I left the theater thinking that, while this was a great movie, I still thought Casino Royale was better in every way. But then I got home and watched Casino Royale and was amazed at how inferior it was to Skyfall in many aspects. Granted, CR had some unparalleled action sequences (the free-running chase through the construction site is still unbeatable) but it just wasn't as great as I remembered. And I've watched it as recently as 3 or 4 months ago.
Skyfall was gorgeous, fun, sad, touching, emotional, exciting and had some great throwbacks to the original series. I still LOVE Casino Royale and I still think that it had a slightly better story, even if the stakes weren't quite as high.
And, going with that, I don't like Bond's readiness t[BLACKOUT]o accept Mallory as the new M a minute after he cried his eyes out for the old M[/BLACKOUT]
Finally got to see the movie. I really liked it. Other than the film (and Bond's) cold reaction to Severine's fate, pretty much had no problems with the film. I really enjoyed the rest of the characters, especially Bond and M's relationship.
Silva was awesome and really I actually think he had just enough screentime. I don't think it would have hurt to have more of him, but I had just enough to understand his motivations and to be disconcerted by his personality without him lingering around enough to become tiresome.
I love the whole third act at Skyfall.
The action was all well shot and I never had any difficulty following what was going on, it wasn't edited to hell like Quantum of Solace. The opening chase doesn't quite meet the parkour chase from CR, but it is great in its own right. Roof motorcycles are awesome.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
liked this and the old ship as metaphors for bond.
For those who haven't read it yet
Skyfall is the Bond movie I have always hoped they'd make but never expected them to. It's Ian Fleming's Bond, straight off the page. And it's smart.
In what universe would you expect to compare a Bond movie to Straw Dogs and Days of Heaven? In this one apparently.
The film is hugely fun, but has a very serious theme: the place of tradition in the modern world. It really feels like a statement about modern Britain by Mendes, Deakins and Crag - three of our leading filmmakers.
Ever since reading the books I've wanted to see Ian Fleming's creation on screen, not the cartoon that Bond has often lapsed into on screen. Skyfall brings in a serious director, a serious cast, and one of the greatest cinematographers working today. They all have a blast and over deliver.
Skyfall is by far the closest depiction of the Bond from the novels. The novels are in many ways are about the traditions of the British Empire colliding with post WW2 decline. Something that Skyfall almost stands as a response to. Skyfall itself is an answer the questions and insecurities Fleming exposed as the Empire rapidly declined in the 50s and 60s.
If Roger Moore is your favorite Bond, you may be disappointed (unless you loved For Your Eyes Only - another previous high watermark). Like the books that were such a shock on fist reading... Gone are the corny quips. Gone are the invisible cars. (Q even says "we don't do that sort of thing any more"). The one liners are still there but when they come they have a bitter emotional edge that reveals character not frippery.
SPOILERS HERE:
The central Tennyson quote by M is the key to the whole film (incase you missed the relevance of the Fighting Temarare by Turner earlier on). Throughout the film tradition is constantly threatened by modernity - and each time a tempered version of tradition comes up trumps. There are countless examples... Bond is shot not by the mistake of someone on the ground, but because of the high tech communication. MI6 new building is destroyed and they're safer in ancient WW2 tunnels. Silva is a tech genius, but Bond (and M) is repeatedly called out of touch or old. And of course, the final sequence can be seen as one giant metaphor - the high tech invaders storming Bond's castle with all their equipment and Bond has ancient rifles and a knife. And how does he finally beat Silva - by the most simple weapon he has. There is so much of this throughout the film I can't remember it off the top of my head. The whole film is about the interaction of tradition and modernity.
The reading I take from the film is as Tennyson says: time will give you a beating, but hold onto your history and traditions and they will steel you against anything that comes at you. That's exactly what James Bond does.
SPOILERS END
I'd love to hear how Americans react to the themes of tradition in the film. Particularly around the relevance of the Tennyson quote from Ulysses spoken by M:
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
If putting that Tennyson speech into the mouth of one of our greatest living actors in the middle of our biggest cultural exports isn't a statement about Britain, I don't know what is.
