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TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997)-
BOND- Pierce was now very comfortable in the role, and it showed. Not the literary perfection of Dalton, but a GREAT cinema Bond in the style of Connery blended with Moore and a dash of Lazenby. Nice mix...4/5
WOMEN- Hatcher was beautiful, the 'little Danish' was a nice cherry on this sundae, and Michelle Yeoh was, for my money, the best Bond girl of the entire series. 4.5/5
VILLAINS- Carver was suitably psycho, Stamper was a good henchman with a subtle bark, but an enormous bite, and Dr. Kaufman was an exceedingly creepy toss-in that it was my great pleasure to see terminated. - 4/5
HUMOUR- This threatened to go over the top many times, yet never quite managed to annoy me; M's "Pump her for information" came the closest, but even in that I appreciated her poking fun at Bond in a twisted motherly way.- 4/5
ACTION-Superb & flawless PTS, Vic Armstrong provided Pierce with some frankly stunning bits of choreography (glass ashtray was a gem), and Michelle's Hong Kong background shined something fierce. Even the too-much machine gun nonsense didn't detract (TSWLM & GE must have desensitized me). -5/5
SADISM- Torture talk, gunning down the Devonshire sailors so coldly & Bond giving US what we wanted with respect to Carver put this one pretty high in my book - 4/5
MUSIC-After Eric's sombre score for GE, this was a delight. Not Barry, but as close as I need, personally. Great thematic work off of KD Lang's fantastic song, too bad it wasn't up front.- 4.5/5
LOCATIONS- Hamburg was really nice, the college was cool, nothing outstanding, but it all looked good. - 3.5/5
GADGETS- The car. 'Nuff said.- 4.5/5
SUPPORTING CAST- Gupta, Stamper, Kaufman? - 4/5
OVERALL SCORE - Hands down my favourite Bond of the nineties. It scores 42 out of 50 points.
[/quote]
Love that remark about Jinx vs. Holly. I enjoyed the first half of DAD
Shocked you gave Madonna a 3. (just kidding) Keep 'em coming.
You are writing good, succinct, and to the point reviews, and I am enjoying your contributions; thanks again.
The year is 2010. Despite plans to hopefully begin pre-production and start filming the 23rd adventure during 2010, the financial troubles and subsequent filing of bankruptcy by MGM Studios forces EON and their plans to be indefinitely suspended until the financial and legal details can be sorted out. Despite rampant fears among Bond fans and industry insiders that the wait could be long enough to result in a lengthy period similar to that of 1989-1995 and the loss of the current Bond as it did in the case of Dalton back in 1994, Broccoli, Wilson, Craig, and Oscar winning director Sam Mendes, who'd also signed on back in 2009, stay committed to continue their working relationship and make a new Bond film when time allowed. The one notable casualty of the MGM fallout turned out to be the departure of original writer Peter Morgan, with John Logan coming aboard and writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade recalled to write what may be their last script for some time to come if at all. MGM finally emerges from bankruptcy in December 2010, pre-production resumes, and in January 2011, a release date of October 26th, 2012 for UK audiences is announced, which also allows EON to have a golden anniversary release that coincides with the release of "Dr. No" 50 years earlier in 1962. After dismissing rumors that the Jeffrey Deaver Bond novel "Carte Blanche" was going to be the basis for the story, it's not until around November 3rd of that year that the title "Skyfall", a reference to Skyfall Lodge, Bond's childhood home in Scotland, is announced. The main cast is also confirmed that day, not coincidentally 50 years to the day Sean Connery was announced as James Bond back in 1961. In this one, after Bond is nearly killed during a mission in Turkey while trying to retrieve a stolen hard drive containing the identities of NATO/MI6 agents imbedded in terror organizations throughout the world, an ex-MI6 operative named Raoul Silva launches a terror attack on MI6 headquarters. It's part of a revenge plot directed at M herself and designed to first publicly humiliate and discredit her before his eventual plan to kill her for a past betrayal. Bond sees this attack occur while presumed dead but despite his anger with M for continuing to distrust him, his sense of duty to MI6 and his country compels him to return to an MI6 now turned upside down and go after the person or persons responsible. Along the way we find out Silva is also behind the theft of the hard drive, and a formidable foe who like Alex Trevalyan in 1995 understands his enemy all too well.
Filming began in and around London on November 7th, 2011 and encompassed many locations that had not been used in prior entries, giving the film a very distinctive feel only those like Bond very familiar with London would know. Rather fitting for a British icon celebrating such a milestone. Production moved to Turkey in March, with Adana and it's Varda Viaduct serving as the location for the PTS fight atop a moving train. In April the team moved to Istanbul and filmed at places that included the Spice Bazaar, Yeni Camii, the Main Post Office, Sultanahmet Square and the Grand Bazaar, with the early beach scenes shot at Calis Beach in Fethiye. Despite aerial footage of Shanghai taken with the consent and assistance of the Chinese government no other filming actually took place there, and the Macao/Hashima Island scenes short of an unnamed island off the coast of Macao that doubled for Hashima were all filmed in England and at Pinewood.
The film's premiere took place on October 23rd, 2012 at London's Royal Albert Hall, with full British release occurring on October 26th and U.S release on November 9th. Reviews were for the most part very positive from critics and fans alike, with Kim Newman of Empire Magazine concluding "Skyfall is pretty much all you could want from a 21st Century Bond: cool but not camp, respectful of tradition but up to the moment, serious in it's thrills and relatively complex in it's characters but with the sense of fun that hasn't always been evident lately". Craig and Dench were also highly praised for their efforts, but there were some reviewers that noted the film ran too long, with the final third feeling "protracted", and not matching the first two thirds in its momentum as the "underlying flaws" in the film. Budgeted for between $150-$200 million US, the film was a runaway hit worldwide- as of March it is the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time and only the 14th to cross the vaunted 1 billion dollar mark (1.1 billion to be exact), the highest-grossing film in the UK, the highest-grossing film in the Bond series, the highest-grossing film worldwide for both Sony Pictures and MGM, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2012. More accolades included BAFTA Awards for Outstanding British Film and Best Film Music, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture, and was nominated for a record 5 Academy Awards, of which it won two- the Adele performed theme won Best Original Song, and it shared an award for Best Sound Editing.
