853 replies to this topic

[Shrublands]

Yes, the cuts all work for the film's greater good, but I'll look forward to seeing them on the DVD/Blu-ray.
I really love the film, and can't wait to see it again... and in IMAX this time!

Great stuff. I really am pleased to hear it.

Leaving here shortly to head to Waterloo and the IMAX. I'll keep your seat warm for later!

Hope you enjoy as much as I did! Yes, keep the seat warm, I'm in there for 9 tonight. See you on the other side Looking forward to comparing notes.

[thecasinoroyale]

I'll be back after 4pm hopefully with my review - got my seat booked for 1pm and can't wait!

Glad too about scenes being played for suspense and thrilling moments rather than all out action - Bond has lost sight of the simple thriller genre it used to be in the Connery and early Moore era before turning into action hero films. Can't wait to be on the edge of my seat!

[Scrambled Eggs]

I think I'm probably swimming against the tide here.... but I left the cinema a bit underwhelmed.

(I always get internet etiquette wrong but I assume I don't need to mention that there are loads of SPOILERS in this post. You wont want to read it if you haven't seen the film yet.)

Most of it is magnificent - with a couple of caveats.

Spoiler

But for me the ending isn't right. Bond is always a contemporary man, comfortable with the technology of his time. Here, not only is he labelled old fashioned but he embraces it. Yes, book and film Bonds have always had a liking for old fashioned suits, cars and ideals etc, But here we have the notion that Bond gets an edge on the bad guy by "going back to the past" - because that's where he's more comfortable. I just don't find that very Bondian.

Sorry if this makes me sound like one of those "blonde people can't play Bond" types, but I think this is the reason the third act doesn't click for me. or perhaps I find going back to the childhood home just a bit too demystifying.

Another thing, its low on sex. We need more (straight) sex here people. Traditional Bond girls (along with the exposed spies plot line) drift out of the film halfway through, and I think its a mistake. The third act, with the DB5 and Moneypenny, wants to take us back to Bond movie basics but it tries doing so without a lot of the main ingredients.

I might change my mind with a second or third viewing but right now - 3/5.

[Royal Dalton]

That's interesting. Two of the less positive reviews (in the i and the Guardian) both highlighted the Skyfall Lodge section as the film's weak point for the same reason.

[FOX MULDER]

Just seen it. Absolutely brilliant. Everything you want in a Bond film.

Silva steals the show. And when Bond and M get into the DB5 and the old school music kicks in, it's a real fanboy moment.

Will do a proper review soon.

[Guy Haines]

Just seen it. Absolutely brilliant. Everything you want in a Bond film.

Silva steals the show. And when Bond and M get into the DB5 and the old school music kicks in, it's a real fanboy moment.

Will do a proper review soon.

Agreed about Silva. Definitely one of the more deranged of the Bond villains, to put it mildly.

[thecasinoroyale]

Just got back from my screening and have been blown-away. It feels like classic James Bond, but in touch with today. Excellent.

There's so much going around my head, I need to try think it through and post my thoughts. Basically, every element works - from the settings, the script, the characters and action.

It's easily Daniel Craig's best Bond film but need more watches before I can confidently put it in my ranking of the films.

There is no way James Bond is on his way out.

And the casting....bloody genius. Totally THE best cast yet for a Bond film.

[QOS4EVER]

Just came back from it
I remmeber Shark telling me that the cinematography of the trailer will be different from the movie itself, right he was

I know all the fanboys are going to flame me, but I absolutely hated the film.

Spoiler

Mainly since it didn't have a serious tone that the previous two had .It was more of a joke.
It wasn't classy and I kept noticing How awfull Craig's hair looked throughout the movie .They made him anti modern when in the previous movies he was not and the action was not intense whatsoever !
the title scene looked a bit funny especially that awkweird pose of Bond shooting the mirrors.
There was hardly any logical reason for them to come to Skyfall in the end of the film and it lacked a proper climax.

The only thing which I liked was unlike many of the Brosnan and earlier era's , the story was really developed well.the jokes were amazing,though I am not too sure it fits.

