Skyfall - one year on, a retrospective opinion

Amazingly, it's been a year since Skyfall was released (I must be getting old, the years go by so quick).

I've watched Skyfall maybe 5 or 6 times over the year and my feelings have changed, so for what's its worth here's a C&D retrospective opinion:

Highlights
Some of the best acting of the entire series, and a brilliant cast which works really well together
Daniel Craig's best performance as Bond
Great script with some real gems ("your interior decorating skills are always very much appreciated, 007") - the humour is just right
A sense of foreboding and tension which has been missing from most Bonds since the 1960s
A great PTS and a great climax - the hero's lair being blown to smithereens is a witty change from the villain's
M's death - very emotional
The return of Moneypenny, Q, a gruff new M and... The DB5!
Thomas Newmann's music - hated it at first but, with repeated listening, it's definitely grown on me
A cracking title song by Adele

Lowlights - not too many!
Umm, a couple of plot flaws (but what are a couple between friends?)
Ladies get a bit of a raw deal, don't they?
Those too-tight suits, too-short hair and that stubble... not what we expect from 007

That's about it - have I missed anything? -{
"How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
«134

Comments

  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia, PAPosts: 753MI6 Agent
    My goodness has it been a year already?

    Still a near flawless outing in my mind for Mr. Craig & the Bond Crew. I ended up seeing it in theaters three times. I bought the Blu-Ray upon release, but have only watched it three times on my Blu-Ray player because I don't want to tire of it too early.

    Confident that Skyfall will hold up against the test of time. This wasn't your ordinary Bond film and yet it was classic Bond all in one.

    What makes this even sit better with me, it has set up great anticipation of Bond 24 with a new Q, Moneypenny, and M. It's a new era of Bond and while Craig may only have another one or two Bond's left, I have a feeling Whishaw, Harris, and Fiennes will be around for quite a while (hopefully 10+ years). Truly exciting times!!

    Happy 1-Year Anniversary Skyfall! (a bit early :) )
  • walther p99walther p99 NJPosts: 3,416MI6 Agent
    Was just thinking about this the other day, its quite sad i think that Skyfall has already been out for a year now when it seemed like yesterday i was in line to see it for the first time (Nov. 9th for me), how time flys...
  • ZorinIndustriesZorinIndustries United StatesPosts: 837MI6 Agent
    After a year, this film has as much value to me as it did after the premiere. It was wonderful and it still is! I remember seeing the midnight premiere with my buddies at the theater wearing suits, and attending school the next morning still wearing our suits!
    "Better luck next time... slugheads!"

    1. GoldenEye 2. Goldfinger 3. Skyfall 4. OHMSS 5. TWINE
  • MooseWithFleasMooseWithFleas Philadelphia, PAPosts: 753MI6 Agent
    After a year, this film has as much value to me as it did after the premiere. It was wonderful and it still is! I remember seeing the midnight premiere with my buddies at the theater wearing suits, and attending school the next morning still wearing our suits!

    That is awesome. I applaud you sir -{
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    edited October 2013
    There was a lot I liked about Skyfall and C&D mentioned many of them. The lowlights are few:

    - The script should have made it clearer that the List was recovered after Silva's arrest on the desserted island. They would have easily have dodged some critisism that way.
    - Like a few Bond movies before the PTS featured the best stunt in the movie, putting the finale a bit in the shoadow.
  • BIG TAMBIG TAM Wrexham, North Wales, UK.Posts: 773MI6 Agent

    Highlights
    A great PTS and a great climax - the hero's lair being blown to smithereens is a witty change from the villain's
    -{

    I like that observation. Didn't think about it at the time but it's spot-on.

    Am I in the minority in liking the entire Scotland sequence? I've read so many say they didn't care for it.
  • PeppermillPeppermill DelftPosts: 2,860MI6 Agent
    I'm not a fan of the movie. I don't want to go into a detailed explanation as to why not, because I don’t want to be part of the (still) ongoing argument. Let’s just say I just didn’t enjoy it as much as some other and arguably less good movies. However, the worst and absolutely worst thing about this movie is the fact that Roger Deakins didn’t get the Oscar. Because my good what a fantastic cinematography!
    1. Ohmss 2. Frwl 3. Op 4. Tswlm 5. Tld 6. Ge 7. Yolt 8. Lald 9. Cr 10. Ltk 11. Dn 12. Gf 13. Qos 14. Mr 15. Tmwtgg 16. Fyeo 17. Twine 18. Sf 19. Tb 20 Tnd 21. Spectre 22 Daf 23. Avtak 24. Dad
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Agreed, It was beautifully filmed -{
    I liked Skyfall then and still like it now. Many of the things that annoyed me
    with QOS they changed, and my hopes are even higher for the next one. :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • HalconHalcon Zen TemplePosts: 486MI6 Agent
    Love the movie. Not a huge fan of Craig as Bond (too short and a bit too unrefined), but he is spot on when 'exuding' the essence of Bond (the Shanghai Casino scenes are fantastic).
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    Amazingly, it's been a year since Skyfall was released (I must be getting old, the years go by so quick).