THE CAST-
- Daniel Craig as James Bond
- Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva
- Judi Dench as M
- Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory
- Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny
- Ben Whishaw as Q
- Bérénice Lim Marlohe as Séverine
- Albert Finney as Kincade
- Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner
- Helen McCrory as Minister Claire Dowar
- Ola Rapace as Patrice
BOND- In his 3rd appearance as Bond, Daniel Craig appears to have entirely shaken off the rookie interpretation he had to give in CR/QOS as I expected would happen, and is ready to give us his full treatment of the kind of Bond we've seen and come to expect. Well, almost. Craig's Bond is now not lacking for anything in the key areas- he carries the unmistakable air of danger and confident swagger that was a Connery hallmark plus the world weary burned out Bond of Dalton during portions of the film. In short, the necessary qualities of a man born to play Ian Fleming's kind of Bond. Even some of the Connery/Moore humor and facial expressions are evident, in particular the face he makes when he first sees a Komodo dragon sneaking up on a Silva henchman in the Macao casino. Many of the expected Bond character traits, the love of fine clothes, fine hotels, vodka martinis shaken and not stirred, classic cars, and fast women are all very evident. You'd think that it was all perfect and normal provided you appreciate this era, but the repercussions of Bond's injuries and not staying in shape while he "enjoyed death" and his hiatus from active service hold the character back, and are overly played upon to the point that it's insinuated he's "over the hill". Thus, Bond's questioning of himself in this respect is more reminiscent of the CR/QOS Bond than I would have liked. Plus, thanks to M's continuing lack of confidence in him, he's also angry with her and taken on an attitude of what Mendes described as a "combination of lassitude, boredom, depression, and difficulty with what he's chosen to do for a living" which also recalls the Dalton portrayal. Thankfully, his Bond gets his full "mojo" back by the time he whisks M away from London while setting up a trap for the villain at his childhood home, and is back all the way while fighting Silva and his small army of henchmen during the big action finale. His final scene with the dying M is top notch and I really cannot find any flaws in Craig's actual performance this time out but this still isn't quite all the Bond I want to see, one fully triumphant in the end- can we please get back to full normalcy now and have him smiling and enjoying a beautiful woman again in the end as the credits roll?- 4.5/5
WOMEN- For the role of the mysterious Séverine, Mendes and the producers cast a virtual unknown in French Cambodian actress Bérénice Lim Marlohe, a choice that turns out to be a great one. In what I consider to be an introduction worthy of the most iconic in the series, we first see Séverine locking eyes briefly with Bond from a Shanghai high rise, the wind blowing her hair, and for me it was instantly memorable and made me eagerly anticipate the first time they would officially meet. Fleming would have appreciated this character overall, she is almost something right out of his books as a woman with a troubled past. We find out that Séverine was forced into a life of in-house prostitution in Macao at a young age of about 12-13 before becoming the mistress of the villain Silva in exchange for her "freedom". When Bond meets her, that relationship now resembles that of Scaramanga and his mistress Miss Anders as Séverine greatly fears even discussing Silva (great acting during her big scene where you see her hand shaking as she takes a drag from her cigarette) before taking the chance that Bond can kill him if she introduces them. Oh, and like most Bond girls she wants him and he wants her too, as she fully accepts his advances in the shower scene. So while a sympathetic character in one sense, Séverine is like Miss Anders a "user" of strong men who can advance her personal goals, and after finding out of her sexual betrayal, as Silva explains, she becomes "redundant" in his life and he kills her. Her scene in the Macao casino when she and Bond first speak and make their plans is one of the best in the film hands down and the fact that Marlohe, filmed at angles that give her a sometimes Western and sometimes Eastern appearance that her ancestry allows her to pull off, has a unique quality that makes her look absolutely stunning in every scene. Pure sex appeal for me, right down to the way she smokes the aforementioned cigarette. The fact that she was not with Bond in the end is a real pisser for me and a trend I didn't grow up with and one I don't personally like, but at least it's explained and given the nature of the story virtually making M and our new Moneypenny the main Bond girls, this was as good as we were going to get. The other Bond girl of note is another unknown in Greek actress Tonia Sotiropoulou, here as a Turkish girl in a non-speaking role who apparently rescues Bond as the title sequences roll and helps him to "enjoy death" while recovering from his injuries. If Séverine had survived I would have given this a perfect score, but since M and Moneypenny really can't be considered Bond girls in this sense, I will give it the best I can for the terrific showing by Marlohe- 4/5
VILLAINS- For the role of Raoul Silva, right name Thiago Rodriguez, 2007 Oscar winner and Spanish screen legend Javier Bardem is chosen. Silva was once the section head of Hong Kong before his computer hacking activities of the Chinese (ironic to say the least judging by recent headlines) and refusal to heed M's orders to back off leads M to sell him out to the Chinese in a 6 for 1 spy swap during the 1997 handover of Hong Kong. Having survived their interrogation, torture, and a cyanide pill during an abortive suicide attempt, he's since escaped and has been planning an elaborate revenge on M for many years. I really like Silva's initial introduction scene with the classic villain speech and in many ways he is reminiscent of the manic, flamboyant, larger than life bad guys of the Connery and Moore eras. At times I see a bit of both the loony edge and intellectual brilliance of Max Zorin, but writer John Logan (who is gay) imparts a homoerotic element and insinuation that perhaps Silva is bisexual as well as other unique quirks of character not seen before. I found the character to be a stand out in the halls of Bond villains as a result, and Bardem delivers a portrayal I felt was worthy of Oscar consideration. Aside from a variety of goons employed by Silva, the other character of note is a mercenary and assassin hired by Silva known only as Patrice, played by Swedish actor Ola Rapace. He never says a word and doesn't have to, he simply leaves a bloody trail of bodies after escaping from Bond in Turkey, but the second time around featuring another great fight with Bond sees him not so lucky this time. Adding Séverine to the early mix, we have a very strong cast that I'll remember for many years to come- 5/5
