it's immediate predecessor and return the series to it's escapist fantasy roots.

If this all makes it sound like I didn't enjoy it; I did, just not that much and with some serious reservations - however, the closing seconds between Craig and Fiennes had a pleasingly comfortable, familiar and not to say promising feel to them that made me realise I've missed the Bond of old more than I'd realised.

Maybe next time.

*** out of *****

I like plots that aren't too complicated so as to allow for a decent amount of character movement but the plost in SF just seemes a little too on the slim side but then it was really just a revenge film. What disappointed me the most was how incredibly fast the openeing scenes of Bond "enjoying death" were cut. It would have nice if Mendes had have spent a couple more minutes on these like at the beginning of 2 or 3 of the Rambo films which the scorpian/bar scene reminded me of. I would have liked a bit of dialogue between Bond and the Greek woman and to have seen Bond eventually pull himself out of the river. Love all the Flemingsque elements and this time we finally had a Bond film with a good action to non action ratio. Good character movement in there.

Jeremy Clarkson's idea of a good Bond film is an invincible man like Moore and Brosnan.

Don't know why my posts don't appear sometimes after I've posted them.

[Sunraker]

Let me say first that I'm a huge Bond nerd. I don't have a clear favourite Bond actor because I appreciate them all in their own way. I was very excited when I heard that Mendes would direct Skyfall (American Beauty is one of my all-time favourites), and that he brought aboard wonderful actors such as Bardem and Fiennes. Well, I came back from seeing Skyfall today and I'm sad and surprised to say that Skyfall is a big mess.

My biggest issues are with unresolved themes and vague motivations of characters. The story starts off with some interesting themes such as Bond hating M for getting him shot, and Bond (and MI6) being old and outdated. But it never becomes clear why Bond comes back to save M (i.e. what makes him different from Silva), and Bond's lack of physique and his old-fashionedness never affect him in a truly meaningful way. Wasted story/character potential like this is what dissapointed me the most. Other examples are Eve who is never bothered about shooting Bond and quickly makes jokes about it, and I wanted to know much more about Mallory's motivation to change sides half-way.

Other things that I didn't like were convenient plot elements such as Silva being able to hack everything. And then there were just plain weird plot elements such as the missing hard disk which is forgotten about half-way, and Bond driving M to his parents' house to defend her (???). In this Bond era, which is all about realism (I'm okay with that), things like these are too far-fetched for my taste. Furthermore, I'm all for reinventing classic Bond characters, but Wishaw as Q is mostly there to look at screens and to show off how nerdy he is. The Bond girls both leave little impression, Severine dies before she can get really interesting and Eve, after shooting Bond, seems to pop up throughout the film just so that she can become Moneypenny at the end. I can definitely do without DAD-quality throw-away lines such as "I never liked this place anyway" as Bond blows up his parents' house. Also, I expected a lot of Kleinman's return but his title sequence is incoherent and Adele's song isn't one of my favourites. Newman turns out to be Arnold-lite. And they really messed up the gunbarrel, not only is it at the end which I hate but the freeze-frame after the shot leaves Craig in an awkward position.

Of course I did like some things about the movie. The pre-titles sequence is exciting and the cinematography and editing (after the QOS disaster) are great. Bardem is the best thing in the movie, he definitely is a memorable villain although he certainly did not need the CGI zombie face to be scary. Although I felt that M was made too important (as in TWINE), Dench is great to watch as M. I also still love Craig as Bond, he's a great actor and like Bardem/Dench/Fiennes he did what he could with the material. I love the moments when Bond is confronted with his bad physique and old age early on, as I said I wished they explored this more. Some of the references to the old movies were a nice touch. It was great to see Fiennes as M in the traditional office at the end, even though the ending felt a bit too triumphant because Bond basically failed his mission in the movie (I wished they explored the consequences of this failure more).

So in all, the cons far outweigh the pros for me. I kept on waiting for the story to grab me but because of all the unfulfilled potential it never did. I was rather shocked after leaving the theater because I suddenly felt concerned about the direction of the franchise. In my opinion, Craig's movies are going downhill and I'm seeing Brosnan parallels. I really hope that a new team (with Logan I guess) will come in to do the next two movies and bring 007 back to the quality of Casino Royale.

CR 8/10
QOS 6/10
SF 5/10

[Dustin]

And then there were just plain weird plot elements such as the missing hard disk which is forgotten about half-way,

If that is a concern the explanation is simple enough. After the release of the first names and the subsequent execution M ordered to exfil all remaining agents, rendering the data in effect worthless. It's not forgotten, it simply isn't a concern any longer.