I know the majority is going to disagree with me but we all have our own opinions

[JimmyBond]

That's it, you're banned.

Nah just kidding Your opinion is your opinion. Though I kind of had a feeling you weren't going to like it. Call it intuition.

[QOS4EVER]

That's it, you're banned.

Nah just kidding Your opinion is your opinion. Though I kind of had a feeling you weren't going to like it. Call it intuition.

Haha , you all most got me there with the first line
tell me how you find it, would love to know your opinion!

Dont be affraid to look under the spoiler tag, I haven't mentioned anything revealing.

[JimmyBond]

Unfortunately you will have to wait two weeks for my opinion. But no worries, once I see it we can discuss the film till we're both blue in the face.

[doubler83]

Loved the scene where...

Spoiler

They were in the DB5, and Bond flips the lid on the ejector seat button. M: "What are you going to do? Eject me?"

Made me smile.

[IcedCamaro]

To those who have already seen it, would you consider this the best Bond film to date?

[QOS4EVER]

To those who have already seen it, would you consider this the best Bond film to date?

opinions vary mate,
I found it horibble
The critics loved it
A few preffer Casino Royale to it

So it really depends

[IcedCamaro]

To those who have already seen it, would you consider this the best Bond film to date?

opinions vary mate,
I found it horibble
The critics loved it
A few preffer Casino Royale to it

So it really depends

True, and in your case it's obvious the answer to my question is a firm "no" (perfectly respectable too). I guess I ask because I keep hearing that said over and over, that this is supposedly the "best Bond movie ever made"... which is quite a statement, if you ask me.

[thecasinoroyale]

I can't say if it's the best Bond film yet, I need a few more screenings.

Aside from a fans point of view, I think it's possibly, in general, one of the best James Bond films ever in terms of what it contains, the formula it uses, the acting and the story, I really do think it deserves the praise.

And I can't believe it's the 23rd Bond film...it feels it could be the 3rd of another 50 year run. Fantastic....just FANTASTIC!!!!

Ohhhhh.....I can't wait for the US to see it, SO much I want to discuss with other fans!!

There's nothing on film that's un-neccessary, as people felt about the first act of 'Casino Royale' and the finale, and most of 'Quantum Of Solace', it really flows so well....aghhh, it's great!! There's SO much espionage and tension rather than all out action I was LITERALLY bolt up in my seat watching with so much anticipation how scenes would play out - and the bonus is you can SEE what's happening, rather than choppy, jumpy camera and editing.

Plus Javier Bardem is..., well, I can't find the words for his protrayal as Silva - he's up there with the best. He is SO much fun to watch, but is very menacing, like a needle slowly injecting the film with fear, danger and threat building up and up and up. Plus, he has a trait that is genius - it's haunting and memorable and classic Bond villain...


I better shut my mouth! It's remarkable - thank you EON! Thank you.... for James Bond!!

[IcedCamaro]

LOL... loving your excitement, thecasinoroyale. You are making me even MORE eager for it...

[thecasinoroyale]

Trust me, it's THAT bad...I feel like a pot of water on the boil - the more I remember and think about certain moments, the more I hit boiling point and want to let rip about it...so maybe I should stay away from here for a bit, or just go see it again!?


Probably the latter! I really don't think you'll be dissapointed with your wait for what you'll get IcedCamaro!

[Victor Zokas]

Saw SF this afternoon. Hugely enjoyable. Loved the cinematography and the score to me seemed really effective. Overall the production values seemed a step up on recent Bonds.

The best thing about the film is the fantastic cast. Ralph Fiennes in particular was a welcome addition. The introduction of Silva was totally mesmerising.

I thought that the third act was a refreshing change, and I enjoyed the return of some good old fashioned spying and tension.

Best Bond ever? Too early to say that for me, but certainly it is amongst the best.