    I've watched Skyfall maybe 5 or 6 times over the year and my feelings have changed, so for what's its worth here's a C&D retrospective opinion:

    Highlights
    Some of the best acting of the entire series, and a brilliant cast which works really well together
    Daniel Craig's best performance as Bond
    Great script with some real gems ("your interior decorating skills are always very much appreciated, 007") - the humour is just right
    A sense of foreboding and tension which has been missing from most Bonds since the 1960s
    A great PTS and a great climax - the hero's lair being blown to smithereens is a witty change from the villain's
    M's death - very emotional
    The return of Moneypenny, Q, a gruff new M and... The DB5!
    Thomas Newmann's music - hated it at first but, with repeated listening, it's definitely grown on me
    A cracking title song by Adele

    Lowlights - not too many!
    Umm, a couple of plot flaws (but what are a couple between friends?)
    Ladies get a bit of a raw deal, don't they?
    Those too-tight suits, too-short hair and that stubble... not what we expect from 007

    That's about it - have I missed anything? -{

    Sounds about right to me! -{ Hard to believe it has been a year already!
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect Posts: 3,631MI6 Agent
    Loved it the first time I saw it in the cinema. One of only two or three films I have seen twice in the cinema...and the only one I have seen three times. I thoroughly enjoyed it for all the reasons mentioned by others above, and as said by the OP, a superb cast that will be hard to replicate. Since then my enjoyment of it has grown and continues to do so. It is a dark film, yet with twinges of humour. I'd be happy with a similar recipe for 24...although I must confess that I'd still like to see a couple of gadgets (more than a palm-reading gun and a small radio) and hope that now that we have a Q again, we may get that.
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,238MI6 Agent
    After a year, this film has as much value to me as it did after the premiere.

    Sadly, I agree... :(

    There's a lot in it, but it's all subtexts. Some of it might have worked better had they got permission; the train top fight would have been so much better and lovelier in India, scrapping it out among natives clinging to the roof and train sides, and a more direct parallel with the locals in the London Underground later. The rebirth thing might have worked set in India too, it has that mystical quality.

    I don't fancy any of the women in it. Film is depressing generally, I find.

    Give me a guilty pleasure any day.
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • StrangewaysStrangeways London, UKPosts: 1,469MI6 Agent
    Pah! And I thought the last 12 months may have mellowed you Nap!
    I loved it last October, and I still do. It is often on in the background somewhere in my life!

    Highlights for me include most of what has been said - PTS, locations, cinematography, oh and I love those suits btw! Moneypenny, Q and M also just fab.

    Low points - hmmmmm, can I really think of any? Well maybe more of China, but really I can't fault it. Great entry into the Bond canon.
  • Big birdBig bird Posts: 2MI6 Agent
    For me a year on I re watched it today and found a whole load of things I like, like the hanging from the lift scene, the acting and also the feel of a return to the 50's.

    For the next Bond I would like to see Bond returned to his peak, smart, elite killing machine and cool at the same time but with a real challenge.

    Richard
  • Can't believe a whole near twelve months have passed by since the theater release. :#

    I saw it three times, and it's so much better than QOS, but not nearly as good as Casino Royale. Craig was more humorous in this than his previous two releases, I hope he doesn't go the way of Roger Moore. I don't think humor works well for Craig, and maybe that's what made things a little disappointing this time around. I didn't like the Eve Moneypenny character much, was surprised to see M killed off (I did my best to avoid all spoilers before viewing) and Daniel Kleinman gives us his best title designs yet. Adele theme tune is OK, but nothing special. The ending with Silva being knifed in the back was a little too similar to Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and he was an overall lukewarm villain, but a whole damn lot better than Dominic Greene or Le Chiffre before him. The Severine character was quite forgettable, probably to be being featured so sparingly. Dench's M gives probably her best performance since The World Is Not Enough.

