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I Just Saw Skyfall
I didn't see a general review thread so I'm just gonna post this.
I haven't been around here for at least a year because I didn't want to be spoiled for this movie. What I knew going in was the two trailers and the title. That is all.
I have to share my excitement and deep satisfaction with other Bond fans.
When I was 12 years old I read my first Ian Fleming novel, "The Man With The Golden Gun". Naturally, I was shocked by the content of the book. But when I put it down I thought, "Why aren't the movies like this?" Over the years the Bond movies have flirted with the idea of putting Fleming's Bond on the screen, just as written. There were stand-outs like HMSS, TLD, LTK and CR, but I always felt that there was some vital element missing that kept even the best of the films from truly capturing Fleming's Bond. Today I finally saw "my" Bond on screen: a human being who happens to be a skilled agent, a man (not a superhero) with an interesting personality who you end up rooting for.
They've finally done it. "Skyfall" is a character-driven espionage mystery adventure, written for adults, with an actual flesh and blood human being at the center of it. I know there are some fans of the movie franchise who don't like these types of Bond films, and I know there are many on these boards who probably hated this movie. For me, I finally saw the Bond movie I would have made. I'm so glad they dropped the whole "killer instinct" thing: this Bond is intelligent, experienced, that's where his strengths as an agent are, a Thinking Bond. I love how Skyfall is rooted in classic British espionage fiction, I was frequently reminded of Fleming, Le Carre, and John Gardner.
I panicked a little early on: big action sequence (cool, but how is that new?), then pouty Bond drinking and sexing it up. Fortunately that was just the lead-up to the actual film. It's like they got the "James Bond Movie" out of the way in the first 20 minutes and then simply made a gripping spy thriller with Fleming's Bond at the heart of it. Maybe that is what they did! I don't know. But I had a good vibe sitting through the opening credits: for the first time, I believe, they work as a short film, exploring the psychology of Bond, laying out the symbols and subtext of the film, it reminded me so much of the surreal psychological sequences from Hitchcock movies. Visually this easily the best looking of the series, with images that are more than simply polished, they have psychological depth, these are modern images, not just flash, they work as images do in films by directors like Hitchcock, Scorsese, Coppola etc.
I can't go into detail, having only seen the movie once. But I was 100% pleased. The last 10 minutes are simply the best in the entire series. What really excited me was where it leaves off. With past Bonds, age became an issue because they still had Bond diving out of rockets and seducing 20 year old girls. With this version of Bond, M, Q, and Moneypenny, they could easily do two or three more. There's nothing absurd about this Bond. Give him a good script, a gripping story, and a first class director, and age becomes a non-issue.
I haven't been around here for at least a year because I didn't want to be spoiled for this movie. What I knew going in was the two trailers and the title. That is all.
I have to share my excitement and deep satisfaction with other Bond fans.
When I was 12 years old I read my first Ian Fleming novel, "The Man With The Golden Gun". Naturally, I was shocked by the content of the book. But when I put it down I thought, "Why aren't the movies like this?" Over the years the Bond movies have flirted with the idea of putting Fleming's Bond on the screen, just as written. There were stand-outs like HMSS, TLD, LTK and CR, but I always felt that there was some vital element missing that kept even the best of the films from truly capturing Fleming's Bond. Today I finally saw "my" Bond on screen: a human being who happens to be a skilled agent, a man (not a superhero) with an interesting personality who you end up rooting for.
They've finally done it. "Skyfall" is a character-driven espionage mystery adventure, written for adults, with an actual flesh and blood human being at the center of it. I know there are some fans of the movie franchise who don't like these types of Bond films, and I know there are many on these boards who probably hated this movie. For me, I finally saw the Bond movie I would have made. I'm so glad they dropped the whole "killer instinct" thing: this Bond is intelligent, experienced, that's where his strengths as an agent are, a Thinking Bond. I love how Skyfall is rooted in classic British espionage fiction, I was frequently reminded of Fleming, Le Carre, and John Gardner.
I panicked a little early on: big action sequence (cool, but how is that new?), then pouty Bond drinking and sexing it up. Fortunately that was just the lead-up to the actual film. It's like they got the "James Bond Movie" out of the way in the first 20 minutes and then simply made a gripping spy thriller with Fleming's Bond at the heart of it. Maybe that is what they did! I don't know. But I had a good vibe sitting through the opening credits: for the first time, I believe, they work as a short film, exploring the psychology of Bond, laying out the symbols and subtext of the film, it reminded me so much of the surreal psychological sequences from Hitchcock movies. Visually this easily the best looking of the series, with images that are more than simply polished, they have psychological depth, these are modern images, not just flash, they work as images do in films by directors like Hitchcock, Scorsese, Coppola etc.
I can't go into detail, having only seen the movie once. But I was 100% pleased. The last 10 minutes are simply the best in the entire series. What really excited me was where it leaves off. With past Bonds, age became an issue because they still had Bond diving out of rockets and seducing 20 year old girls. With this version of Bond, M, Q, and Moneypenny, they could easily do two or three more. There's nothing absurd about this Bond. Give him a good script, a gripping story, and a first class director, and age becomes a non-issue.
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Comments
Really? Well, here's the homepage with all the correct threads highlighted as of 8:14pm EST. Notice the top one is your thread.
why don't you put that in this thread with the rest of the things I wont read today
I couldn't agree more. I stopped coming here a few weeks before seeing the movie and now wish I would've left much earlier, as some things were "spoiled" for me. Such is life in the internet age. Lesson learned.
If you simply scrolled, if that, I would've gladly met you with a warmer welcome.
Why don't you chill out?
As we all know one can not convey tone through simple text, and unfortunately you've assumed my tone is not polite.
I'm perfectly calm.
I didn't mean any insult, but my first reply wasn't snarky. I just can't comprehend how someone with experience on this forum manages to create this thread when the appropriate, pre-existing thread was right there on the front page.
The great part is, when I simply provide the evidence to close this thread, I'm referred to as snarky.
I'm simply pointing out an error. Not declaring war.
The current political climate does not encourage 'Chill'.
Anyway, Hi!
Meteorologist. Ooooooh fancy.
I agree.