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I think audiences liked SF as much as they did because to some extent it did take us back to old school Bond (cinematographically, character building, taking time to set the scene etc.).
Point taken. M perhaps? However, the same thing can be said about QoS (he didn't even sleep with Camille).
All I know is both my parents love SF but did not like QoS (they couldn't follow what was going on up on the screen) and they have been Bond fans since before I was born.
And that's what makes those films interesting. They don't follow the same tired old conventions of the past, which would make a Bond film that is truly and unbearably conventional.
The Craig era has dared to do a lot differently with not only the character of Bond and his world, but also in the way the stories are told. They've elevated him to a position of deep character study that hasn't been this complex in a long time; around LTK's release, really. Too often some of the films end up being rather routine affairs where you can expect every moment an hour before it arrives or the contents of the action are so empty that you feel no connection at all to what is going on, which reduces Bond to a dimensionless action personality along for the ride. The best Bond films are the ones that treat him and his universe with utter believability and take us along for the ride too, more than willing to shake things up along the way.
Some of the most acclaimed films in the franchise are seen as such hits in part because they dared to do things differently than before, a perfect example of which is OHMSS. It ends in a way that the previous films would never have you expect; the filmmakers trick you into thinking Bond will ride off into the sunset. The same could be said of Casino Royale and Vesper's betrayal and later penitence, which treats Bond's sorrow with a straight face and never shies away from giving that arc its proper exploration. In too many Bond films, loses like these are shown and them shoved back under the rug, as if Bond, the film and its audience are expected to just forget they ever happened. This robs some of the films of a strong emotional core, creating less and less dimension in the surrounding drama as a campy one-liner is dropped right after a moment of intensity. It's simply put that renown is gained by those who look at existing traditions or expectations and do something fresh, circumventing a lot of what is expected of them by a public so used to the norm.
Skyfall does much the same thing by taking existing conventions in the franchise and in cinema altogether, flipping them on their back. Skyfall openly questions a lot of real-world themes you wouldn't expect to be in an action movie, another hallmark of the Craig era, which has always told relevant stories in each film without holding back. With Casino Royale we are connected to the terrorism scare of the new millennia, the dangers of trust and a frailty in security in a post 9/11 world. In QoS, oil came into play, as well as the dirty dealings governments get into for profit. And in Skyfall, the relevancy of agencies and field operatives in general were questioned, along with issues of domestic terrorism and tradition (Bond) vs. new age (Silva). These are the kinds of themes you just don't see as present in films of their kind, and never as openly in other Bond films as they are in here. More than any other set of films, the Craig Bond adventures make me think long and hard after I watch them, about everything from morality and humanity to duty and responsibility. I don't do that with a lot of the other Bond films, so they must be doing something right.
SF did lean back a little towards some of the old things we know and love (Aston with Bond theme blaring, Silva's jaw, MP/Bond banter, Q/Bond banter) but in a way that was a good thing, because folks like my parents could find something that they were familiar with to relate to within the context of the 50 yr Bond universe. They both loved CR too but for different reasons. Both films had a slower, romantic air about them too. They just couldn't keep up with what was going on in QoS - the pace was too fast for them and the editing did not help. It's a fine line, keeping some of the traditional elements without letting it become full out cliche. So far they've done a great job in all 3 Craig adventures in striking the right balance imo. These are definitely adult Bond films.
Of the 3 I personally find QoS the most interesting because it seems the most realistic to me. Water is a resource that people are fighting over in the Middle East as we speak (although not publicly admitting it). It is something that may trigger the next big fight between nations - nefarious attempts to get rights to it is quite believable.
In SF I found the speech by M about the importance of the double '0' section intespersed with Tennyson to be one of the best scenes.
Funny. I see it quite differently. I see the SF story as really badly done - not like a 'proper' thriller at all. More of a nasty straight to DVD type plot. The story is actually total nonsense. What 'redeems' the film is supposedly the cinematogrpahy and themes that run through it. But in my view, if the story isn't right, then the film ain't right either.