HUMOR- After it's relatively humorless predecessor, there is a much more relaxed sense of this that fits the best moments of the Connery and Moore eras and what we have come to expect in past entries. Some standout instances are Bond and Moneypenny in the casino with the CR "don't touch your ear" nod followed by Bond dropping his earpiece in her drink, M informing Bond his flat was sold, his possessions in storage, and that he "bloody well wasn't staying" with her, Silva's antics and quips, a wee bit of a sight gag as Bond jumps on the back of the tube while chasing Silva with a man remarking that "he's keen to get home", Q's exploding pen joke, Kinkaid calling Bond a "jumped up little shit" and other lines I'll leave for others to discuss. This is a great example of the dry British wit that I've always enjoyed in these movies and British films in general, no slapstick or lame sex jokes here, this is how it ought to be done and what I hope will continue going forward- 5/5
ACTION- The film gets off to a fast start with Bond tending to a mortally wounded MI6 agent before he and Eve Moneypenny chase Patrice and the hard drive he's stolen via auto and motorcycle through the streets and over the rooftops of Istanbul and the Grand Bazaar, ending with Bond and Patrice batting on top of a moving train in another nod to the past in recalling the Bond/Gobinda fight in Octopussy. One of the longer PTS sequences, but still well done as far as setting the stage for the rest of the story to unfold. Even better though shorter is the dazzling second and final fight between Bond and Patrice set among the neon lights, glass, and shadows of a high rise office tower in Shanghai. I love how Bond pursues Patrice by hitching a ride on the underside of an elevator, showing his right shoulder is still not in great shape, rather than taking him on right away. A really great moment that adds to the entire scene, just wished they'd shown Patrice falling to his death with arms flailing as in the trailer. Other scenes such as the Macao casino fight featuring 3 Silva goons and Komodo dragons, Bond's chase of Silva through the London subway system, and Silva's first attempt to kill M at a government inquiry all build to the final confrontation at Bond's childhood home Skyfall Lodge. My minor complaint is in regards to Bond's survival of a 300 foot fall that would have killed most people with little explanation, but scenes filmed in 1979 and 1995 chasing people and planes through mid air ultimately made this more believable. My more major complaint was too much concentration on Bond's injuries and how they affected him made him seem too much like a novice or a man whose skills are deteriorating due to age, while scenes that could have better explained Silva's elaborate escape plans were ignored and thus made his escape from MI6 custody a bit too implausible in certain areas- 3.5/5
SADISM- Not excessive in a strong physical sense but definitely rich in psychological torture. Silva is almost perversely delightful as he clearly enjoys satisfying his urges to humiliate M. As Bond states early on, Silva "wanted M to see" the attack on MI6 and wanted her to suffer grief for her deceased co-workers and burn with revenge while wondering who was behind it. He sends her messages making fun of her and a virtual slot machine that comes up all death skulls before baiting her into releasing the first 5 names of the NATO/MI6 operatives, making her responsible for their deaths as well. For Bond, he tries to play him off against M by telling him about M's lies regarding his return to field duty, and tortures him psychologically with homoerotic advances designed to unnerve him. He clearly passes off killing Séverine as no big deal which Bond uses to launch a disarming line before going on the attack, but can't resist one last kiss and letting her know he knows she slept with Bond and betrayed him, and of course he blows up a section of the tube knowing it could result in more deaths. Compared to the more recent likes of LTK and CR it doesn't score nearly as highly, but with the revenge angle in play it's still better than average- 3.5/5
LOCATIONS- Although Roger Deakins' magnificent efforts lost out somewhat undeservedly in my opinion to a CGI-filled rival at the Academy Awards, he deserved at least the nomination for his outstanding work here. England, the mountain mists and moors of Scotland, the aerial footage of the Turkish rooftop motorcycle chase, all that alone would rate highly even filmed by a lesser talent. But it's Shanghai that knocks me out and his work here makes that happen. He films amazing footage of the city at night right down to the rooftop hotel pool, the central highway bathed in blue lights, the wide spectrum of neon colors, and then dazzles even more with his filming inside the Shanghai office building ablaze in gold, green, and more blue as Bond shadows Patrice, waiting to strike. Thank the gods Forster and his crew weren't around to muck it up this time. And if that wasn't enough, the virtual brick by brick recreation of Hashima Island and the Macao casino with it's fireworks heralding Bond's arrival amidst the lamp lit waters and dragon figures also impresses nearly if not as much. Some may be disappointed that the crew didn't actually step foot in Shanghai and Macao, but Deakins and production designer Dennis Gassner don't make you feel as though they weren't if you didn't know it. Given this, you can't do any better than what they presented- 5/5
