[satfrat]

It's being said that this is the best James Bond movie ever. Hard to believe personally as I've had a hard time coming to terms with Daniel Craig as 007 even tho I have enjoyed his current 007 movies. It's been a sweet/sour thingie for me that I'm still working through. 

Rotten Tomatoes says:

Sam Mendes brings Bond surging back with a smart, sexy, riveting action thriller that qualifies as one of the best 007 films to date.

I'm waiting til next week to see this flick myself,,, when I can pair it up with the series conclusion of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt2. But I thought I might wetten my 007 anticipation with the thoughts from those who have seen Skyfall. Anyone? 

Cheers,
Robin

[highfilter]

I'm with you on the sweet & sour.

With all the rave reviews, I was expecting to be blown away (and was really pumped up after the awesome trailers) but I honestly didn't enjoy the movie that much. I thought there were many times in the film that were dragging along and there were missed opportunities to elevate the movie. However, Javier Bardem was amazing (love this actor) and there were a few really entertaining scenes that were shot beautifully.

I'm not a huge Bond fan myself, but my friend said he likes Skyfall better than Solace, but not as much as Casino Royale. Best Bond ever? Hmm...

I'd give it a shot though, if nothing else but to see Javier do his thing.

[dflee]

Saw it Saturday and it is definetly full of action. Sometimes action for actions sake.
My wife really enjoyed it. I feel Craig has a rougher side than other Bonds and isn't
quite as debonier as previous Bonds but it's cool. Might have to see it again just to
catch all the nuances.

[JLM]

Craig is rough/dark/crude. 

Connery is still my fav, so I liked the references back to the old school methods/etc.

But almost no chick scenes, can it be 007 without major babes?

[Cacophonix]

I absolutely loved this movie. To me, Daniel Craig is way better than any of the previous bonds. But then, i started watching Bond movies quite late in my life, and by this time, there were already gazillion bond-like movies around. So when i did watch the earlier bond movies, they looked very dated, and almost comical with their gadgets, women, and stunts. I felt the same way about star wars as well.

This movie does not have as large a stage as previous iterations of this franchise. The number of characters here are much smaller. It is very intimate (watch the movie to see what skyfall means to bond) and sets the stage for the Bond that most are familiar with. If you go there expecting the swagger and style of the bond you are familiar with, you might be disappointed. I didn't, and wasn't

[ajzepp]

I caught it on IMAX Sunday night...D.Craig has officially moved ahead of Sir Roger Moore for me as my favorite Bond. I LOVED Skyfall....was into it for the full running time, which is saying a lot cause I rarely have patience for sitting in a theater seat for over 2hrs....but this movie passed the test big time. I agree with highfilter's friend....I liked it better than QofS, but Casino Royale is still my favorite.

Did anyone else find the night shots of Shanghai to be stunning? I was captivated by that whole sequence.

I also loved how the film paid tribute to Bond films of the past. It very respectfully and even playfully took its place among the better Bond films of all time. I can't wait for the next one....

[satfrat]

I caught it on IMAX Sunday night...D.Craig has officially moved ahead of Sir Roger Moore for me as my favorite Bond. I LOVED Skyfall....was into it for the full running time, which is saying a lot cause I rarely have patience for sitting in a theater seat for over 2hrs....but this movie passed the test big time. I agree with highfilter's friend....I liked it better than QofS, but Casino Royale is still my favorite.

Did anyone else find the night shots of Shanghai to be stunning? I was captivated by that whole sequence.

I also loved how the film paid tribute to Bond films of the past. It very respectfully and even playfully took its place among the better Bond films of all time. I can't wait for the next one....

Well you've now officially got me wound for sound AJ. A 2+ hour movie is a long time if the movie isn't captivating you so I'm glad to hear you having the same reactions I did for Cloud Atlas, strictly from a captivating point of view mind you.

When I think of 007, I think cool dude & lots of hot women. Craig is roughly cool but he simply isn't following the same script of his predecessors. Not a bad thing really,, just different. I've been debating if I wanted to take the extra travel time to see this flick in IMAX. I think you pushed me over the debating edge there AJ. 

Cheers,
Robin

[lonewolfny42]

Their missing the Queen....