I can't see any of those sentiments or political position of Skyfall being made by many American filmmakers.
Take Jason Bourne for example. Compare Bourne and Bond as characters. Bourne is made from the tabula rasa. He is a man without a past constantly seeking it. A man who doesn't know his strength and was created by strength of will. Bond on the other hand is a man with a very strong past and ancient traditions which is exactly where he finds heroic will and strength.
Some reviewers over here have called Skyfall a post Bourne Bond, but I think that's entirely wrong. That was the dreadful Quantum of Solace and it was a mess. This is a post-Inception Bond. It's a massive blockbuster that is quite comfortable having quite a high IQ while blowing things up in the background.
I find it very interesting that with the two peaks of Skyfall and the Olympics, 2012 has seen Britain talking confidently to the world about itself in a way it hasn't for a long time.
And the fact that you can even start talking about the film in this way is surely a resounding reassurance that Bond and his traditions are in very rude health.
Finally got to see the movie. I really liked it. Other than the film (and Bond's) cold reaction to Severine's fate, pretty much had no problems with the film. I really enjoyed the rest of the characters, especially Bond and M's relationship.
Silva was awesome and really I actually think he had just enough screentime. I don't think it would have hurt to have more of him, but I had just enough to understand his motivations and to be disconcerted by his personality without him lingering around enough to become tiresome.
I love the whole third act at Skyfall.
The action was all well shot and I never had any difficulty following what was going on, it wasn't edited to hell like Quantum of Solace. The opening chase doesn't quite meet the parkour chase from CR, but it is great in its own right. Roof motorcycles are awesome.
Liked the movie quite a bit. Not everything, but at least I left the movie with a smile on my face and look forward to the next one, unlike a couple of other major franchise releases this year.
Daniel Craig is awesome and seemed to be a bit more chatty in this one than the previous two. A lot of the dialogue was great. Judi Dench was great in her [blackout]last outing as M.[/blackout]. She's the "Bond girl" of the movie...at least, the only one worth mentioning. Naomi Harris as [blackout]Eve Moneypenny[/blackout] was serviceable. [blackout]We'll be seeing more of her.[/blackout] Berenice Marlohe was [blackout]briefly there and then gone. She got quite a cold death and looked awkward in that last shot I remember seeing of her.[/blackout] They didn't crowd up the story but it leaves a lot wanting for the next film's story. They've given 2 films worth of breathing space after Vesper and it's time for a very significant young female in the next one. Music was pretty good. The pacing was pretty good, direction as well; it's beautiful to look at. Bardem was good as a twisted man with a vendetta. The story was a bit too close/derivative of the Nolan Batman films a bit too much in many places, though a minor complaint.
Look forward to seeing it again and what comes next.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
liked this and the old ship as metaphors for bond.
For those who haven't read it yet
Skyfall is the Bond movie I have always hoped they'd make but never expected them to. It's Ian Fleming's Bond, straight off the page. And it's smart.
In what universe would you expect to compare a Bond movie to Straw Dogs and Days of Heaven? In this one apparently.
The film is hugely fun, but has a very serious theme: the place of tradition in the modern world. It really feels like a statement about modern Britain by Mendes, Deakins and Crag - three of our leading filmmakers.
Ever since reading the books I've wanted to see Ian Fleming's creation on screen, not the cartoon that Bond has often lapsed into on screen. Skyfall brings in a serious director, a serious cast, and one of the greatest cinematographers working today. They all have a blast and over deliver.
Skyfall is by far the closest depiction of the Bond from the novels. The novels are in many ways are about the traditions of the British Empire colliding with post WW2 decline. Something that Skyfall almost stands as a response to. Skyfall itself is an answer the questions and insecurities Fleming exposed as the Empire rapidly declined in the 50s and 60s.
If Roger Moore is your favorite Bond, you may be disappointed (unless you loved For Your Eyes Only - another previous high watermark). Like the books that were such a shock on fist reading... Gone are the corny quips. Gone are the invisible cars. (Q even says "we don't do that sort of thing any more"). The one liners are still there but when they come they have a bitter emotional edge that reveals character not frippery.