MUSIC- 11 time Academy Award nominee Thomas Newman is chosen by director Sam Mendes to sit in the Bond composer chair for the first time due to their past working relationship, and I must admit I was curious to see if he would respect the musical tradition as David Arnold had. The film opens up with "Grand Bazaar, Istanbul", featuring a tense opening minute reflecting Bond checking to see if the person that stole the hard drive is lurking before breaking into Middle Eastern flavored instrumentation and percussion, with bits of the Bond theme entering towards the end. Next up is the Academy Award winning title song co-written by and performed by English soul singer Adele. It took a few listens to get used to it, but it has a very Bondian feel with the first 4 notes of the Bond theme present in the verse and a simple kind of chorus that is catchy and hummable. It works even better for with me with Kleinman's titles capturing the near death imagery with Bond perhaps reflecting on his life and I was glad to see a Bond song get such high recognition, my only wish would have been for Adele to use a little more of the power she is known for. My fear with this hire was that Newman would make the mistake of not using such a good song to give the movie an identity, but fortunately he does here and there. A brief nod is heard in "The Bloody Shot" that is used during the PTS, but it works even better in what I consider to be Newman's standout track in "Komodo Dragon" as the title theme plays while Bond arrives at the Macao casino. This song also features a little bit of Newman's attempt at romance with "Severine" with it's echoing flute that makes me think Native American before breaking into lush strings with acoustic guitar accompaniment. The theme much like thoughts of Vesper in QOS are used in other pieces such as "Modigliani" where Séverine appears. Some other tracks I really liked along the way start with "Brave New World" that breaks in over the aerial night footage of Shanghai. "Jellyfish" is heard when Bond follows Patrice into the Shanghai high rise and stalks him from the shadows. I just love this track with the hauntingly simple piano, bass drums, and strings alternating from low to high octaves, it really adds a lot of depth and feel to the scene."Breadcrumbs" is another big fave of mine here with a more updated Arnold type of Bond theme and some Vic Flick guitar as the DB5 comes out of storage, just so classic. Newman also does a piece called "Skyfall" that contains none of the title song but it's so atmospheric as Bond and M arrive in Scotland and watch the mist descending the mountains. The remainder of the soundtrack from here is serviceable and nothing overly special in the action genre but parts of "Deep Water" with echoes of the Skyfall theme, big brass and crashing cymbals are interesting. My overall thoughts as a musician and composer? Not bad for a fellow doing his first Bond soundtrack, but this effort isn't exactly the "second coming" of Barry. The more I listen to it, Newman does not quite live up to the hype nor does this wipe the floor with Arnold past being more complicated in rhythm and structure. There's a whole lot of the same electronica going on that people complained about with Arnold and not something I particularly like, and he uses the Bond and Skyfall themes more sparingly in a movie that to me screams for lots of cues such as this. It gets a little redundant as a standalone soundtrack and while Silva might have shot him for this, I'll simply say it was a solid effort but not one that beats Barry, Martin, or several of Arnold's scores for Bondian feel- 3.5/5
GADGETS- With a new Q on the job, the good news for gadget fans is that Craig finally gets to use more than usual. A handgun version of the signature rifle first used in Licence To Kill, naturally with microdermal palmprint, and a more simple radio transmitter are all he gets from Q, but then the legendary 1964 Aston Martin DB5 of Goldfinger and Thunderball is brought "out of storage" by Bond, complete with machine guns behind the headlights he uses on Silva's men in Scotland, and of course the legendary red button hidden insde the gearshift that releases the passenger ejector seat (wish I had the option to use this on a few dates back in my sordid past) is shown in a hilarious exchange between Bond and M on the way to Scotland. The transmitter, go figure, winds up serving Bond the best of all. Not so many that a high score is required, but a well done nod to the past as after all this is an anniversary tribute featuring the best of the old and the new- 3/5
SUPPORTING CAST- Due to the nature of the story being told and a detailed rather than cold reintroduction of the MI6 regulars, a great deal of storyline emphasis is placed in this area. In the lead here with the most screen time given to a support character is Judi Dench in her 7th and final appearance as M. Naturally she figures prominently as the story revolves around another bad decision of hers (these go back to TWINE in my opinion) in losing both Bond and the NATO hard drive having now landed her in trouble with her own government, who like Bond are questioning her competence and want her to retire. More pressure is added when MI6 is attacked and exposed operatives start to die, but she digs her heels in and refuses to step down until the crisis is resolved. And as we see in the end, her bad decision not to listen to Bond at Skyfall Lodge costs her more than just her job. Dame Judi gives one of her finest performances of many I have seen both as M and as other characters, and certainly saved the best for last. This was her moment to shine and show her full range of ability (her recital of Tennyson at her competency hearing was beautifully done) and she more than delivered. And although we know she was legally obligated, I would like to thank her for her 17 years of service to the series. Now to the replacements. The most noted of these is veteran English actor Ralph Fiennes here as Gareth Mallory, first introduced as the Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee which has oversight over MI6 affairs. Mallory is not a "bean counter", he has a legit background as a retired army lieutenant colonel who survived 3 months as a captive of the IRA, and initially he is presented as yet another antagonist for M when he advises her that she will have to retire. His presence is resented by both M and Tanner and Bond doesn't much seem to like him either. But when he takes a Silva bullet for M and fights one armed alongside Bond to save her, he proves to be a man that commands respect and when he's introduced in the end as the new M in a very familiar office, all is well and for now he is accepted. Since we know that like Dench he doesn't work on the cheap, I'd expect to see lots more of M as far as the screen time Dench normally got. Next up is English actress Naomie Harris, who we initially meet as "Eve", a rookie field agent assigned to work with Bond in Turkey. It's her missed shot there that nearly costs Bond his life, and it causes her to examine what type of role she wants within MI6. In the end she reveals that she has chosen a role as M's assistant, and that her last name is Moneypenny. What they do with her from here is up in the air, as she was also a mostly competent operative who could still be useful in the future. What I can say is that I very much liked her chemistry and playful interactions with Craig, and was equally relieved that her dialogue was tasteful in a manner Lois Maxwell would have approved of. Hopefully that will continue. Next up is our new Q in English actor Ben Whishaw. No longer the grandfatherly gentleman of 