Despite it all, Skyfall is still a great movie

HalconHalcon Zen TemplePosts: 486MI6 Agent
Saw it again this weekend,

Skyfall is much like QOS in that its parts are greater than the sum of its parts.
Certain scenes more than make up for where it clumsily stumbles.

The pts was hands down one of the best in the series, great pace and energy, absolutely wonderful!
From there you can skip to the Shanghai scenes, the highlight of the movie imo.

The Shanghai act includes one of my fave scenes in the film, the Komodo Dragon scene where we see Bond as we all know and love-confident, kicking ass, smiling and uttering great lines like "Good luck with that" and " its the circle of life". awsome...

From there, the movie loses some its appeal with the exception of scenes of the Aston Martin heading toward Skyfall- those shots are epic, atmospheric and make my skin tingle every time i see them.

Those Aston scenes with the big grey sky in the background are special in that they convince me that Sean Connery is in there driving that Aston as he heads to wherever he is going. This is where Sam Mendes succeeds in bringing us back to the feel of the original Bond, imo.

the final scenes are just entertainning enough, with Craig kicking serious butt, thus making Bond authentically menacing, so that's a great thing.

Skip everything in between and you've got a pretty great James Bond fil. B-)
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Comments

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I for one enjoyed all of it. :)) -{
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,239MI6 Agent
    Fair enough Halcon, but I didn't care for the Shanghai scenes or the Scottish malarky, so we disagree about which bits to skip!
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    Fair enough Halcon, but I didn't care for the Shanghai scenes or the Scottish malarky, so we disagree about which bits to skip!

    Hehe- they were my fave parts to be honest! I got bored with the subway / middle bit
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • Moore ThanMoore Than EnglandPosts: 3,173MI6 Agent
    welshboy78 wrote:
    Fair enough Halcon, but I didn't care for the Shanghai scenes or the Scottish malarky, so we disagree about which bits to skip!

    Hehe- they were my fave parts to be honest! I got bored with the subway / middle bit

    I really enjoy the shanghai scenes and the subway / middle bit but don't care that much for the Scottish malarky. Some really impressive visuals, some great scenes, very good PTS, but overall Skyfall is a bit of a mixed bag for me.
    Moore Not Less 4371 posts (2002 - 2007) Moore Than (2012 - 2016)
  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    Halcon wrote:
    Saw it again this weekend,

    Skyfall is much like QOS in that its parts are greater than the sum of its parts.
    Certain scenes more than make up for where it clumsily stumbles.

    The pts was hands down one of the best in the series, great pace and energy, absolutely wonderful!
    From there you can skip to the Shanghai scenes, the highlight of the movie imo.

    The Shanghai act includes one of my fave scenes in the film, the Komodo Dragon scene where we see Bond as we all know and love-confident, kicking ass, smiling and uttering great lines like "Good luck with that" and " its the circle of life". awsome...

    From there, the movie loses some its appeal with the exception of scenes of the Aston Martin heading toward Skyfall- those shots are epic, atmospheric and make my skin tingle every time i see them.

    Those Aston scenes with the big grey sky in the background are special in that they convince me that Sean Connery is in there driving that Aston as he heads to wherever he is going. This is where Sam Mendes succeeds in bringing us back to the feel of the original Bond, imo.

    the final scenes are just entertainning enough, with Craig kicking serious butt, thus making Bond authentically menacing, so that's a great thing.

    Skip everything in between and you've got a pretty great James Bond fil. B-)
    Aston being driven to Scotland best bit for me cos the car is stashed in my dads factory in darkest Deptford :D
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    I for one enjoyed all of it. :)) -{

    And I for two! :D
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • 007bond007bond Posts: 71MI6 Agent
    I for one enjoyed all of it. :)) -{

    And I for two! :D

    I think its the best Bond film ever. Was never a die hard Bond fan, taught Connery was great up to Thunderball, never could stand Moore or Brosnan take on Bond. I like Bond played a little kickass mixed with the suave. Craig comes along and just gives Bond back his balls, CR is a masterpiece, QOS was flawed but still a good Bond Film. Skyfall was the perfect Bond film from start to finish. Made me go out and spend 150 euro on the Bond Blu Ray set.
  • 00730073 COPPosts: 977MI6 Agent
    I hated the PTS, I mean Bond riding a motorcycle in the back alleys in Istanbul chasing the most important target to the British national security so far in this century and M decides it's time to start giving instructions "DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!!!". If I were Bond I would have stayed dead for that one alone, never mind she had him shot!!! And how about that Patrice; DU ammo; "You were lucky it was deflected, a direct hit and it would have cut you in half" Well it didn't cut in half Ronson, but maybe Ronson knew he was being shot with a 9mm pistol and not with a 30mm aircraft cannon!!! Oh! and Patrice manages to sever train car couplings firing a Glock 18 single handedly, but can't hit Bond firing in a proper Weaver stance???