[ajzepp]

Well you've now officially got me wound for sound AJ. A 2+ hour movie is a long time if the movie isn't captivating you so I'm glad to hear you having the same reactions I did for Cloud Atlas, strictly from a captivating point of view mind you.

When I think of 007, I think cool dude & lots of hot women. Craig is roughly cool but he simply isn't following the same script of his predecessors. Not a bad thing really,, just different. I've been debating if I wanted to take the extra travel time to see this flick in IMAX. I think you pushed me over the debating edge there AJ. 

Cheers,
Robin

I'm luke warm to 3D but I have never had a bad IMAX experience. Im really fortunate to have a beautiful IMAX theater about 10 min from my front door, and I've had a great time there.  I think it's about a $5 difference in ticket ($12 v $17), but I don't remember ever thinking, "dang, I wish I would have saved that five bucks" after the movie. That being said, if it was a difference of traveling a lot further for the show, I'd probably go with a regular screen and save the trip time for a movie like Skyfall.

I have a pretty good idea of how much you love movies, though, so I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it either way   I wouldn't go into it getting caught up in the hype that it's the greatest Bond movie ever....I'd temper your expectations, cause it's not some groundbreaking film. It's a gritty, fun ride that will hold your attention and do it's job of entertaining you. It's easily a top 10 Bond film of all time, probably even top 5 for me.

[satfrat]

It's a 5 hour round trip for me. 

[ajzepp]

It's a 5 hour round trip for me. 

Okay, that's an easy call then....no IMAX lol

[satfrat]

Okay, that's an easy call then....no IMAX lol

Or rip half dozen CD-r's for the ride. 

[ajzepp]

Or rip half dozen CD-r's for the ride. 

There you go...is it a fun drive?

[satfrat]

There you go...is it a fun drive?

30 miles of newly rebuilt road from last years Hurricane Irene that was 3 months in the making, then it's 2 Interstate highways & 80-90 mph. It's the only time I really get to open up the Hemi and I haven't taken the drive since before Irene so I'm way overdue. Just needed a gentle shove in the back. 

Cheers,
Robin

[Rob Babcock]

I have a ton of respect for Sean Connery as Bond, and he's one of my favorite living actors...but I have to pile on with the critics.  Skyfall is the best Bond movie and one of the better films I've seen this year.

[satfrat]

I went and saw Skyfall today and when Adele sang the movies opening song that she herself wrote, I knew I was in for a good one,,, what a song she belted out! This movie was definitely Craig's best attempt at 007 and the women were of 007 quality. Good storyline, lots of captivating action but while this movie is definitely Daniel Craig's best 007 movie, I still can't connect these latest 007 series with those from the past. But regardless, it was a damn good movie. 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Cheers,
Robin

[wushuliu]

I will be a debbie downer/snob and say that I was very disappointed on a lot of levels with this movie (my gf felt differently). I am not a Bond fanatic but I have loved all the films since I was a kid and make sure to see them in the theater every time. I have come to accept what I consider to be consistent shortcomings and have a pretty wide window of forgiveness when it comes to making sense of a bond film.

That said I totally bought into the awesome trailers and review hype about Skyfall. You've got an Academy Award winning director at the helm, academy award winning (or at least nominated) screenwriter credited, Academy award winning cinematographer (the best around these days IMO), Ralph Fiennes, Bardem, etc etc.

I went in with really high expectations. The opening action sequence is amazing and def. one of the best bond openings ever - certainly the best in terms of filmmaking. Once the title sequence started though I got this funny feeling. Adele's song is the best one in ages - finally a REAL Bond theme song for the first time in decades. But I couldn't help but think the title sequence itself was kind of cheesy and cheap - especially with a $200m budget. Even the 70s openers were more inventive IMO. Then there was the constant focus on the bullet in the shoulder in that sequence. More on that in a sec.

On the plus side the cinematography and action sequences are incredible. There are absolutely some of the most beautiful and iconic Bond images ever in this film. Mendes credits Christopher Nolan as an influence for this film and it shows (even the music if you listen is reminiscent of Dark Knight). The Shanghai and Bardem Island scenes conjure Inception immediately for instance. The fight scenes are EXPERTLY STAGED. None of this close cutting bullsh*t that is all the rage for the past decade where arms are just flailing and you don't know who is hitting who. This is real fight CHOREOGRAPHY and it is awesome.

