Skyfall (Mendes, 2012)

[Voyeur]

I liked most of this quite a bit! With the opener in Istanbul, the credits, the training sequence, and the action bits in Shanghai, I was completely riveted and I really thought this was going to be one of my favorite Bond movies ever. But then it kinda stalled out for me when Bardem showed up, and then the movie completely lost me with the Scotland part, which I thought was incredibly boring and confusing. Like, nothing that happened there, let alone the fact that they went there at all, made any sense to me; the cinematography was gorgeous, but the editing kinda fell apart for me there and as a whole it just felt tacked on and lazy and loooong. About five minutes into it I wanted Judi Dench to go ahead and die already.

Yeah, I guess this is pretty close to how I feel. I absolutely loved the start and much of the middle of the film...but I wasn't really impressed with the finale. Seemed like a fairly unoriginal way to stage a final confrontation between Bond and Silva. I dunno, I've probably seen way too many Bond films, I guess.

[Buster]

I agree with these last thoughts as well. The Scotland section was a complete misfire. Not to nitpick or anything (it is Bond, after all), but if you're trying to escape with your life, you don't go wandering the moors with a BRIGHT FLASHLIGHT shining every which way.

That said, I do look forward to more Fiennes, Harris, and Whishaw in their recurring roles going forward ... they were all excellent I thought. Oh, and seeing this in the setting of Grauman's Chinese (with their state-of-the-art sound/picture), was just breathtaking. Deakins deserves the Oscar just for the Shanghai scenes alone.

[haqyunus]

Well it is James Bond do i don't pay that much attention to logic :p Also the idea of going back to the basics was figurative to me rather than being perfectly logical in all regards.

The while Shanghai scene itself was amazing. The whole execution, The lighting, the concept, music, mirrors and recursive reflections, body language, Severine watching him across the building etc.

[bryan1311]

Am I the only who loved the Scotland segment? It was almost like Bond meets western...

Still, the best segment of this was easily the fight scene in Shanghai. Good Lord that was the most stunning action sequence I've seen in a long, long time.

[Hatshepsutely]

Am I the only who loved the Scotland segment? It was almost like Bond meets western...

I liked it for that reason, as well. Very Leone, especially the steady-cam shot of the henchmen fanning down over the hillside.

[GR3]

Scotland was my favorite part as well.

[steve4922]

I really liked this, although the Scottish segment didn't make a whole lot of sense, to say the least. In Bardem's first scene, he flirts with and even touches Bond, and Bond in response says something like "Why do you think this would be my first time?", without even a trace of irony. And then later on there's a line from Bardem about who would get to be on top. The script's suggestion (even for comic relief) that 007 might have slept with men is, to me, amazing. How far we have come.

[Hatshepsutely]

I really liked this, although the Scottish segment didn't make a whole lot of sense, to say the least. In Bardem's first scene, he flirts with and even touches Bond, and Bond in response says something like "Why do you think this would be my first time?", without even a trace of irony. And then later on there's a line from Bardem about who would get to be on top. The script's suggestion (even for comic relief) that 007 might have slept with men is, to me, amazing. How far we have come.

Craig himself petitioned way back in 2006 to make Bond bisexual. I'm glad they finally threw him a bone, so to speak.

[lazarus]

In Bardem's first scene, he flirts with and even touches Bond, and Bond in response says something like "Why do you think this would be my first time?", without even a trace of irony. And then later on there's a line from Bardem about who would get to be on top. The script's suggestion (even for comic relief) that 007 might have slept with men is, to me, amazing. How far we have come.

You can say that again.

[Timmer]

Buster, re: the flashlight in Scotland, I thought they did a marvellous job of making Dench's and Finney's characters appear out of their depth, there, and the mistake of a flashlight fits in perfectly. I mean, they set up the whole Home Alone thing, plant traps all of which will work perfectly, and then pull the rug out with round 2 as if to say "no no, that's how OTHER movies work" and then things got serious. And both Finney and Dench's characters made mistakes and looked quite shaken, and the flashlight worked for me!

[GR3]

Bond never slept with a man. He's being sarcastic.

[Hatshepsutely]

Bond never slept with a man. He's been sarcastic.

Well, he did attend Eton.

[Juanki]

Am I the only who loved the Scotland segment? It was almost like Bond meets western...

No, you're not. It's by far my favourite part of the film. And it's weird because every person I know who has seen the film in France, agrees that it's the best part.

[shooter_mcgavin]

I agree with these last thoughts as well. The Scotland section was a complete misfire. Not to nitpick or anything (it is Bond, after all), but if you're trying to escape with your life, you don't go wandering the moors with a BRIGHT FLASHLIGHT shining every which way.

Overall I thought this was a great showdown ... I have only seen the Craig and Brosnan Bonds (plus that unofficial Never Say Never Again) and I thought it was great to see Bond in that "last stand" pinned to the corner setup.

[Andy Hall]

Excellent movie -- one of the strongest and most well-balanced I've seen all year. I would nominate Judi Dench.

[bryan1311]

Also, I'm not entirely sure why (it's probably more due to Cloud Atlas than this) but I have a huge crush on Ben Whishaw.

[cassius]

Terrific movie, for all the reasons mentioned (great villain, gorgeous photography, go Craig, great action, great song, etc.) but I was glad to see that this one was utterly preposterous. That is a struggle all Bond films have... be serious or be preposterous, and this movie is made with the weight and skill of a Sam Mendes movie, yet it features the sort of straight faced lunacy that only a Bond movie can really provide. Best example... the badguy actually tries to drop a subway on somebody! Dead serious! And it's awesome!

And Sam, what a rebound. 1999 seems like a year when a lot of really talented directors peeked early: Sam, Shamalyan, the Wachowskis, Kim Pierce, the Blair Witch guys, Gil Junger (hey, I loved his movie). Sam has certainly fared better than some of these folk, but he's been dogged by never being able to live up to the promise of a movie which hasn't exactly aged with the the same brio as some of the other Best Picture winners of that era. Well, this will either be his rejuvenation or his "at least I've got three memorable movies" achievement. But I would have no problem with him making the Best Director cut this year. And Deakins should win. As should Adele.

My one gripe... the Albert Finney role should have gone to Sean Connery.

[kitkat]

Enjoyable but it needed at least 20 minutes trimmed. I got a bit tired of the endless explosions in Scotland.

[dlong5665]

I LOVED this. Stellar action, a suprisingly great script and absolutely terrific performanes. Dench deserves a nod (she'll probably get a BAFTA nod) for the courthouse scene alone. Bardem was so fantastic I forgot about his hair, he's done that twice now!

This was also the best shot film of the year, no question. If Deakins gets snubbed I'll shoot someone. Just wow!

[OscarsFan 2.3]

Also, I'm not entirely sure why (it's probably more due to Cloud Atlas than this) but I have a huge crush on Ben Whishaw.

I've had a thing for him since "Brideshead Revisited." So I wouldn't say it's a strange thing. I think it's because he has a real humanness to his "nerdy" and vulnerable persona.