    All said, it's a good Bond, but never a great one. Probably a seven out of ten, or a eight at most, being generous.
  • JamesbondjrJamesbondjr Posts: 462MI6 Agent
    I saw it four times in the cinema where it went from being a fairly decent Bond film to being my favourite Bond film and then back to being just ok.

    Now it ranks at number 8 on my list of Bond films. When it's good it's great and when it's not so good it is still ok. It doesn't plumb the depths of Diamonds are Forever nor does it scale the heights of Casino Royale. It's a middling Bond film, but damn good fun.
    1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
  • screenamescreename Posts: 388MI6 Agent
    I saw it at midnight for the US premiere, and while at the time I thought it better than QoS, I have now come to my senses. The more times I watch this film the worse it gets, unlike CR or QoS which are like a fine wine that gets better with each viewing. I hate the portrayal of Bond, I hate the humor, Severine is completely wasted, they wasted Javier Bardem's talent, the Scotland scenes are terrible, the look of the film is depressing, the stubble is horrific, and the suits are worse! Combined with a weak plot that makes the PTS the best part of the film. I just can't get into this one. It's not the same Craig that I loved from CR and Qos, the Bond that would calmly watch a guy die while holding a knife in his throat.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Stuble O Seven :)) , I thought he stabbed the bloke in the thigh ?
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    My bad scree name, quickly rewatched the screen and yes it's the neck then the thigh. -{
    ( It's been a while since I've watched it ) :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • screenamescreename Posts: 388MI6 Agent
    Stubble O Seven! Mind if I steal that?
    Yes, one of my favorite Bond films.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Go ahead Screename, I stole it too. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    I really didn't care much for it when I first viewed it, but then I felt the same way about QOS the first time as well. QOS has risen to my top ten, while sadly, SF has risen only a bit for me, being a good solid entry, but not one of my absolute favourites...
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • CmdrAtticusCmdrAtticus United StatesPosts: 1,102MI6 Agent
    I've seen it many times. It's still near the top of my list because it grabs the flavor of Fleming's novels (bits of YOLT and TMWTGG) and portrays them realistically with a
    flesh and blood Bond. If they can keep the films modern and current and keep writing
    twisted, flamboyant yet dark villains and leave the parodies of the old series out and
    keep tucking in bits from Fleming's work that haven't been done, I'll keep looking forward to the next installment.

    I will continue rewatching SF for the photography, performances, nostalgia and those wonderful opening credits.
  • Ens007Ens007 EnglandPosts: 863MI6 Agent
    Thoroughly enjoyed it first time round & still enjoy it greatly after numerous viewings.

    There's things I'd have liked them to have done / developed further, but I'm probably just being picky now.

    Really want to see how the Moneypenny / Fiennes / DC relationship(s) develop ...
  • Charmed & DangerousCharmed & Dangerous Posts: 7,358MI6 Agent
    Skyfall seems to divide views like no other Bond film since LTK... :s
    "How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,292MI6 Agent
    I saw it four times in the cinema where it went from being a fairly decent Bond film to being my favourite Bond film and then back to being just ok.

    Now it ranks at number 8 on my list of Bond films. When it's good it's great and when it's not so good it is still ok. It doesn't plumb the depths of Diamonds are Forever nor does it scale the heights of Casino Royale. It's a middling Bond film, but damn good fun.

    I would prob agree with this analysis!
    Instagram - bondclothes007
  • The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect Posts: 3,631MI6 Agent
    Ens007 wrote:

    There's things I'd have liked them to have done / developed further, but I'm probably just being picky now.

    ...

    There are lots of little things I would have liked to have seen tweaked, although nothing major....except that as time has gone by, I really do wish they hadn't destroyed the DB5. It's a silly thing, but they should have left it a bit bullet-riddled and battle-scarred so that it can appear again. I liked the way it popped up periodically. Oh well...
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Skyfall seems to divide views like no other Bond film since LTK... :s

    Oh, I would say QoS has that effect too!
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,417Chief of Staff
    Barbel wrote:
    Skyfall seems to divide views like no other Bond film since LTK... :s

    Oh, I would say QoS has that effect too!

    No...everyone loves that film now -{

    {:)
    YNWA 97
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    :)) Yeah...
Sign In or Register to comment.