1963-2002 busy toiling away in his lab, turning innocuous items into the latest high tech gadgets, the youthful 30-something Whishaw is the modern computer geek type of the "Big Bang Theory" crowd, who sees more value in what the newer generation brings to today's world. Bond is immediately skeptical of him and his value, remarking that he still has "spots" (I think he means acne) and who like Mallory, Bond doesn't respect. I have mixed feelings about this introduction past his age, although that is something I could get used to. His initial meeting with Bond goes well as far as a few laughs amongst my family and our fellow moviegoers, and it appears that his focus will be more on computer warfare rather than elaborate field gadgets, but that brings up an immediate problem- if this is his area of "expertise" then his competency is in question because Silva booby traps his main computer Bond brought back and our new Q falls into the trap which allows Silva to escape in time to arrive and attempt to shoot M in public. He redeems himself a bit later and helps Silva fall into another trap he and Bond have devised to lure him to Skyfall Lodge, but for me the jury is still out on this hire. And Rory Kinnear continues to do very well as M's assistant Bill Tanner as his role is also a bit expanded. Two other characters are featured as well. First we have another veteran English actor in the highly respected Albert Finney who appears in the latter part of the film as Kinkade, the gamekeeper and caretaker of Skyfall Lodge and a figure from Bond's childhood there before his parents died. His relationship with Bond I found to be a warm one and his chemistry with Craig as actors lent to that. Finally like Fiennes, another veteran of the "Harry Potter" series in English actress Helen McCrory appears briefly as Claire Dowar, a minister who represents a faction of government that believes MI6 and their philosophies are antiquated and need to be overhauled. Her character is sarcastic and somewhat overbearing as she barely lets M get a word of defense in before Silva crashes the proceedings, and it's a bit part but she did it well. In conclusion, while I loved the way Dench went out with a spectacular performance, and appreciated what the new replacements and both Finney and Fiennes brought to the table, there were also missed opportunities and I see some room for improvement- 4/5
OVERALL THOUGHTS AND RECOLLECTIONS- Another emotional time for me with this release, bad news, good news. The bad news? As I've mentioned my wife took up for my Dad from 1995 until 2008, but became sick in 2009 and did not survive to see this adventure, which I am sure she would have enjoyed much more than she did Quantum Of Solace, a movie she mostly agreed with me on as a decent enough entry that could have been much better. The good news is that our son, who had become a fan around 2008, was ready to take Mom's place and keep the family "3 tickets please" tradition alive for the 44th year and beyond. All the excitement of the 50th anniversary and my boy getting to see Goldfinger (in it's old 35mm celloloid glory) as his 1st on the big screen and an updated digitized Dr. No as his 2nd big screener on Bond Day helped distract us a bit, although like me I knew he was thinking of his Mom when we sat down and dearly wanted her to be there with us. As far as the movie, my scores will show that overall, I felt it to be full of subtle tributes to the past that were tasteful and infinitely more enjoyable for me than the abortive attempt they ran with in 2002. I wanted to see a more refined Bond full of the traits I grew up on and got not all, but a lot of that. I loved Bardem and Marlohe and found them both fun and memorable, and Dame Judi went out with all the respect she deserved in an expanded role. The new characters were mostly good, notably Fiennes and Harris, and overall I think it is a top 10 type of entry that I will enjoy for many years to come. Plus it's obviously now the biggest and most successful Bond of them all regarding box office and quantity of award recognition. But it's not perfect. No gunbarrel in the beginning, no leading lady with Bond in the end, and at times Silva's plot becomes too convoluted without enough explanation. Due to Skyfall's strengths mostly outweighing it's weaknesses, it scores 41 out of 50 points, for an average of 4.1
I agree with everything you wrote, almost. :)
I did love the way Severine was presented and was happily surprised by Marlohe's very good acting indeed. Better than what I had hoped for. A truly memorable (but short lived) Bond girl. I so wish she had a bigger role to play in SF.
I like the music in SF more and more, but especially the lovely piece when Bond enters Macao harbor by boat. It is hauntingly gorgeous, echoes the main theme song, and swells with emotion and subtlety, too. I do love it. It has become one of my favorite pieces in the whole series actually.
And I adored the cinematography. I so wish Deakins comes back; maybe if Mendes does the one after 24 (I am hopeful) he will return then, too. Brilliant work in SF.
I'll get my review for SF in in about a week. QOS is later today. Thanks again for such an enjoyable and enlightening review.
BOND- I had my reservations before seeing the movie, but damn if Daniel didn't deliver in spades. He still isn't MY Bond (That's Tim), but he's undeniably a great one. No choice but to give him what I'd give Connery or Dalton - 5/5
WOMEN- Eva Green was so right for this part, beautiful, touching, vulnerable yet tough... Caterina Murino was effective.4.5/5
VILLAINS- Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre hit a perfect note of creepy/sick/obsessed/pitiful that is unique in the series IMO. And Jesper Christensen purely rocked. - 4.5/5
HUMOUR- While not big in this department, Craig's subtle wit manifested itself many times be it as the 'parking attendant' or commenting on his skewered lamb.- 4/5
ACTION- Okay, here's that over-used word again- awesome. While the sustained chase/parkour scene strayed a little to close to Daredevil territory, the action in general was eye-poping -4.5/5
SADISM- "To the right, THE RIGHT!!!"- 5/5
MUSIC-Again, Arnold handed us a fantastic score, sadly it was lacking in the Bond theme and while I understand the artistic reasons, it still left me a bit sad...- 3.5/5
LOCATIONS- Madagascar, Bahamas, Miami, Venice (ahh, Venice)- total location joy. - 5/5
GADGETS- None really.- 1/5
SUPPORTING CAST- Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright and Giancarlo Giannini could do no wrong here. - 5/5
OVERALL SCORE - This movie is not even in my personal top 12 favourite Bonds, yet is clearly and objectively an amazing film from the director that gifted us with Goldeneye. 42 out of 50 points.
