Skyfall Reviews

Brilliant film! Amazing, to-the-point cinematography, excellent pacing, cool villain, and unique musical score.

good movie, i liked the fighting and the stunts, "Javier Bardem made the movie" he is the greatest james bond villan and greatly contributed to the greatness of this movie. seemed like james bond had a bit of a emotional breakdown but seemed to try and keep it cool.
Not the best james bond but it is alot better than the previous 2.

7/10

I'll have to give it to Skyfall, another rousing James Bond yarn. Kept you exhilarated throughout and kept tou guessing ( at least, in a limited way). Good effects and good stunts. Only drawback? FAR too little screentime for the lovely Berenice Marlohe!

but this movie was filmed in turkey istanbul turkey, let alone when there is so much beauty, but mediocre location of the worst came to the screen. I like the movie, but the wrong reflect the fact that I did not like the Turks.

Since I'm new to Listal I thought I would make my first review and my first contribution to this site with a relatively new film of a franchise that has being a favorite of mine since childhood.

First things first, this review strictly looks at what happens in the film, I will put anything that was not part of my decision and any negatives in rating this film at the end simply because I feel like I should really put as much of what I thought about Skyfall as I can. And this isn't really much of a review as much as just a list of reasons why I liked this film since I take the "list the stuff you love" slogan quiet seriously and I'm not and will probably never be in the mood of reviewing or rating anything that I thought wasn't worth debating whether I felt it was good or not. So let's get started.

Skyfall is at best a film that deserves to mark the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise and at worst a very decent Bond movie. Of course, right off the bat, you have to like the adventure that Bond goes through just like in every other Bond flick. The tracking of a merciless mercenary (Patrice) through the highly technologized streets of Shanghai, that ends in one of the most memorable scenes in the movie where the camera closes up on Bond and Patrice as they fight only a few inches away from the precipice. We also have the lair of our villain Raoul Silva, a distant relative of Anton Chigurh, on an isolated island of which he conviced the population that there was a fallout at a chemical plant. And obviously I have to mention Skyfall, Bond's childhood home which has an appearance as haunting as that of our agent's past.

We also have the little nods to the past which are essential to the story as we see Bond and M coming to grips with their pasts and embracing their future. First thing that comes to mind is the use of the famous Aston Martin DB5, the most iconic of all the Bond vehicles. The references to the gagdets which are an obvious staple of the franchise. We also had a gamekeeper that looked a lot liked Sean Connery. But I could go on and on about how the filmmakers have used all the essential parts of a Bond flick in developing the story and showing us its true theme but I'll stop here and go directly to it.

Because albeit all of the above was essential, the most important aspect that decides whether you found this movie worth it or not was that of its place in the franchise. This movie was made to not only celebrate the 50th anniversary of the franchise but to also ask what will become of it in the future. When the new Q and Bond meet they both instantly crack jokes at each other's job, Q a young computer mastermind and Bond an aging Double-0. These are just a few of the scenes that shows the struggle between what the franchise has been and what it might be in the future, a future we have had a glimpse at, Skyfall being the first 007 film to be released on IMAX. And all throughout the film we see Bond and M trying to defeat a new kind of enemy until they decide to retreat and fight on a level playing field. Bond's childhood home, Skyfall, located in the country isolated from everything. A place that, according to Adele, was the place where everything started. And yes it was metaphorically where everything started, it was the place that started 50 years of mistery and adventure that helped turn James Bond into the second-highest-grossing film series of all time and the definitive spy film. But surprisingly at the end of the movie Skyfall is completely obliterated. This is ultimately what this movie is about it tells the world that yes Bond has had a great run but also tells them something the Daniel Craig movies have been hinting at from the beginning and that is that James Bond has EARNED its place in modern filmmaking. So altough the world of 007 is full of cliches and over-the-top espionage crazyness that is old-fashioned compared to the realism that drives ambitious moviemaking in this new era, the myth of the super spy is far from over and, just like it usually says on the end credits, James Bond will return.




Other notes: On the subject of the young Q, I have to say that the people who didn't like the fact that the character was barely an adult really tick me off. Because in terms of story line, and in terms of the world we live in right now it made total sense to me to make Q a young tech savvy who is a genius on the subject of computer security. I really wouldn't have it any other way.

Like I said before this was more like a list of reasons why I loved this movie so here is a brief list of the things I didn't like that were part of my rating:

1. I felt it lagged a bit on the second half of the film.
2. Bardem's character's accent was all over the place but he makes up for it in making him even more creepy and enjoyable to watch when being really evil.
3. There was some repetitive dialogue, I don't know how many times Bond said "Of course he is," during the course of the movie.
4. I thought Miss Moneypenny really didn't have that much chemistry with Bond as you would expect the character to have. I liked that they got the ball rolling instead of having them explore the relationship in full in one movie, hopefully they will remedy this in future movies.