Javier Bardem is the sh*t. Nuff said. Ralph Fiennes is the balls. That dude owns every scene. Hate to say but every time Voldemort opened his mouth I was like 'damn you should have been Bond dude'. Fiennes just exudes a giant middle finger of classy badass and is just one of the best actors living, period.[SPOILERISH] There must be more to his role in this franchise than what we know because that dude ain't sittin' behind a chair in every film. I just don't see that.

Now with all that, I mean, that's a high bar the Bond people set for themselves and IMO it was just too high to clear because the same old Bond shortcomings showed up anyway: great action scenes, everything else meh including plot, structure, etc. In fact the dialogue, with the exception of Bardem, was some of the worst I've heard in a long time. Well, at least from two Oscar winners/contenders anyway. I could not tell you a single line or talking scene that stood out except for Bardem. He got all the good lines, and does his best with the stuff that sucks. I know most people just won't care but hey I care about that stuff. Casino Royale is still tops for me on that front. Then there's the WTF is the plot again? problem many of the worser Bond films have where halfway through your like what is this dude after? Skyfall had it in spades. All kinds of plot points and information just shooting out at you and by the end I'm still like WTF cause it's all over the place. Oh, and that bullet in the shoulder referenced in the title sequence over and over and over and over? Yeah, well that plot point conveniently disappeared halfway through.

Finally, I felt like they tried too hard. Skyfall is like three awesome Bond movies spliced into one really uneven movie: There's a Bourne/MI plot w/ the internal security vulnerability and agents dying and Bond considered dead. That would have been cool by itself. But then quickly it's oh he's not dead and now we have Bond movie #2: Queer Eye for a Bond Guy which is old school throwback to flamboyant villain who has mommy issues complete w/ international destinations and the requisite asian love interest and classic Bond car. That would have been cool by itself. Lastly there is Bond Movie #3: Rambond:First Blood where Bond finds himself in environments with limited technology and in the country, confronting past issues, and must fight using whatever resources he has including random A-Team/MacGuyver bursting nails in a bag of gunpowder attached to the chandelier trick! THAT would have been a cool Bond movie on its own. But instead you get a mishmash of all three and it just doesn't add up.

Personally I feel Mendes had very little control over the plot and editing, that the Broccoli's pretty much dictate exactly what constitutes a Bond film - and the best he could offer was the acting and visuals. I mean this is the guy who made The Road to Perdition - one of the most visually accomplished films I've ever seen with some of the best acting I've seen from Hanks AND Daniel Craig (who is evil, evil, evil!). So like I said my expectations were really high.

And for goodness sake, they need to stop trying to reinvent Eva Green in every movie. This is exactly what I'm talking about. She sealed the deal as the best Bond girl in ages in CR and now they keep introducing someone who looks just like her.

If you have low expectations and just expect the usual Bond you will be impressed. If you go in thinking it's a game changer, it's not IMO. I think they could have made a genuine phenomenal film for the ages, but gave in to the dated by the book approach that's crippled the franchise over the decades, that other franchises like Bourne have learned to avoid successfully.

Love the Adele song though. I mean why did it take decades to get back to a proper Bond song?

Long post. Maybe I AM a Bond fanatic!

[cujobob]

I really struggled to enjoy Skyfall and I loved the other Bond films with Daniel Craig. I think the script could have worked but the directing was pretty poor. My biggest gripe is really that Bond isn't much of a badass. In this movie, he struggles shooting, running, and doing pretty much everything. The short fight on the island and the cool car were pretty much it for cool factor. It's a movie worth watching, but I wanted more badass for my money.

[ajzepp]

My biggest gripe is really that Bond isn't much of a badass. In this movie, he struggles shooting, running, and doing pretty much everything.

I thought it was pretty clear why that was the case...the guy isn't a superhero, ya know

[ajzepp]

I think they could have made a genuine phenomenal film for the ages, but gave in to the dated by the book approach that's crippled the franchise over the decades

Crippled the franchise? Skyfall has already made 800 million worldwide! lol