    Silva, absolutely one of the better villains, completely under used because of the daft plan, you know steal hard drive -> nja, nja, nja -> murder M. I just can't get over how silly it is, it's even sillier than all those supper villains and their plans we see in RM movies.

    Cinematography, best in the series, with plenty of exotic locations relevant to the plot. Bonds looks: looks like a Polish constructor that's struck rich in London.

    Never the less; still on par with DC as a Bond, the third best for him, way better than anything from RM or TD. Wipes the floor also with DAF and DAD easily.
    "I mean, she almost kills bond...with her ass."
    -Mr Arlington Beech
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,239MI6 Agent
    007bond wrote:
    I for one enjoyed all of it. :)) -{

    And I for two! :D

    I think its the best Bond film ever. Was never a die hard Bond fan, taught Connery was great up to Thunderball, never could stand Moore or Brosnan take on Bond. I like Bond played a little kickass mixed with the suave. Craig comes along and just gives Bond back his balls, CR is a masterpiece, QOS was flawed but still a good Bond Film. Skyfall was the perfect Bond film from start to finish. Made me go out and spend 150 euro on the Bond Blu Ray set.

    If you can't find the flaw in spending 150 euro on a Blu Ray set in which you hate at least 11 out of the 23 films in it, no wonder you think Skyfall is a masterpiece. {:)
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • 00730073 COPPosts: 977MI6 Agent
    If you can't find the flaw in spending 150 euro on a Blu Ray set in which you hate at least 11 out of the 23 films in it, no wonder you think Skyfall is a masterpiece. {:)


    :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) ...... baah what the hell a couple more won't hurt anyone: :)) :)) :)) :))
    "I mean, she almost kills bond...with her ass."
    -Mr Arlington Beech
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    edited May 2013
    The box is pretty lol

    Reminds me of my recent UK trip.

    I was in HMV on Oxford Street last month browsing the overpriced DVDs etc. Suddenly the shop alarm goes off (which happens every min) and the security guards wander off to look in some girls bag (presumably she paid for the item but a tag was accidently left on etc like they do and set off the alarm!) Anyhow the guy standing next to me hears the alarm and scrambles fast as hell to the Box-Sets section and seemingly picks up the most expensive item he can get his hands on, funnily enough in seconds he has the 007 Blu Ray box set in his hands and walks very swiftly out the shop and down the street whilst the alarm is still buzzing and guards distracted.

    I guess this is usual practice amongst thieves nowadays, waiting for alarms to go off. Very casually done and me and the missus both noticed it.

    Fast forward a week later, I am in John Lewis (UK dept store) with various bags of stuff purchased. On exit from the shop I set off the alarms, I of course stop and look for a security guard to explain etc and nobody in sight except girls on the perfume / makeup counters who dont give a ****. 5 mins of waiting with nobody caring that I set the alarms off I simply bugger off - bizarre
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • don pdon p Posts: 589MI6 Agent
    welshboy78 wrote:
    The box is pretty lol

    Reminds me of my recent UK trip.

    I was in HMV on Oxford Street last month browsing the overpriced DVDs etc. Suddenly the shop alarm goes off (which happens every min) and the security guards wander off to look in some girls bag (presumably she paid for the item but a tag was accidently left on etc like they do and set off the alarm!) Anyhow the guy standing next to me hears the alarm and scrambles fast as hell to the Box-Sets section and seemingly picks up the most expensive item he can get his hands on, funnily enough in seconds he has the 007 Blu Ray box set in his hands and walks very swiftly out the shop and down the street whilst the alarm is still buzzing and guards distracted.

