Again, you are wrong. Skyfall is a spy/action film. The film PERFECTLY balances drama and action. It's not 50/40, 60/40, 90/10. It's 50/50 split even. It's one of the things many of my friends who have seen the film (who aren't quite the fan I am when it comes to Bond) loved, it wasn't trying to be a drama film or an action, just a great film period with both film elements perfectly well balanced. If you think Campbell delivered (which in a sense he did) with the sinking house finale compared to the 20-30 minute Skyfall lodge shootout that Mendes delivered, then you must have been watching the wrong film or something. The pre-title sequence was edge of your seat action and the longest of the Craig era, and certainly better than the Car chase in QOS. But all the drama and the action afterwards built up to the epic finale at Skyfall Lodge and it didn't disappoint.
I never said I didn't care about action, what I am saying is that the films are progressing and advancing and so are the plots. It's no longer needed to be hindered on the heavy action of the Brosnan Era films. Craig's films are smart, emotional, and intense. (you can apply this to the other era's too, of course ) I liked the direction of Skyfall with the perfect equal balance of drama and action, something Casino Royale had, to an extent, but wasn't really executed to a "T", and something Quantum Of Solace certainly didn't have. I don't hate or despise Quantum Of Solace. I always say this: As an action film, it's good. As a Bond film, it's disappointing. That's my final opinion on it, compared to when the film first came out and I was majorly disappointed with the direction of the film and the way it was handled. The problem for me is the way he handled the action. The running time was too short (I know, the WGA strike), but Having no prior experience on action films, Forster approached them as an amateur and it explains the short and poor effort of those scenes.
That's my final opinion on the two, and certainly more than my two cents.
Its deffinately not 50 50 , unless your the type who counts Silva Caressing Bond and such as action . Its 75 25.
I know few friends who are not at all into Bond but liked the movie and my friends who are head over heals for Bond were not that enthusiastic. A lot of people have said the same. Now the reason why that is since ,I'll give you an example:
I went for Jack Reacher a couple of weeks back , that's not a movie I was particularly excited for . Just Casual , to spend some time with freinds. You see I liked it , I didn't find it extremely great neither did I find it bad thats because I never was anxiously anticipating it I found it good .but the fans of the original novel by Lee Child who were anxiously awaiting were not very happy with many thing even with Tom Cruise playing the protagonist. Same for Skyfall for non fans its a descent movie. But people like us who have an affinity to the character we know it in and out and we would expect more after waiting 4 years.
Forster and Campbell gave that edge of your seat kind of action which you can bearly see in movies these days. the PTS was long but it failed to excite misserably ,the fight choreography on the top of the train was just hopeless. Take it from me as you must have realised a huge action buff myself !
I can't agree that "the voice of the critics overpowers that of the fans". Or the paying public, for that matter. If so "art house" or "kitchen sink" dramas would dominate the cinemas - we'd be flocking to see them just because the film critics think they are brilliant. What they approve of as opposed to what the public flocks to see coincides infrequently. Skyfall is a rare example of Bond as a critical and commercial success.
now who told you that only 1% of fans didn't like Skyfall, because of what you see in CBN ? If you go to the other popular Bond sites you would think that everyone is dying to have Christopher Nolan as the director but over here it is the opposite no one wants him, you have to realise that in different places opinion varies. Now as far as Skyfall is concerned go to places with a much much larger amount of traffic coming in like IMDB , Yahoo ,Metacritic and rottentomato forums and the other Bond sites you will see that Skyfall has a very very strong divided opinion and in the some of the sites I mentioned People disliked Skyfall more than the ones who liked it.
I wouldn't like the idea of Bond movies being made "for Bond fans only". Not because I'm bothered about the critics, but because most cinema goers aren't members of the Bond fan base. The days when Bond was the only action series in town have long gone. The public can go and see other films besides Bond. A Bond film which goes through the motions and pushes all the buttons for the fan base would do well, but would it draw in the numbers that CR or SF did - or the much maligned QoS, for that matter?
The critics power is overstated. It's the cinema goers who turned all three Craig Bond films into commercial successes, and most of them aren't die hard Bond fans.
Guy Haines,
I don't agree with you on that . I'll take something which is more personal to me a film I have been anticipating for some time 'Gangster Squad'. I feel in love with it after seeing the trailer which had a very slick sense of style and the whole vibe really attracted me . The movie boasts an all star cast which would have been enough to fill seats ,I remmember on the day of its released I just gave the twitosphere a check ,A lot of people wrote they were having second thoughts of seeing it Why?
Because New york Times or such didn't like it.
Guy Haines you and I may not like critics , But there's no denying the fact that they are eating into movie sales, its the people phycology that needs to change . They need to stop listening to these so called critics and judge for themselves and the more connected our world becomes the more we're gonna see this happen.
QOS4EVER: "Now as far as Skyfall is concerned go to places with a much much larger amount of traffic coming in like IMDB , Yahoo ,Metacritic and rottentomato forums and the other Bond sites you will see that Skyfall has a very very strong divided opinion and if the some of the sites I mentioned People disliked Skyfall more than the ones who liked it"
Imdb = 7.9/10 from 261,279 users, meta score 81/100
Yahoo movies = 4.5 do 5 stars from 1678 ratings
Metacritic = 81/100 critics, 7.4/10 users
Rotten Tomatoes = 92% fresh of 289 critics, 88% liked of 123,594 users
Go a little indepth instead of blindly taking no.s.
If you go to rotten tomatoes scroll bellow till you reach the discussion forum
Let me read out the topics for you and I Quote and these are the titles of every single topic
"WORST BOND EVERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!"
"Skyfall the worst Bond film yet"
"Are the critics bribed?"
"Why do I hate Skyfall?"
"Skyfall Or Skyfail?"
Check it for yourself if you don't believe me . Oh and if you click on discussion forums you'll see there are many many more, There was one topic who's title made me chuckle a little "Skyfall doesen't suck because sucking requires effort!"
And people who like this movie give it staright out a five star people who don't like this movie will give it less giving obviously a better chance. Let me complete now go to Imdb
Go under user reviews , let me attach a link
http://www.imdb.com/...ews?ref_=tt_urv
Here are all the users reviews, look at every single one of them the stark majority is NOT IN FAVOUR..In fact if you scroll bellow you will see everyone is NOT in favour
The first review itself "SO SO Bad, critics need replacing!" look at the no. of people that agree with this 1120 out of 1691 . Thats a enormous figure, do the maths yourself,
Thats 66.23% agree that its bad . we're not talking about small no.s that visit a james Bond dedicated site, we're talking of 1691 people.
I believe I have effictively proved how the movie has a devided opinion as far as how good the movie is and like earlier the majority is not in favour.
Hey If your still not satisfied I will gladly show you with more
Edited by QOS4EVER, 09 March 2013 - 07:01 PM.