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BOND- Dan continues to embrace & make the character his own. It's that simple. - 5/5
WOMEN- Olga Kurylenko was all that a Bond girl should be- hot, spunky, capable and damaged. Gemma Arterton's Fields was bright meteor that blazed out all too quickly.4.5/5
VILLAINS- Mathieu Amalric as Dominic Greene was excellently slimy and unbalanced, and I feel he gets too much negativity as a Bond villain. Not all villains need to be Blofeld or Dr. No. Sometimes a little worm in the world's digestive tract is enough to do the damage. 'Elvis' was wasted though, and General Medrano was a simple hateful paedophile that it was my pleasure to see sent to his maker despite his lack of developed character. - 4/5
HUMOUR- "She likes to think she is" is about it.- 2/5
ACTION- A lot has been said about the quick cutting & shaky-cam, but as a one off I feel that this was pretty effective in the violence-can-be-confusing department. Bournesque? A bit maybe, but effective IMO nonetheless. -4/5
SADISM- A can of OIL to drink??? - 4/5
MUSIC-David Arnold surpassed himself given the limitation of not utilizing the Bond theme as much as I'd like...- 4/5
LOCATIONS- Italy, Austria, Bolivia, the Atacama Desert, and a brief glimpse of Russia- not to shabby for such a short film - 4/5
GADGETS- again, none really.- 1/5
SUPPORTING CAST- As before, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright and Giancarlo Giannini could do no wrong here given the script limitations. - 4.5/5
OVERALL SCORE - While not in any way a perfect Bond movie I have to say it IS in my top 12 personal favourites despite the score I am compelled to give it based on these standards. 37 out of 50 points.
Mine coming soon…
Skyfall
BOND- 4.5 Daniel Craig is really into the character (not that he was ever out of it), relaxed in the part, as was Connery in his third film. For me probably his best Bond performance (though CR is a better film) and that is because there is more humour, his performance goes from tired, world-weary agent to regenerated spy who has a great relationship with M - think Silva is right in calling her Mummy! Really looking forward to seeing what is to come in Bond 24.
WOMEN- 4.5. Bérénice Marlohe is gorgeous, my type of woman. And she is great in what little time she has, must say was shocked at her early exit. Yet again DC's Bond doesn't end up with the Bond girl, but given the story arc there really was no way he could! He picks up a nice bit of totty just after his 'resurrection' and of course there is Eve, nice to see Moneypenny back and I really like her, though I hope they let her 'glam' up a bit in the next films. Really just needed more of Severine.
VILLAINS- 4. Not coming into the film until about an hour into it (though like Dr No, his presence is felt throughout), Silva excellently played by Javier Bardem is a great villain especially as he was 'made' by M. Hitman Patrice makes a great henchman and I love his fight with Bond, short and brilliantly shot as a silhouette with just the occasional fire flash from the gun illuminating the fighter's faces. Just a note, how the hell did a film that was about 80% CGI requiring little cinematography win the oscar when up against Deakins masterly photography. Another oscar shocker.
HUMOR- 4. While watching this in the cinema, twice, there was quite a few laugh out loud moments, didn't have any of those during QoS. Craig delivered the funny lines well and there was a nice mixture of humour and grit. And the great Sir Albert of Finney delivers my favourite line in the film - welcome to Scotland - cracks me up every time I hear it. Great line superbly delivered.
ACTION- 4. Cracking PTS that builds and builds until Eve takes 'the bloody shot', nice action in the Casino sequence, the fight with Patrice which I love, one thing I really hate in films is fist fights that just go on and on, short sharp fights are more realistic, one of the best parts of QoS is the lift fight, short, sharp, brutal. Silva's escape is well done but the timing of an empty tube train to coincide with a pre-planted bomb especially for Bond does stretch credibility a little, but the ensuing firefight at the hearing is well done - and has a little surprise for me!
With a change of pace the Scotland finale delivers a satisfying conclusion with emotional wallop.
SADISM- 3.5. Apart from the early exit of Severine, not too much overt sadism, although of course Silva does take a sadistic pleasure in all that he does, death by Komodo dragon…and of course M leaving that bulldog to Bond!
MUSIC- 3.5. Not up with Barry or Arnold, but then not as horrific as the score for GE, or FYEO. Didn't find any of it offensive but neither did any of it make the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It think it serves the film well…just wondering what Arnold would have come up with.
LOCATIONS-5. Turkey, England, Shanghai, Hashima and Scotland. Great locations and beautifully shot. Where's the freakin' Oscar? Such a beautifully shot movie, I love the Shanghai fly-by shot, awesome on blu-ray.
GADGETS - 4. What no exploding pens? No but a signature Walther and the tricked up Aston. Much debate about this, we know it's not the original as DC's Bond won it in CR, so it would appear that Bond has had it tricked-up with M's knowledge and probably at the tax payer's expense! It does come in useful in a nice little sequence toward the end.
SUPPORTING CAST - 5. From Dench to Finney, from Rapace to Fiennes, Wishaw to Harris, probably the best supporting cast ever for a Bond film. Faultless. Rory Kinnear as Tanner has some nice scenes with both Bond and M. A great end to Dench's M and I am really looking forward to having Fiennes M in the next few films. I understand that Connery was considered for the role of Kincade, this would have been a big mistake, and Finney plays the part brilliantly. I love the wordless exchange between him and Bond as M lays dying in Bond's arms, 'will she make it' 'no'. Brilliant.