    I guess this is usual practice amongst thieves nowadays, waiting for alarms to go off. Very casually done and me and the missus both noticed it.

    Fast forward a week later, I am in John Lewis (UK dept store) with various bags of stuff purchased. On exit from the shop I set off the alarms, I of course stop and look for a security guard to explain etc and nobody in sight except girls on the perfume / makeup counters who dont give a ****. 5 mins of waiting with nobody caring that I set the alarms off I simply bugger off - bizarre


    lol... "He Who Dares!"...............
  • CunoCuno UKPosts: 31MI6 Agent
    Agreed that it is a great film, no matter what.
    Made of sterner stuff.
  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    Yes I watched it again last night, and still seeing new things ive not
    noticed before,,for instance the tee shirt in the gym/ fitness scenes is blue
    I thought it was grey
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I think in years to come it will be seen as the film that
    set up the " new " traditional series. As all the regulars
    are in place and there seems to be an obvious step towards
    a little more comedy.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • JarvioJarvio EnglandPosts: 4,234MI6 Agent
    SF is an amazing film, and one of my very favourites.
    However, unlike most other bond films, I have do be in the mood for this film. Probably because I find it to be one of the most tense and epic bond films.
    1 - LALD, 2 - AVTAK, 3 - LTK, 4 - OP, 5 - NTTD, 6 - FYEO, 7 - SF, 8 - DN, 9 - DAF, 10 - TSWLM, 11 - OHMSS, 12 - TMWTGG, 13 - GE, 14 - MR, 15 - TLD, 16 - YOLT, 17 - GF, 18 - DAD, 19 - TWINE, 20 - SP, 21 - TND, 22 - FRWL, 23 - TB, 24 - CR, 25 - QOS

    1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
  • davidelliott101davidelliott101 Posts: 165MI6 Agent
    It's a good action film, but doesn't feel like a Bond film to me. I will have to watch it again at some point.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    We all have different opinions but for me Skyfall has all the
    traditional elements. M in his office, a Q equipement scene.
    An opening big stunt, several very attractive ladies, and a
    witty script. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    We all have different opinions but for me Skyfall has all the
    traditional elements. M in his office, a Q equipement scene.
    An opening big stunt, several very attractive ladies, and a
    witty script. :))

    Right again, TP. -{
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • 007yler007yler Posts: 21MI6 Agent
    I have I agree, usually with any new movies in a series, people like it because they've been waiting for it for quite some time. I really enjoyed the cinematics/settings and attention to detail in certain scenes-the Shanghai, and moreso the Macau scene was absolutely incredible, a scene so rich in details and defining of Bond. Some parts I found somewhat abrupt and at loose ends (how Bond recovered from his fall). The theme song, as well, imo is certainly one of the best in the series.

    Overall, the plot was not overly complicated, and was more accurate of a Bond style plot of events that Fleming couldn't written.

    What I disliked the most was the very last scene, Bond going back to work, it was too contrived I found. That aside, excellent atmospheres produced in all scenes.
    "Did you ever ask why? Why we topple all those dictators, undermine all those regimes, only to come home, well done, good job, but sorry old boy, everything you've risked your life for has changed"...
    "...It was the job we were chosen for"...
  • Jedi MasterJedi Master UKPosts: 1,093MI6 Agent
    Yes I watched it again last night, and still seeing new things ive not
    noticed before,,for instance the tee shirt in the gym/ fitness scenes is blue
    I thought it was grey

    What a profound thing you've noticed there! :))


    For me Skyfall was Craig's best film, but only because his first two didn't even feel like Bond films to me. I won't dwell on that as I'm sure it has been discussed at length already on these forums, so lets focus on SF.

    Pros:
    [list=*]
    [*]Well directed, especially action sequences[/*]
    [*]Genuinely threatening and interesting villain[/*]
    [*]Q branch (even if it was not-quite-as-we-know-it)[/*]
    [*]Ralph Fiennes![/*]
    [*]Great Locations[/*]
    [*]Great outfits (his dinner suit was sublime, apart from the airbrushing)[/*]
    [*]Great cinematography[/*]
    [/list]