[DogWalker]

SkyFall Review: Great film - Unfortunately only a Bond film in segments with a third act that has NO place in a Bond film.
I am a traditionalist when it comes to Bond. I want the Bond theme ever present and the fantasy elements firmly in place. SkyFall doesn't always deliver to my tastes. The opening shot is incredibly odd. The Bond nod via the theme is appreciated but for a few seconds it could be an alien movie seeing a extremely thin humanoid appear from white light. Rather misplaced. It certainly does not replace the gunbarrel. This constant fear the producers have for maintaining the traditional elements is rather irritating.

The Villain:
Silva is one of the best Bond villains of all time. However we rarely get to see the wrath and reach of Silva which is disappointing. The concept he took the island for himself through deceit was wonderful. As was his ability to seize what he wanted and his disfigurement from the cyanide. Although the CG looked awful. Bardem immediately lifted the picture as soon as Silva came onto screen.

Judi Dench as M:
She has never been better as "M" and it really increases the sadness that she wont be in another Bond movie. Although as great as she is it doesn't serve the fantasy of Bond all that well to feature the character as prominently. A third act where Bond is in reality with two elderly people and one of whom dies is not escapism. They are wonderful scenes but not for Bond.

Score:
Forgettable. I described myself as a traditionalist and perhaps that isn't fair. There has to be elements that maintain it as a Bond film. Bond films can be quite rare and therefore there is no greater music than the Bond theme to get your heart beating during the film. It is underused. The rest of the score adds extremely little.

Will Bond 24 finally deliver a Bond movie after waiting 10 years so far?
Whilst the end segment with a new Moneypenny and fine new M in Ralph Fiennes gets the blood pumping, Bond has had so many suggested returns to business as usual it may be that we never see this setup in Bond 24. Therefore it really is infuriating that we still cannot get a Bond as usual film.

I will go see it again and SkyFall is a great film - unfortunately it just has Bond moments and a large part including the third act has little business being in a Bond film. The character of Kinkade ( surely created to lure Connery back to the franchise) is superfluous and adds nothing. The death of Silva would have also been better had it taken place in the frozen lake rather than in the chapel.

Whilst the quality has been increased this does not necessarily make for a better Bond film. In addition it risks killing the franchise by adapting and therefore changing the formula to more finite territory.

Die Another Day was not anywhere near the quality of Skyfall. However during Die Another Day it made me feel and want to be James Bond. My heart raced and it was wonderful escapism. SkyFall rarely offers the Bond experience.

[Scrambled Eggs]

BBC Radio Five review by Mark Kermode:

Full show, with Daniel Craig interview, as a podcast here: http://www.bbc.co.uk.../series/kermode

[DamnCoffee]

Just seen it. Perfect. Cried my eyes out. The best Daniel Craig Bond movie to date. James Bond is back.

Full review soon.

5/5

Edited by DamnCoffee, 26 October 2012 - 10:22 PM.

[univex]

Just seen it. Perfect. Cried my eyes out. The best Daniel Craig Bond movie to date. James Bond is back.

Full review soon.

5/5

Now I´m REALLY sure this one´s a winner! Thanks Harkers.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Well they've only gone and done it! They've only gone and made possibly the best James Bond film ever made! I don't want to jump the gun by saying it's officially my favourite Bond movie, having only seen it once, but I can't imagine why a second viewing would do anything other than increase my love for what is undoubtedly a brilliant movie.

Spoiler

It's difficult to know where to start! Silva is a brilliant villain. Very different from anything we've seen before, but certainly memorable and a, dare I use the word, classic Bond villain! It's so brilliantly well written, and while it seems to plagiarise (at times) rather strongly from The World Is Not Enough, it evolves and grows into its own movie. There are some cons of course. I found the pacing a little off in the first 45 minutes, and I felt Silva needed a slightly bigger send-off at the end, but at the same time, the way he dies is significant and it makes sense in relation to the rest of the film and Kincade's reference to how sometimes the best way of killing someone is the old-fashioned basic way! I could go on and on, but I need to get to bed! All that remains to say is that it is ten times the film that Quantum of Solace is, and the ending of Skyfall sets up an entire new era in the Bond series, and one which I can't wait to jump into!