I was hooked on the song Skyfall by Adele weeks before the movie released. So naturally the opening credits blew me away with the song coupled with incredible visuals.
In my opinion Casino Royale still remains the best Bond movie. Not saying this one was bad, just not good enough.
I loved Javier Bardem' character! I like quirky funny evil guys xD

I watched Skyfall and i must say, i 'm little disappointed.
I expected more from it, the beginning was great with the bike/car chase in Istanbul, until Bond killed again ? noo i have already seen that ! the story about terrorists attacking MI6 building wasn't good, we have already the fear of that in real life, didn't wanted to see on movies too.
Javier Bardem lol this is i can say, the worse of all villains of 007 films, not credible as villain and seems out from a Batman movie! and with that blonde hair !
Also not gadget at all ! in the past films lot of gadgets and mysterious villains and in Skyfall one fake blond silly villain...
I know they want let us know they changed M, Moneypenny and Q but i wanted a better screenplay, but maybe i'm the only one since Skyfall beat box office record in UK.
Hope the new 007 it is better :)

Looking at what people have said, they were disappointed because this "didn't feel like bond" or that it "wasn't a bond movie." To a certain extent, that's true. There's no fancy gadgets, no particular bond girl, no bond villain threatening to destroy the world, and no saving the bond girl from the villain. I for one am happy that they didn't stick to this formula. How many times can they make the same movie with a different actor? After Die Another Day I've grown so tired of it. I am glad that they moved away from the formula and that's what makes Skyfall one of the best bond movies(out of all the bond movies I have seen).

As always the case with bond movies, it opens with a thrilling sequence and the opening here does not disappoint. I think I liked the one in Casino Royale a bit more, but Skyfall is the better movie overall. The opening credits with the Adele song was beautiful. I wasn't a fan of the song at first, but now I can't get it out of my head, it's definitely one of the best bond songs.

The movie is gorgeously shot, kudos to the cinematographer. The actions are presented in a nice, clean cut manner. There isn't too much shaking during the action scenes, so you need not worry for those of you usually prone to motion sickness. The action scenes themselves are thrilling, and well choreographed. The action scenes here can stand along side those in The Avengers, Dark Knight Rises, and The Expendables.

Skyfall moves at a nice brisk pace. The movie clocks in at two hours and twenty-five minutes, it felt like it was a half hour. We're given time to get a glimpse at Bond's past which could be explored further, hopefully they'll explore his past more with the next two movies. Each character is given sufficient screen time, especially the villain. From all the bond movies I have seen, this has to be one of the best bond villains. He is a good match for bond both physically and mentally and the face off between these two does not disappoint.

The acting is top notch. Craig is definitely one of the best bonds next to Connery. Hit fits the part so well(physically and acting wise). He delivers a dam good performance. Javier Bardem is also just as good as the villain. I didn't recognize him at first but, he delivers his performance convincingly as a gay villain. The scene between him and Bond when he captures him and has him tied in a chair is just priceless. Judi Dench delivers a great performance as well and her character is given some back story which was nice. There are also some nice bonding scenes between her and Bond. Naomie Harris has great chemistry with Craig. The scenes between her and Bond rise above room temperature, especially the shaving scene. The rest of the cast is solid.

I haven't seen all the bond films, so I don't know if this is the best film ever but, it is one of the best films of 2012, that's for sure. I loved everything from the gorgeous cinematography and action to the great performances. As I mentioned earlier, this may not feel like a bond film but, to me that's a good thing. The formula is getting old and it's time to move on. The direction in which the bond films are heading is perfect, it's a fresh and unique, I cannot wait for the next two bond films. Goodluck to the filmmakers in trying to top Skyfall.

"Three months ago, you lost the drive containing the identity of every agent embedded in terrorist organizations across the globe."

In the case of Daniel Craig's James Bond adventures, third time really is a charm. After 2006's Casino Royale and the dismal misfire that was Quantum of Solace, the producers behind the 007 franchise have finally got it right for 2012's Skyfall. This is a sensational return to form for the long-running series, an extremely satisfying Bond-buster which reincorporates traditional James Bond attributes while updating the character for the 21st Century. Skyfall is the movie that the Craig reboot has been building to since the beginning, at last developing a new identity for the series that mixes the old and the new in an agreeable fashion. Directed by the Oscar-winning Sam Mendes, the picture is rousing fun as well; it's visually gorgeous, exciting, and has a great story. Added to this, Skyfall is surprisingly deep and thoughtful.

During a crucial mission to retrieve a top secret hard-drive containing the identities of undercover MI6 agents posted around the world, James Bond (Craig) is accidentally shot by fellow agent Eve (Harris) and believed to be dead. Taking his "death" as a golden opportunity to cleanly escape Her Majesty's Secret Service, 007 retreats to a corner of the world to drink and womanise. However, in London, the mastermind behind the hard-drive theft bombs MI6 and begins releasing the identities of the undercover British agents. Head of MI6, M (Dench), is held accountable for the attacks, and the Ministry of Defence begins questioning M's competence. Learning of the bombing, Bond returns to London to investigate, eventually learning of a demented madman named Raoul Silva (Bardem), a former MI6 agent disillusioned by the secret service who has positioned M as his next target.