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS -43. After the confused, confusing and slightly disappointing QoS it is a welcome return to classic Bond, action, humour, stunning locations and beautiful women. Best Bond ever? Not for me. Best Craig Bond ever? Again, no, CR is still his best outing for me, but such an assured performance with some nice humour. Thankfully we have Danny Kleinman's titles again, which are quite spooky in places and Adele's theme song is a grower, not a big fan of hers but I like this tune.
It was so nice to see such a packed house each time I went to see this, and the laugh out load (not groans) at each showing showed that it was a universal Bond. Although a long film this, like CR, is paced so well it doesn't seem so long - the shorter QoS seems longer to me! - and this down to great story, and both CR and Skyfall were edited by Stuart Baird.
A film to enjoy again and again, and there was quite a surprise for me watching it as during the inquiry scene I spotted an old friend from school - he's the blond bloke on the left of the screen (on Claire Dowar's [Helen McCrory] right - Paul Venables. That was a shock almost as much as Severine's death.
The closing scene on the rooftop and then the new M's office ended the film brilliantly for me - and so nice to see a 'traditional' M-type office again after the god-awful office Dench had. Great closing lines, makes me hungry for Bond 24. Now if that has Shatterhand as a villain…
With SF,Craig gives an even more full, even more three-dimensional performance, which is all the more impressive considering the strength of his performance in CR. Additionally, he shows some nice touches of humour and he also has the air of a more confident, senior agent. Although my first instinct is to believe that no one could ever eclipse Connery as my favourite Bond I can see how for many people Craig could. I think the most important question is will he continue to give such strong performances? Connery gave us four fantastic films, then his performances slid greatly (both in characterization and interest, as well as his "I don't care anymore" weight gain). I can't see the same happening with Craig, but who knows?
Much like CR and LTK, my first reaction after SF was over was to be a little blindsided by how different it was from what I had expected. But like the other two films, once I had the chance to digest it I thought it one of the best Bond films ever. In fact, as a film itself, it's likely one of, if not the, best film in the series. The one thing that lowers it a bit for me now, which may not bother me in the future, is that it isn't as much an "escapist entertainment" film as much as most other Bonds. But it's by no means dour, despite the heavier subject matter it never becomes too weighted down in melancholy.
Like the best Bond films, just about everything is firing on all cylinders. Cast, dialogue, performances, photography...everything was exceptional. The big disappointment for me on first viewing was the music; to me it didn't sound "Bondian" enough. But I love the soundtrack now, I suppose that I'm so used to Arnold's style that Newman's seemed to subtle in comparison. But I'd far rather have Newman's than say, Arnold's TND soundtrack where he uses the Bond theme four times (!) in the first half hour!
One final note - I have an incredible appreciation for how "English" this 50th anniversary film was. Fantastic choice, very interesting when compared to the travel to exotic locations that they usually do, and a great use of that in so many ways - not just the locations, but the iconography (Royal Doulton, the paintings, the poem). What a celebration of England!
BOND- While Dan's take on Bond and his acting skills have only improved with time, his choice of barbers has not. The buzz cut doesn't look Bond-like, and it's just so continuously distracting that it brings a whole half point off for me. - 4.5/5
WOMEN- Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny was convincing albeit a bit young. Bérénice Marlohe was stunning, and it was a shame to waste an actress of her calibur on such a borderline throw away character.4.5/5
VILLAINS- Javier Bardem gave a smashing and original performance as the villain of this piece. - 4.5/5
HUMOUR- Skyfall was full of great dialogue & wit. Bond's talk with Q was particularly amusing. - 4/5
ACTION- The action scenes were suitably well done, however nothing really stands out as a signature set-piece. Some great fisticuffs on the train and in Shanghai. -4/5
SADISM- Besides the brutal murder of Severine, not a lot. - 3/5
MUSIC-Okay, I am NOT a fan of merely competent music for a Bond film. Thomas Newman is a great musician, but a wrong choice for a Bond movie. Bland, I think is the word. Suddenly, I miss Eric Serra. - 2.5/5
LOCATIONS- Istanbul, Macau, London (you can never have too much London in a Bond film), Shanghai, Scotland, all lovingly photographed by Roger Deakins- it doesn't get any better than this. - 5/5
GADGETS- A PPK!!! With a recognition handle!!! (sorry, been a while)- 3/5
SUPPORTING CAST- Ralph Fiennes & Albert Finney shine in a memorable supporting cast that lent depth and breadth to the entire production- Bravo!. - 5/5
OVERALL SCORE - For me, Skyfall suffers most from seeming to rehash elements from GE (angry ex-agent) and TWINE (this is YOUR fault, M!), but it's got energy, it's got flawless editing, it's beautiful, but it's just one screenplay too many for Purvis & Wade I'm afraid. 40 out of 50 points.
@thelordflasheart, I enjoy your throughts and reviews a lot even you are not an Original. I also appreciated this being a very English Bond film. I loved that aspect. And coming after the spectacularly successful, fun, and very British Olympics, it was perfect timing indeed.
@Chrisisall, another fine yet succinct review. I laughed about your comment regarding Craig's hair. I really dislike it in Skyfall, too. But I was able to get past it and enjoy the film immensely. You are right, however; it is not a good look for him. I am guessing they went for a more "military" style as Skyfall was more like a "war" with MI6 under attack. But Craig was awesome as Bond; so far he is consistently excellent.
As for the music, I don't miss Eric Serra - I do think Arnold has done better, fuller scores, yet I enjoy Skyfall's music, most especially Bond's entrance by boat into Macao's casino harbor.