    Cons
    [list=*]
    [*]For me the PTS was simply too long and complicated.[/*]
    [*]Silva's plan made sense, how exactly?[/*]
    [*]Bond taking M and fleeing to his childhood home benefited them how exactly!?[/*]
    [*]Whatever happened to the hard drive they were desperately trying to retrieve?[/*]
    [*]Whether it was deliberate because of the theme of the movie, or whether Craig is just a bit old now, he looked too old to be Bond, and he did not look suave, he looked like a football thug.[/*]
    [*]The Flashlight!!![/*]
    [/list]

    I wonder if anybody agrees with any of that 8-)
    JediM
    Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and everyone dies.
  • Gala BrandGala Brand Posts: 1,172MI6 Agent
    Regarding the flashlight, have you ever been in the country at night? It's really dark. If there's no moon, you literally can't see the hand in front of your face (stars look great though). There would've been some light from the fire, but my experience with bonfires is that the light dissipates pretty quickly.
  • Jedi MasterJedi Master UKPosts: 1,093MI6 Agent
    Gala Brand wrote:
    Regarding the flashlight, have you ever been in the country at night? It's really dark.

    I think if men with guns were after me, I'd just deal with the bloody dark! :))
    Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and everyone dies.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,057Chief of Staff
    Gala Brand wrote:
    Regarding the flashlight, have you ever been in the country at night? It's really dark. If there's no moon, you literally can't see the hand in front of your face (stars look great though).

    The country concerned being the one I live in, yes I have. And you're 100% correct. I was at Loch Tay last weekend, relatively not too far from where Skyfall would be in Glencoe, and it was very, very dark at night.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    The headlines on AJB,
    " In Scotland at Night, it gets Dark " :))

    I'm sure to keep the story moving they had to have some way of Silva to follow them.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • DelicatessenInSteelDelicatessenInSteel Posts: 181MI6 Agent
    Skyfall was a mediocre Bond movie that I just didn't care about, of course that doesn't matter it made tons of money and all the Bond fans have drooled over it...thought it was a bit overlong and pretentious and some of the scenes looked like HD video especially during the interrogation of Silva...there was very little color in the film. I would honestly hate the damn movie but it had the hilarious nod to Goldfinger which seemed out of place with the oh so serious surroundings and the end at least gave me hope that maybe they might go back to business as usual and make an awesome old school Bond film. I Own all the Bond movies 5 times over in every possible version except for QOS & Skyfall . Hoping next time I'll want to buy the next one.
    1.MoonRaker 2.OHMSS 3.LALD 4.OP 5.FYEO 6.DR. NO 7.YOLT 8.LTK 9.CR 10.AVTAK
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    Skyfall was a mediocre Bond movie that I just didn't care about, of course that doesn't matter it made tons of money and all the Bond fans have drooled over it...thought it was a bit overlong and pretentious and some of the scenes looked like HD video especially during the interrogation of Silva...there was very little color in the film. I would honestly hate the damn movie but it had the hilarious nod to Goldfinger which seemed out of place with the oh so serious surroundings and the end at least gave me hope that maybe they might go back to business as usual and make an awesome old school Bond film. I Own all the Bond movies 5 times over in every possible version except for QOS & Skyfall . Hoping next time I'll want to buy the next one.

    I'm not surprised you didn't like it since you rank Moonraker as your Number 1.
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • DelicatessenInSteelDelicatessenInSteel Posts: 181MI6 Agent
    Skyfall was a mediocre Bond movie that I just didn't care about, of course that doesn't matter it made tons of money and all the Bond fans have drooled over it...thought it was a bit overlong and pretentious and some of the scenes looked like HD video especially during the interrogation of Silva...there was very little color in the film. I would honestly hate the damn movie but it had the hilarious nod to Goldfinger which seemed out of place with the oh so serious surroundings and the end at least gave me hope that maybe they might go back to business as usual and make an awesome old school Bond film. I Own all the Bond movies 5 times over in every possible version except for QOS & Skyfall . Hoping next time I'll want to buy the next one.

    I'm not surprised you didn't like it since you rank Moonraker as your Number 1.