SPOILERS HERE:
The central Tennyson quote by M is the key to the whole film (incase you missed the relevance of the Fighting Temarare by Turner earlier on). Throughout the film tradition is constantly threatened by modernity - and each time a tempered version of tradition comes up trumps. There are countless examples... Bond is shot not by the mistake of someone on the ground, but because of the high tech communication. MI6 new building is destroyed and they're safer in ancient WW2 tunnels. Silva is a tech genius, but Bond (and M) is repeatedly called out of touch or old. And of course, the final sequence can be seen as one giant metaphor - the high tech invaders storming Bond's castle with all their equipment and Bond has ancient rifles and a knife. And how does he finally beat Silva - by the most simple weapon he has. There is so much of this throughout the film I can't remember it off the top of my head. The whole film is about the interaction of tradition and modernity.
The reading I take from the film is as Tennyson says: time will give you a beating, but hold onto your history and traditions and they will steel you against anything that comes at you. That's exactly what James Bond does.
SPOILERS END
I'd love to hear how Americans react to the themes of tradition in the film. Particularly around the relevance of the Tennyson quote from Ulysses spoken by M:
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
If putting that Tennyson speech into the mouth of one of our greatest living actors in the middle of our biggest cultural exports isn't a statement about Britain, I don't know what is.
I can't see any of those sentiments or political position of Skyfall being made by many American filmmakers.
Take Jason Bourne for example. Compare Bourne and Bond as characters. Bourne is made from the tabula rasa. He is a man without a past constantly seeking it. A man who doesn't know his strength and was created by strength of will. Bond on the other hand is a man with a very strong past and ancient traditions which is exactly where he finds heroic will and strength.
Some reviewers over here have called Skyfall a post Bourne Bond, but I think that's entirely wrong. That was the dreadful Quantum of Solace and it was a mess. This is a post-Inception Bond. It's a massive blockbuster that is quite comfortable having quite a high IQ while blowing things up in the background.
I find it very interesting that with the two peaks of Skyfall and the Olympics, 2012 has seen Britain talking confidently to the world about itself in a way it hasn't for a long time.
And the fact that you can even start talking about the film in this way is surely a resounding reassurance that Bond and his traditions are in very rude health.
This is probably one of the more insightful movie reviews I have yet read. It made me love the film even more than I already do.
And, yes, I loved the use of that Tennyson quote in the film.
p.s. -- I apologize about making fun of your "justin bieber ass" comment earlier in the thread. I'm pretty sure we all got a laugh out of that situation.
Finally saw it, and I really, really like this film and yet I am not sure I loved it. I feel in love instantly with CR.
First thing first, if the entire film was on par with the last act, it would probably be one of my favorite films period. It is just so good. Soulful, witty, fun and intense. A perfect platform for Craig's Bond as he is able to explore all of what makes Bond, well Bond.
Craig was exceptional as always. He just is Bond for me. That perfect mix off gruff and English gentleman. His reaction to his [BLACKOUT]car blowing up[/BLACKOUT] was just hilarious. His relationship with Dench's M has been the heart of his first three films and I have found it to be the only true relationship Bond has had in the entire series and one of the few things you can actually hold onto in this 23 film series. Craig and Dench's chemistry is just perfect and every word exchanged between the two is dynamite. I also just love how cranky she can be.
Silva is clearly the Joker, but I was ok with that. He was a lot of fun and was probably my favorite villain in the series other then 006. Fiennes is just cool.
Opening credits and PTS were brilliant. Both two of the best in the series to date.
The weakest part of the film was definitely the excursion to Hong Kong and Macau. It is just so underwritten and almost like a throw away 20 mins of the film. It isn't until Silva gets there that the film picks back up. It is disappointing as it was Bond doing what Bond does, and yet it is quite forgettable.The only real saving grace was Bond and Severine.
Also, couldn't really remember much of the score outside of the use of the Bond theme.
Still I really, really liked it and I would definitely put it in my top 5 Bonds right off the bat.