Loving the fact that SF is slipping, even in IMDB rankings - not that I pay any attention to them, of course! ;)
As it is well know around here, the Tennyson speech is not only what I would refer to as the defining "moment" of Skyfall that connects each and every theme it dares to spin, but it is also my favorite moment of the entire Bond franchise. I honestly couldn't gush about it enough, quite frankly, even two years on. M's speech cites real world, current day concerns while using lines crafted in the far past as a vessel for expressing them in an exceptional and moving fashion. The relevancy of the 00 section and human agents in our technologically advanced world is a compelling question to ponder and debate, and one that M stands up for honorably. Skyfall connects so much of the present to the past, and M's big moment is no exception. Her speech is one that I could see Churchill himself giving during the Battle of Britain in the 40s as he stood in the rubble of a burning England, when any sense of comfort or assurance in the "empire" was lost. In fact, one of Churchill's most famous quotes is, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." In many ways, he said in his day what M was saying in hers, two people connected by the insurmountable challenges they faced to both their lives and careers, but who chose to soldier on past what many saw as defeat, acting as a beacon of hope for those willing and courageous enough to brave the storm with them. It's beautiful stuff, truly.
The Tennyson speech stays true to the characters of both M and Bond, who are the personifications of the ideals spouted by Ulysses in the masterwork by the poet. The theme of endurance through struggle has massive implications that reach far beyond the scope of the film itself and bleed into the history of Bond's cinematic legacy as we know it. While M's struggle to subdue Silva's threat and Bond's fight to rise like a phoenix from the ashes are clear thematic resonators of this expressed theme, the words and values exuded from the poem symbolize the endurance of the Bond franchise itself, which has survived the numerous re-castings of its star role, stormy litigation nightmares and dramatic tonal shifts from era to era, remaining a strong and lively series 50 years onwards. If anything, Skyfall, with Tennyson's thematic work at its core, is just as much a message about the importance of moving forward through hardship as it is a celebration of all that the Bond franchise is about: strength, boldness, determination, duty and loyalty. Damn I love this film.
All I would say is that I think some people are easily tricked into believing portentious doom-laden darkness = quality entertainment.
Something like... TND.
=D>
TND is the only Brosnan film I actually enjoyed in the cinema. Not sure it bears repeated reviewing, but I've always regarded it as Brosnan's 'best'. Decent supporting cast IMO and the arrival of David Arnold really helped lift the tone. I also think Spottiswoode gave the film a look and feel that finally dragged the series into the 90s (GE very much looked and felt like an 80s hang-over visually).
After TND I really thought Brosnan was growing into the role. It's his best performance IMO. His jitters and smarm from GE have reduced and he's a little more steely. Alas, it was proceeded by TWINE and DAD and the rest is history.
My favourite scene in the movie because i was glad she was finally dead.Sorry, not trying to be a troll here but i genuinely disliked Judi Dench in the role and she should never have been in the reboot movies anyway.
That's not trolling imo. It's a statement of opinion. I happen to wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment.
Thanks!
When Q took that little elevator thing in TWINE it was much more moving for me, as well as being much more understated.
The Tennyson speech was probably the most pretentious moment of the entire Bond franchise, I'll give you that.
Couldn't agree more. It gets me every time. M's death did nothing for me, perhaps because it was prefaced by a gag from Craig. The Vesper death was light years ahead of M's in terms of emotional weight. Ironic given most people think Mendes is far superior to Campbell - because Oscar said so.
What does that say about your misogynistic nature? ;)
Totally agree. The Tennyson speech is bloody awful IMO. Not only totally out of place in Bond but totally out of place in any movie. Quoting your A level poetry texts does not make you a great screenwriter/director. Lazy, pretentious drivel. M deserved to be shot there and then for her condescending arrogance and stupidity. God I was glad when she finally copped it - seven movies too late but better late than never!