[quantumofsolace]

http://www.starburst...-review-skyfall

[PeteNeon]

I'm in two minds. I did really enjoy it, but on the other hand I think it was kind of "the final straw" in terms of how EON have resisted the classic Bond trapping and have now tried to bring them back. Here are my initial thoughts on the things I didn't like.

I didn't really like the idea of Bond going away and coming back again yadda yadda, in film terms, we've just seen him "become Bond" in CR and QOS, but it seemed too soon to have him do a disappearing act and come back all haggered.

The score was pretty good overall, but it was a shame it wasn't too specific for each location; stuff you heard in Turkey was used again after Silva attacks the court. The few moments of the Bond theme were great though, was The Name's Bond only used for the tiny snippet just before Breadcrumbs, when the DB5 was unveiled? It sounded like they used Arnold's intro instead of the one on the Breadcrumbs track which was a bit of an odd decision.

All the major spoilery moments from the end of the film were signposted very early on when they announced the film. None of that was a surprise sadly.

The comments with Q about the exploding pen... well it works if this is one continuity, but it just felt like a reference to the 50th anniversary rather than one that worked with Craig Bond, he only had his phone in the last two.

The DB5 felt forced to be honest, yes it's nice to have it there, but there was no real plot reason.

CGI dragons... ugh, you can tell from a mile off. The scorpion looked like it too. CGI choppers too...

And the hair... well, from the recent pics at the premiere, it looks like it was a conscious decision to have that crew cut, cos he can still pull off a similar look to QOS. I don't know why they chose to make him look older now, in two films time he'll look worse and they won't be able to hide it then.

I won't list the things I liked, but it was very good overall, it just felt a step too far in some ways in terms of resisting the formula. It was a queasy mix of old and new, but somehow Bond is old all of a sudden. I felt underwhelmed at the end, I agree with what Vauxhall said. The bulldog was a nice touch, but then it had only been there for this film... perhaps they could have picked something from CR? I'm trying to find the words to express the key thing I didn't like about it, but I can't put my finger on it. Oh, and the Moneypenny moment was a lot like *that* scene from The Dark Knight Rises.

I might post again later if I figure out what my main issue with it was.

Edited by PeteNeon, 27 October 2012 - 12:12 AM.

[Vauxhall]

To those who have already seen it, would you consider this the best Bond film to date?

I'd say it's in with a shot. I'm loathe to jump in immediately and stick it at the top, as that strikes me slightly like a natural reaction to a film I've enjoyed, but I'd be amazed if it ends up outside my top five, or even my top three.

[univex]

To those who have already seen it, would you consider this the best Bond film to date?

I'd say it's in with a shot. I'm loathe to jump in immediately and stick it at the top, as that strikes me slightly like a natural reaction to a film I've enjoyed, but I'd be amazed if it ends up outside my top five, or even my top three.

This is really nice to hear Vaux. Tell me, when can one expect your review?

[Vauxhall]

To those who have already seen it, would you consider this the best Bond film to date?

I'd say it's in with a shot. I'm loathe to jump in immediately and stick it at the top, as that strikes me slightly like a natural reaction to a film I've enjoyed, but I'd be amazed if it ends up outside my top five, or even my top three.

This is really nice to hear Vaux. Tell me, when can one expect your review?

I've just scrapped mine having read thecasinoroyale's great review, but I'm going to have it done before I go to bed. Quick shower and then back to it!

[univex]

To those who have already seen it, would you consider this the best Bond film to date?

I'd say it's in with a shot. I'm loathe to jump in immediately and stick it at the top, as that strikes me slightly like a natural reaction to a film I've enjoyed, but I'd be amazed if it ends up outside my top five, or even my top three.

This is really nice to hear Vaux. Tell me, when can one expect your review?

I've just scrapped mine having read thecasinoroyale's great review, but I'm going to have it done before I go to bed. Quick shower and then back to it!

Cool. I´ll be waiting dear chap. Seems everyone who´s opinion I respect really enjoyed the film. I´ve got the tickets for tomorrow night, so I´m chewing my nails off here.