While this was a good movie, I don't feel that it was a great movie. The death of the sex slave girl really affected me in a negative way. In just the way it was portrayed. And while the villain was cool and the action nice, I hope they get back to world take over plots in the next film.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
liked this and the old ship as metaphors for bond.
For those who haven't read it yet
Skyfall is the Bond movie I have always hoped they'd make but never expected them to. It's Ian Fleming's Bond, straight off the page. And it's smart.
In what universe would you expect to compare a Bond movie to Straw Dogs and Days of Heaven? In this one apparently.
The film is hugely fun, but has a very serious theme: the place of tradition in the modern world. It really feels like a statement about modern Britain by Mendes, Deakins and Crag - three of our leading filmmakers.
Ever since reading the books I've wanted to see Ian Fleming's creation on screen, not the cartoon that Bond has often lapsed into on screen. Skyfall brings in a serious director, a serious cast, and one of the greatest cinematographers working today. They all have a blast and over deliver.
Skyfall is by far the closest depiction of the Bond from the novels. The novels are in many ways are about the traditions of the British Empire colliding with post WW2 decline. Something that Skyfall almost stands as a response to. Skyfall itself is an answer the questions and insecurities Fleming exposed as the Empire rapidly declined in the 50s and 60s.
If Roger Moore is your favorite Bond, you may be disappointed (unless you loved For Your Eyes Only - another previous high watermark). Like the books that were such a shock on fist reading... Gone are the corny quips. Gone are the invisible cars. (Q even says "we don't do that sort of thing any more"). The one liners are still there but when they come they have a bitter emotional edge that reveals character not frippery.
SPOILERS HERE:
The central Tennyson quote by M is the key to the whole film (incase you missed the relevance of the Fighting Temarare by Turner earlier on). Throughout the film tradition is constantly threatened by modernity - and each time a tempered version of tradition comes up trumps. There are countless examples... Bond is shot not by the mistake of someone on the ground, but because of the high tech communication. MI6 new building is destroyed and they're safer in ancient WW2 tunnels. Silva is a tech genius, but Bond (and M) is repeatedly called out of touch or old. And of course, the final sequence can be seen as one giant metaphor - the high tech invaders storming Bond's castle with all their equipment and Bond has ancient rifles and a knife. And how does he finally beat Silva - by the most simple weapon he has. There is so much of this throughout the film I can't remember it off the top of my head. The whole film is about the interaction of tradition and modernity.
The reading I take from the film is as Tennyson says: time will give you a beating, but hold onto your history and traditions and they will steel you against anything that comes at you. That's exactly what James Bond does.
SPOILERS END
I'd love to hear how Americans react to the themes of tradition in the film. Particularly around the relevance of the Tennyson quote from Ulysses spoken by M:
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
If putting that Tennyson speech into the mouth of one of our greatest living actors in the middle of our biggest cultural exports isn't a statement about Britain, I don't know what is.
I can't see any of those sentiments or political position of Skyfall being made by many American filmmakers.
Take Jason Bourne for example. Compare Bourne and Bond as characters. Bourne is made from the tabula rasa. He is a man without a past constantly seeking it. A man who doesn't know his strength and was created by strength of will. Bond on the other hand is a man with a very strong past and ancient traditions which is exactly where he finds heroic will and strength.
Some reviewers over here have called Skyfall a post Bourne Bond, but I think that's entirely wrong. That was the dreadful Quantum of Solace and it was a mess. This is a post-Inception Bond. It's a massive blockbuster that is quite comfortable having quite a high IQ while blowing things up in the background.
I find it very interesting that with the two peaks of Skyfall and the Olympics, 2012 has seen Britain talking confidently to the world about itself in a way it hasn't for a long time.
And the fact that you can even start talking about the film in this way is surely a resounding reassurance that Bond and his traditions are in very rude health.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
liked this and the old ship as metaphors for bond.
For those who haven't read it yet
Skyfall is the Bond movie I have always hoped they'd make but never expected them to. It's Ian Fleming's Bond, straight off the page. And it's smart.
In what universe would you expect to compare a Bond movie to Straw Dogs and Days of Heaven? In this one apparently.