Skyfall welcomely reintroduces a number of iconic 'Film Bond' staples, dusting off elements like a secret lair on a deserted island and a colourful, megalomaniacal villain. Furthermore, the script (by John Logan, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade) contains a number of light-hearted quips and moments to lighten the mood, shaking off the dour self-seriousness that plagued Craig's first two outings. A new Q (played by Ben Whishaw) is introduced as well, and the scenes between Bond and Q sparkle with the same type of wit we saw during the Desmond Llewelyn era. Thankfully, reliance on old tropes does not make the material feel stale or reheated. On the contrary, Skyfall feels astonishingly fresh. Additionally, the script is filled with witty, well-written dialogue. There are even a number of sly references to prior Bond films through dialogue and situations which will definitely be appreciated by long-time series fans.

Out of Craig's three Bond pictures so far, Casino Royale is the most story-driven while Quantum of Solace is the most action-oriented. Skyfall, meanwhile, is a pitch-perfect amalgam of the two. Action scenes do not dominate Skyfall: the action is in the service of the story, not the other way around. The film clocks in at a pretty sizeable 140 minutes, and the pace does admittedly lag from time to time around the midsection, but the film is otherwise compelling and engaging. Skyfall is especially notable for the way it probes Bond's psyche and history, allowing us to understand him as more than just a caricature of our imaginations. This is a story about revenge and betrayal, and it unexpectedly brings to the fore a key Bond girl: M. It's not that the two are lovers or anything, but M acts as a kind of surrogate mother to Bond, and it's a crucial relationship which gives the film an unexpected amount of heart.

Fortunately, Skyfall nails another requisite of any good Bond flick: the opening titles. The visuals are old-fashioned yet the atmosphere is contemporary, generating a stunning display of images that suit the franchise to the ground. Adele's classy Skyfall song accompanies the titles, and her tone is spot-on. Skyfall also knocks its opening action sequence out of the park. Beginning in Istanbul, we follow Bond as he chases goons on foot, on a motorcycle and on top of a train, where he uses a freaking tractor to defend himself. It's a nail-biting tour de force of an action set-piece, destined to go down as one of the best beginnings in the series. Sam Mendes was a superlative choice to fill the director's chair, lending his Oscar-winning skills to the franchise that was in dire need of such a deft touch. Especially skilful is his ability to build tension and generate an aura of danger - this is not a "safe" 007 outing, but rather a daring film in which we feel that nobody is safe. The beautiful stylishness of the film is very much appreciated, as Mendes and master cinematography Roger Deakins (No Country for Old Men, True Grit, Revolutionary Road) photograph the frenetic mayhem sensibly, giving us the chance to marvel at the outstanding stunts and remarkable special effects. This is easily the best-looking Bond adventure in decades, and the action sequences are some of the best that the series has ever featured. However, the final showdown between Bond and Silva is a bit limp - with so much build-up, Skyfall should have delivered a show-stopping final fight between the two, but the moment never arrives.

Daniel Craig has finally come into his own as Agent 007. His performance here is more nuanced and agreeable, with hints of humanity and a sense of humour that we have not previously seen. It's not that Craig is a softer James Bond here; rather, it's that his stoic intensity is supplemented by a palpable willingness to actually have fun in the role and drop one-liners with glee. In other words, it announces the end of Bond's coming-of-age which began with Casino Royale. So far, Craig's Bond pictures has been let down by weak bad guys, but Javier Bardem is every bit Craig's equal here. Bardem, who won an Oscar for playing the vicious villain in No Country for Old Men, clearly had a great time playing Silva; he's creepily charming and at times even playful, yet he's also terrifying. Judi Dench, meanwhile, gives her role of M much more depth than ever before, and the seasoned actress has done so with consummate skill. Ralph Fiennes is also introduced as the new chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee. Fiennes is excellent in anything, and this is no exception. Rounding out the cast is Ben Whishaw as the new Q. Whishaw has plenty of charisma and seems right at home as the tech-savvy Quartermaster. I have no problem with the idea of Whishaw entering the franchise for the long haul.

The biggest success of Skyfall is that it's a modern James Bond film which understands that times have changed since the 1960s, and it adapts to those changes, yet it also has its feet in the tradition of 007 and retains the franchise's spirit. In the final act, we get a brilliant epiphany moment: Bond stands on a London rooftop observing the Union Jack fluttering in the wind. It sublimely underscores what Bond has done for king and country, and promises that he is not finished. Skyfall also works to return the characters to "classic" form within the new contemporary aesthetic, and it's a tempting offer, especially if filmmakers like Mendes are in charge. This is the movie that Casino Royale should have been, and it helps us to forget that Quantum of Solace ever existed.

8.9/10