    One day...One day Blackleiter you shall see the light...why do you hide? from the Moonraker!!!!!!!!!
    1.MoonRaker 2.OHMSS 3.LALD 4.OP 5.FYEO 6.DR. NO 7.YOLT 8.LTK 9.CR 10.AVTAK
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    Skyfall was a mediocre Bond movie that I just didn't care about, of course that doesn't matter it made tons of money and all the Bond fans have drooled over it...thought it was a bit overlong and pretentious and some of the scenes looked like HD video especially during the interrogation of Silva...there was very little color in the film. I would honestly hate the damn movie but it had the hilarious nod to Goldfinger which seemed out of place with the oh so serious surroundings and the end at least gave me hope that maybe they might go back to business as usual and make an awesome old school Bond film. I Own all the Bond movies 5 times over in every possible version except for QOS & Skyfall . Hoping next time I'll want to buy the next one.

    I'm not surprised you didn't like it since you rank Moonraker as your Number 1.

    One day...One day Blackleiter you shall see the light...why do you hide? from the Moonraker!!!!!!!!!

    I hide because I must, my friend! :D
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • CmdrAtticusCmdrAtticus United StatesPosts: 1,102MI6 Agent
    edited July 2013
    Yes I watched it again last night, and still seeing new things ive not
    noticed before,,for instance the tee shirt in the gym/ fitness scenes is blue
    I thought it was grey

    What a profound thing you've noticed there! :))


    For me Skyfall was Craig's best film, but only because his first two didn't even feel like Bond films to me. I won't dwell on that as I'm sure it has been discussed at length already on these forums, so lets focus on SF.

    Pros:
    [list=*]
    [*]Well directed, especially action sequences[/*]
    [*]Genuinely threatening and interesting villain[/*]
    [*]Q branch (even if it was not-quite-as-we-know-it)[/*]
    [*]Ralph Fiennes![/*]
    [*]Great Locations[/*]
    [*]Great outfits (his dinner suit was sublime, apart from the airbrushing)[/*]
    [*]Great cinematography[/*]
    [/list]

    Cons
    [list=*]
    [*]For me the PTS was simply too long and complicated.[/*]
    [*]Silva's plan made sense, how exactly?[/*]
    [*]Bond taking M and fleeing to his childhood home benefited them how exactly!?[/*]
    [*]Whatever happened to the hard drive they were desperately trying to retrieve?[/*]
    [*]Whether it was deliberate because of the theme of the movie, or whether Craig is just a bit old now, he looked too old to be Bond, and he did not look suave, he looked like a football thug.[/*]
    [*]The Flashlight!!![/*]
    [/list]

    I wonder if anybody agrees with any of that 8-)
    JediM


    I agree about the PTS. Though it's staged well and exciting, it really pushes the over the top factor (gets in the coyote/roadrunner territory). Leaping from an overpass onto a moving train just doesn't come off as real, even if they show the character "almost falling off". Using hand guns to sever railcars..uhhhhh..no. Having M directing his moves from London..uhhh...no. Bond falling hundreds of feet into the drink after being shot and surviving....no, don't think so.

    Silva's plan? I got the impression he had several plans and backup plans in case one didn't work. He only diverted to different ones depending on how fate stepped in and changed things. He learned to think and plan like that from his past experience of being a field agent as well as being an expert hacker - they have to be able to anticipate changes in programing and hacking into other systems and be able to quickly come up with alternate methods.

    Bond taking M to Skyfall - it benefited them because they wanted to lead Silva and his crew away from any crowded area where innocents could get hurt; Bond wanted to be on familiar ground that would be unfamiliar to Silva; Bond wanted Silva's power that was rooted in the internet and high tech to be useless in a confrontation. He and M were doing something that would never be authorized by the government, so they had to get to a location removed from government security forces. They also did not want anyone else involved in case the whole plan went south (that's what Mallory, Q and Tanner realized and why they decided to help even though they would be implicated).

    The hard drive had been secured and Q was having it analyzed but Silva booby trapped it by putting in a program that allowed his escape.

    They did make Craig look more ragged and worn purposely to show the stress he had gone through after nearly dying and recovering. It was to show the contrast to when he "resurrects" himself through the film and survives at the end. As far as him not looking suave - it's one of the things I hated about the older series - if the character looks polished and suave no matter what the situation, the whole movie comes across to me as more of a parody than a real spy film.

    The flashlight - M and Kincade assumed that Bond, Silva and his men were killed when the house and helicopter were destroyed. Had they been nearby they would have seen them by the light from the fires - but from what I could tell from several viewings they were far enough away that they probably could not see them.
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