Call me blond, no wait, bland, but I prefer the 'just there' music over Serra's experiments. Arnold's only got pretty good in Craig's era imo, and don't forget, it was Newman's first (and indeed rather conservative) take on Bond, but with so much attention going to this film I think you can hardly blame him..
:))
My first introduction to the character of James Bond came in a rather unusual form: a toy commercial on Saturday morning TV, interspersed with ads for breakfast cereal and dolls that could talk or wet themselves. At the advanced age of 9 I had already learned to generally ignore commercials for the most part. I was there to watch the cartoons -- Mighty Mouse perhaps, or maybe even Popeye. But here, in the middle of an advertisement for (of all the outlandish things!) a briefcase with a sniper rifle hidden inside it, a case that spouted gas into your face if you didn’t open it just so…here was a brief snippet from a current movie, featuring a hero that had Mighty Mouse beat all hollow! The lead character was named James Bond, the movie that I was glimpsing ever-so-tantalizingly was From Russia With Love, and to say that I was fascinated by the dramatically more sophisticated world I had just caught a glimpse of would be to significantly understate the case. Who was this Bond fellow and how was I to find out more about him?
Before long, transistor radios throughout the neighborhood provided my next clue, as Shirley Bassey’s bombastic rendition of the title song to Goldfinger poured through the airwaves. James Bond was suddenly huge news, as seemingly EVERYBODY thronged to the theatres to catch his latest adventure. Everybody except my parents, that is. True homebodies they were, satisfied to watch whatever showed up on their black & white TV screen, as one network or another provided unchallenging filmic fare with Saturday Night at the Movies. Following their lead, I had to learn to be satisfied with whatever showed up on the Sunday night Disney TV show. It seemed as if I was going to have to wait a long, long time for James Bond to make the leap onto the small screen.
Finally, late in the first-run release of Thunderball, an opportunity arose that was just too tempting to resist. Understand: I had been gorging myself on every magazine article, newspaper review, and bubble-gum card I could find that revealed information on the Bond phenomenon. I was already hooked without having seen a single Bond movie. And then, a local theatre ran a newspaper advertisement offering a one-day-only special triple-bill: Thunderball, Goldfinger, and Dr. No. Back-to-back, for the price of a single admission, an entire afternoon’s worth of immersion into the spectacular world of James Bond. I begged, I pleaded, I cajoled; and finally my parents capitulated. “What the heck,” I suppose they figured, “it’s a cheap way to get him out of our hair on the weekend.”
So I went, I saw, and I emerged a full-fledged James Bond fan. Even at the tender age of 12 I was beginning to form some critical sensibilities. I decided that Goldfinger was the best of the bunch; that some of the editing on Thunderball had been a bit jumpy, especially in the bit with the jet-pack before the theme song, and that the ending of Dr. No seemed terribly rushed, as if the film-makers had decided once Bond escaped from his cell, “Hey, we’re almost out of money and we’ve still got this island to blow up -- let’s hurry up & get this sucker in the can!” But these minor imperfections in no way marred my appreciation of the series as a whole. Bond fans are Forever Looking to Nit-Pick the Franchise.
I grew up in the Roger Moore era, which means I naturally became a Sean Connery purist. :P It was either/or in those days. No inbetween.
DAF is my favourite Bond. I see it as a smart and stylish, yet very '70s homage to the classic era that came before. I can appreciate everything that has followed, from the '80s and beyond, but the films that really turn my Bond crank, are the first 9. Yes, I include the first two Rog efforts. Something to do probably with the Guy Hamilton, Tom Mankiewicz touch. Maybe Saltzman's continued involvement too.
Great thread!!
As you may have read, my first film was also Thunderball in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I got through that but fell asleep just after the title sequence of You Only Live Twice. Suffice it to say it was a seminal experience. Bond has been a part of my life ever since and while I feel we've had some terrific Bonds and Bond movies that followed, Sir Sean became my cinematic hero and the coolest guy on the planet that evening and the films from 1962-1967 will always be the most special and dearest to my heart.
You may have noticed that a select group of us have formed a panel and agreed to review all 23 films, if you are game to do so then feel free to jump in with that, suggest a topic for discussion, or comment in general.
Again, welcome aboard!
Sir Henry
@Timmer welcome to this thread, good to see you're still on the site as well!
Allthough I must say it's a pity, because I think dracu... eh.. I mean Christopher Lee is one cool villain!
:))
I wish there were more to love about TMWTGG, but there are things that I do love about the film. A tougher than normal characterization from Sir Rog that I feel is one of his best, the always hilarious JWP, and of course Lee are things to like.
Anyone ever notice Lee's front teeth are pointy like he just came from a Drac set and forgot to remove his fangs? I swear I saw this :))
;)
Thanks Ross. Likewise. btw I found your wine insights which are posted elsewhere, quite illuminating.
Yes I do love this film. I am not real sure why, other than I do like the vibe. It's a strange kind of Bond film. Barry does a real nice job creating mood and atmophere. Scaramanga is real spooky at times. Its got a bit of macabre touch to it that works well I think. It's also beautifully shot in parts, especially the Scaramanga island scenes.
Rog does look real good as Bond. Adams as Anders is positively exotic. She and Goodnight kind of compliment each other. The alluring femme-fatale type paired with the ditzy but super-gorgeous classic Swedish blonde.
It helps that I have an appreciation for the Guy Hamilton films though. I do like his dark camp stylings combined with Tom Mankiewic's smart dialogue.
JW is good for a laugh as well.
Sounds great to me, another original willing to review all the films is always welcomed. We've got some time until the next one (all indicators point to 2014 with the scripting well underway and this is what MGM wants anyhow) so take all the time you need. Any topic suggestions are always welcomed, and since we're on the topic of Skyfall at the moment, feel free to start that discussion :)
Forgot to ask, where are you from?