[Tuxedo]

Let me say first that I'm a huge Bond nerd. I don't have a clear favourite Bond actor because I appreciate them all in their own way. I was very excited when I heard that Mendes would direct Skyfall (American Beauty is one of my all-time favourites), and that he brought aboard wonderful actors such as Bardem and Fiennes. Well, I came back from seeing Skyfall today and I'm sad and surprised to say that Skyfall is a big mess.

My biggest issues are with unresolved themes and vague motivations of characters. The story starts off with some interesting themes such as Bond hating M for getting him shot, and Bond (and MI6) being old and outdated. But it never becomes clear why Bond comes back to save M (i.e. what makes him different from Silva), and Bond's lack of physique and his old-fashionedness never affect him in a truly meaningful way. Wasted story/character potential like this is what dissapointed me the most. Other examples are Eve who is never bothered about shooting Bond and quickly makes jokes about it, and I wanted to know much more about Mallory's motivation to change sides half-way.

Other things that I didn't like were convenient plot elements such as Silva being able to hack everything. And then there were just plain weird plot elements such as the missing hard disk which is forgotten about half-way, and Bond driving M to his parents' house to defend her (???). In this Bond era, which is all about realism (I'm okay with that), things like these are too far-fetched for my taste. Furthermore, I'm all for reinventing classic Bond characters, but Wishaw as Q is mostly there to look at screens and to show off how nerdy he is. The Bond girls both leave little impression, Severine dies before she can get really interesting and Eve, after shooting Bond, seems to pop up throughout the film just so that she can become Moneypenny at the end. I can definitely do without DAD-quality throw-away lines such as "I never liked this place anyway" as Bond blows up his parents' house. Also, I expected a lot of Kleinman's return but his title sequence is incoherent and Adele's song isn't one of my favourites. Newman turns out to be Arnold-lite. And they really messed up the gunbarrel, not only is it at the end which I hate but the freeze-frame after the shot leaves Craig in an awkward position.

Of course I did like some things about the movie. The pre-titles sequence is exciting and the cinematography and editing (after the QOS disaster) are great. Bardem is the best thing in the movie, he definitely is a memorable villain although he certainly did not need the CGI zombie face to be scary. Although I felt that M was made too important (as in TWINE), Dench is great to watch as M. I also still love Craig as Bond, he's a great actor and like Bardem/Dench/Fiennes he did what he could with the material. I love the moments when Bond is confronted with his bad physique and old age early on, as I said I wished they explored this more. Some of the references to the old movies were a nice touch. It was great to see Fiennes as M in the traditional office at the end, even though the ending felt a bit too triumphant because Bond basically failed his mission in the movie (I wished they explored the consequences of this failure more).

So in all, the cons far outweigh the pros for me. I kept on waiting for the story to grab me but because of all the unfulfilled potential it never did. I was rather shocked after leaving the theater because I suddenly felt concerned about the direction of the franchise. In my opinion, Craig's movies are going downhill and I'm seeing Brosnan parallels. I really hope that a new team (with Logan I guess) will come in to do the next two movies and bring 007 back to the quality of Casino Royale.

CR 8/10
QOS 6/10
SF 5/10

I do unsterstand Sunraker's concern. I had mixed emotions as well when I came out of the theatre. I didn't like the creepy tone. A bit to much soft-horror for my taste. But now - a few days later - I have to say Skyfall is a remarkable movie. The acting of the cast, the work of Mendes and the stunning filming are outstanding in the franchise. But a new direction is needed since we know everything about Bond by now. Let's get back to save the world.

And by the way: It's good to have Q and someone else back. I love Naomie Harris's portrait of Eve. She's underrated in this forum. Stunning in the Macau scene!

Edited by Tuxedo, 03 November 2012 - 10:11 PM.

[Loomis]

Let me say first that I'm a huge Bond nerd. I don't have a clear favourite Bond actor because I appreciate them all in their own way. I was very excited when I heard that Mendes would direct Skyfall (American Beauty is one of my all-time favourites), and that he brought aboard wonderful actors such as Bardem and Fiennes. Well, I came back from seeing Skyfall today and I'm sad and surprised to say that Skyfall is a big mess.

My biggest issues are with unresolved themes and vague motivations of characters. The story starts off with some interesting themes such as Bond hating M for getting him shot, and Bond (and MI6) being old and outdated. But it never becomes clear why Bond comes back to save M (i.e. what makes him different from Silva), and Bond's lack of physique and his old-fashionedness never affect him in a truly meaningful way. Wasted story/character potential like this is what dissapointed me the most. Other examples are Eve who is never bothered about shooting Bond and quickly makes jokes about it, and I wanted to know much more about Mallory's motivation to change sides half-way.