The film is hugely fun, but has a very serious theme: the place of tradition in the modern world. It really feels like a statement about modern Britain by Mendes, Deakins and Crag - three of our leading filmmakers.
Ever since reading the books I've wanted to see Ian Fleming's creation on screen, not the cartoon that Bond has often lapsed into on screen. Skyfall brings in a serious director, a serious cast, and one of the greatest cinematographers working today. They all have a blast and over deliver.
Skyfall is by far the closest depiction of the Bond from the novels. The novels are in many ways are about the traditions of the British Empire colliding with post WW2 decline. Something that Skyfall almost stands as a response to. Skyfall itself is an answer the questions and insecurities Fleming exposed as the Empire rapidly declined in the 50s and 60s.
If Roger Moore is your favorite Bond, you may be disappointed (unless you loved For Your Eyes Only - another previous high watermark). Like the books that were such a shock on fist reading... Gone are the corny quips. Gone are the invisible cars. (Q even says "we don't do that sort of thing any more"). The one liners are still there but when they come they have a bitter emotional edge that reveals character not frippery.
SPOILERS HERE:
The central Tennyson quote by M is the key to the whole film (incase you missed the relevance of the Fighting Temarare by Turner earlier on). Throughout the film tradition is constantly threatened by modernity - and each time a tempered version of tradition comes up trumps. There are countless examples... Bond is shot not by the mistake of someone on the ground, but because of the high tech communication. MI6 new building is destroyed and they're safer in ancient WW2 tunnels. Silva is a tech genius, but Bond (and M) is repeatedly called out of touch or old. And of course, the final sequence can be seen as one giant metaphor - the high tech invaders storming Bond's castle with all their equipment and Bond has ancient rifles and a knife. And how does he finally beat Silva - by the most simple weapon he has. There is so much of this throughout the film I can't remember it off the top of my head. The whole film is about the interaction of tradition and modernity.
The reading I take from the film is as Tennyson says: time will give you a beating, but hold onto your history and traditions and they will steel you against anything that comes at you. That's exactly what James Bond does.
SPOILERS END
I'd love to hear how Americans react to the themes of tradition in the film. Particularly around the relevance of the Tennyson quote from Ulysses spoken by M:
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
If putting that Tennyson speech into the mouth of one of our greatest living actors in the middle of our biggest cultural exports isn't a statement about Britain, I don't know what is.
I can't see any of those sentiments or political position of Skyfall being made by many American filmmakers.
Take Jason Bourne for example. Compare Bourne and Bond as characters. Bourne is made from the tabula rasa. He is a man without a past constantly seeking it. A man who doesn't know his strength and was created by strength of will. Bond on the other hand is a man with a very strong past and ancient traditions which is exactly where he finds heroic will and strength.
Some reviewers over here have called Skyfall a post Bourne Bond, but I think that's entirely wrong. That was the dreadful Quantum of Solace and it was a mess. This is a post-Inception Bond. It's a massive blockbuster that is quite comfortable having quite a high IQ while blowing things up in the background.
I find it very interesting that with the two peaks of Skyfall and the Olympics, 2012 has seen Britain talking confidently to the world about itself in a way it hasn't for a long time.
And the fact that you can even start talking about the film in this way is surely a resounding reassurance that Bond and his traditions are in very rude health.
I left the theater thinking that, while this was a great movie, I still thought Casino Royale was better in every way. But then I got home and watched Casino Royale and was amazed at how inferior it was to Skyfall in many aspects. Granted, CR had some unparalleled action sequences (the free-running chase through the construction site is still unbeatable) but it just wasn't as great as I remembered. And I've watched it as recently as 3 or 4 months ago.
Skyfall was gorgeous, fun, sad, touching, emotional, exciting and had some great throwbacks to the original series. I still LOVE Casino Royale and I still think that it had a slightly better story, even if the stakes weren't quite as high.
Funny, I had almost the exact opposite experience. Walking out of the theater, I thought Skyfall was great but Casino Royale was better. Then, I rewatched CR today and realized it was actually even better than I remembered.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