Other things that I didn't like were convenient plot elements such as Silva being able to hack everything. And then there were just plain weird plot elements such as the missing hard disk which is forgotten about half-way, and Bond driving M to his parents' house to defend her (???). In this Bond era, which is all about realism (I'm okay with that), things like these are too far-fetched for my taste. Furthermore, I'm all for reinventing classic Bond characters, but Wishaw as Q is mostly there to look at screens and to show off how nerdy he is. The Bond girls both leave little impression, Severine dies before she can get really interesting and Eve, after shooting Bond, seems to pop up throughout the film just so that she can become Moneypenny at the end. I can definitely do without DAD-quality throw-away lines such as "I never liked this place anyway" as Bond blows up his parents' house. Also, I expected a lot of Kleinman's return but his title sequence is incoherent and Adele's song isn't one of my favourites. Newman turns out to be Arnold-lite. And they really messed up the gunbarrel, not only is it at the end which I hate but the freeze-frame after the shot leaves Craig in an awkward position.

Of course I did like some things about the movie. The pre-titles sequence is exciting and the cinematography and editing (after the QOS disaster) are great. Bardem is the best thing in the movie, he definitely is a memorable villain although he certainly did not need the CGI zombie face to be scary. Although I felt that M was made too important (as in TWINE), Dench is great to watch as M. I also still love Craig as Bond, he's a great actor and like Bardem/Dench/Fiennes he did what he could with the material. I love the moments when Bond is confronted with his bad physique and old age early on, as I said I wished they explored this more. Some of the references to the old movies were a nice touch. It was great to see Fiennes as M in the traditional office at the end, even though the ending felt a bit too triumphant because Bond basically failed his mission in the movie (I wished they explored the consequences of this failure more).

So in all, the cons far outweigh the pros for me. I kept on waiting for the story to grab me but because of all the unfulfilled potential it never did. I was rather shocked after leaving the theater because I suddenly felt concerned about the direction of the franchise. In my opinion, Craig's movies are going downhill and I'm seeing Brosnan parallels. I really hope that a new team (with Logan I guess) will come in to do the next two movies and bring 007 back to the quality of Casino Royale.

CR 8/10
QOS 6/10
SF 5/10

Some excellent points there, Sunraker.

[Simon]

I love Naomie Harris's portrait of Eve. She's underrated in this forum. Stunning in the Macau scene!

Portrait, or portrayal?

Unless a couple of swirls of paint were in fact splashed around. Ha ha. I'm such a bloody riot.

[Tuxedo]

Sorry, English is not my native tongue. Portrayal it has to be.

Edited by Tuxedo, 03 November 2012 - 11:04 PM.

[FOX MULDER]

But it never becomes clear why Bond comes back to save M (i.e. what makes him different from Silva)

Bond's the hero; Silva's the villain.

Seriously though, it's that simple. We KNOW Bond already, we know his backstory, his character. We already know he's very different from Silva. We expect him to do the heroic because, well, he's the hero.

Oh, and also, Bond wasn't tortured by the Chinese because of M, and he didn't chew on a faulty MI6 cyanide pill which rotted his insides.

[Sunraker]

And then there were just plain weird plot elements such as the missing hard disk which is forgotten about half-way,

If that is a concern the explanation is simple enough. After the release of the first names and the subsequent execution M ordered to exfil all remaining agents, rendering the data in effect worthless. It's not forgotten, it simply isn't a concern any longer.

I know M pulls the agents, but still the vital disk content is never recovered and is still a major intelligence concern at the end of the movie. I thought there was little closure on this major plot point, which after all got the story going.

[MkB]

I know M pulls the agents, but still the vital disk content is never recovered and is still a major intelligence concern at the end of the movie. I thought there was little closure on this major plot point, which after all got the story going.

Hmm... I had assumed that the data was recovered and safe once Silva got caught and his lair raided?

[Sunraker]

But it never becomes clear why Bond comes back to save M (i.e. what makes him different from Silva)

Bond's the hero; Silva's the villain.

Seriously though, it's that simple. We KNOW Bond already, we know his backstory, his character. We already know he's very different from Silva. We expect him to do the heroic because, well, he's the hero.

Oh, and also, Bond wasn't tortured by the Chinese because of M, and he didn't chew on a faulty MI6 cyanide pill which rotted his insides.

Of course I expect that in the end Bond will do the right thing, but it was a great chance to explore Bond's character and motivations more. Even though Bond isn't hurt as bad as Silva, M does get him shot in a careless moment because she didn't have faith in him and is left for dead. Why would he stick out his neck for her? I would've loved some more explanation than just "he is a hero", I already know that.

As Timothy Dalton once said, Bond (in the books) is as bad as the villains but he just happens to work for the side that is called good. I always thought that was an interesting theme, but sadly it was only teased in Skyfall.