Skyfall Musings

Loomis wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

In BOND 24, a villain will storm in MI6, fight Bond, break his back, and drop him in a prison-pit somewhere in the East. Bond will then hang from a rope until his back heals itself, escape the prison (in a rousing sequence showing his determination), and go back to stop the villain's diabolical plan to lay waste to London.

Don't forget that Bond will also have a great big argument with Fiennes' M and that a large portion of the film will feature our hero gone AWOL/suspended from the British secret service/gone rogue.

Of course.

And then, later in the film, Moneypenny will leave her desk to provide some in-the-field assistance to 007, which will accompanied by plenty of banter and few instances of near-consummation, only for them to turn back from temptation.

I guess they didn't get freaky in Macau.

Unless I'm overlooking something (and I've seen the film just once), there's nothing in SKYFALL to suggest that Bond and Eve don't sleep together in Macau.

As I recall, that shaving scene ends in such a way as to clearly imply that they're about to, erm, get freaky. In any other Bond film and with any character other than Moneypenny, there wouldn't even be any debate about whether or not they have sex.

Loomis wrote:

Unless I'm overlooking something (and I've seen the film just once), there's nothing in SKYFALL to suggest that Bond and Eve don't sleep together in Macau.

As I recall, that shaving scene ends in such a way as to clearly imply that they're about to, erm, get freaky. In any other Bond film and with any character other than Moneypenny, there wouldn't even be any debate about whether or not they have sex.

The dialogue about "close shaves," both in that scene and later in the film, suggests that they don't have sex.

FWIW, Mendes had Newman change the soundtrack cue for the scene because Newman's original cue was a bit too sensual for Mendes' tastes, and Mendes thought it sent the wrong message.

Fair enough. I guess they don't have sex in Macau, then.

Although that begs the question: why not? They were clearly getting close to it.

Harmsway wrote:

Loomis wrote:

Unless I'm overlooking something (and I've seen the film just once), there's nothing in SKYFALL to suggest that Bond and Eve don't sleep together in Macau.

As I recall, that shaving scene ends in such a way as to clearly imply that they're about to, erm, get freaky. In any other Bond film and with any character other than Moneypenny, there wouldn't even be any debate about whether or not they have sex.

The dialogue about "close shaves," both in that scene and later in the film, suggests that they don't have sex.

FWIW, Mendes had Newman change the soundtrack cue for the scene because Newman's original cue was a bit too sensual for Mendes' tastes, and Mendes thought it sent the wrong message.

Is that "Old Dogs New Tricks"?

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

Loomis wrote:

Unless I'm overlooking something (and I've seen the film just once), there's nothing in SKYFALL to suggest that Bond and Eve don't sleep together in Macau.

As I recall, that shaving scene ends in such a way as to clearly imply that they're about to, erm, get freaky. In any other Bond film and with any character other than Moneypenny, there wouldn't even be any debate about whether or not they have sex.

The dialogue about "close shaves," both in that scene and later in the film, suggests that they don't have sex.

FWIW, Mendes had Newman change the soundtrack cue for the scene because Newman's original cue was a bit too sensual for Mendes' tastes, and Mendes thought it sent the wrong message.

Is that "Old Dogs New Tricks"?

Yeah.

I saw SKYFALL in a regular movie theater today (my first viewing was in full-blown IMAX), and I have to say I didn't have nearly as fine an experience. The projection was a bit too dim, and the sound wasn't strong enough.

Still quite enjoy the film, though a few relatively minor criticisms have crystallized in my mind:

-I dislike nuQ. He's fine in his meeting with Bond in the gallery, but after that, he really irritates me. His characterization is certainly in keeping with what one would expect from a person of his talents, but that doesn't make him an endearing character.
-I like Harris well enough, and think she has decent chemistry with Craig, but Moneypenny's arc isn't quite clarified enough (why does she decide the field isn't right for her?), and the narrative justification for her showing up in Macau is a bit weak (I do like the shaving scene). Also, and this isn't actually a criticism, on second viewing the film definitely seemed to suggest that Eve/Bond hooked up, regardless of whatever Mendes' intentions might have been.

Isn't nuQ meant to be a bit of a smug t***? He's never that lovable in the film. That said, he's got a decent chemistry with Craig.

Harmsway wrote:

I dislike nuQ. He's fine in his meeting with Bond in the gallery, but after that, he really irritates me. His characterization is certainly in keeping with what one would expect from a person of his talents, but that doesn't make him an endearing character.

Funnily enough, Q was one of the elements I liked about SKYFALL, and it was only his meeting with Bond in the gallery that felt forced to me (and I didn't buy that he'd suddenly start ragging on Bond out of the blue over his supposed old age - after all Whishaw is in his early thirties, I believe, although I guess he may be playing Q as a twentysomething).

True, NuQ is essentially a snooty version of Simon Pegg in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE flicks (Whishaw almost seems to be playing him as an embryonic Bond baddie - perhaps BOND 24 will see 007 go up against the rogue Q, who's tired of working for a pittance at MI6 and has decided to use his skills to conquer the world). That said, his "I invented it" line got one of the few laughs that SKYFALL got out of me.

Harmsway wrote:

I like Harris well enough, and think she has decent chemistry with Craig, but Moneypenny's arc isn't quite clarified enough (why does she decide the field isn't right for her?), and the narrative justification for her showing up in Macau is a bit weak (I do like the shaving scene). Also, and this isn't actually a criticism, on second viewing the film definitely seemed to suggest that Eve/Bond hooked up, regardless of whatever Mendes' intentions might have been.

My thoughts exactly. As with quite a few other things in SKYFALL, Moneypenny's presence in the film after the PTS and her so-called character arc seem shoehorned in.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Isn't nuQ meant to be a bit of a smug t***? He's never that lovable in the film.

Yeah, I think so, but I think he's better in small doses than in the rather large dose we get in SKYFALL. (Hence my initial appreciation for the character, followed by growing irritation as he continues to appear.) It also doesn't help that people typing away at keyboards and looking at computer screens is not compelling cinema.

Harmsway wrote:

It also doesn't help that people typing away at keyboards and looking at computer screens is not compelling cinema.

In isolation, I'd agree.

I liked Whishaw. The Bond/nuQ bits were some of my favorite in the movie.

"The door won't open."
"Of course it will, put your back into it."
"Oh, look. There's a train."

I'd also like to add that the London sequence in the middle of the film (with the trains and Silva's assassination attempt) loses me a bit. I like Silva's confrontation with M and I like the Tennyson speech, but altogether, it's a bit too dependent on some big cliches (the "He meant for us to capture him!" reveal is pretty tired at this point), and the tube sequence isn't quite as exciting as it wants to be.

Harmsway wrote:

Also, and this isn't actually a criticism, on second viewing the film definitely seemed to suggest that Eve/Bond hooked up, regardless of whatever Mendes' intentions might have been.

There were a couple lines in the casino at Macau that are suspect too. After Eve returned Bond's compliment, Bond said something along the lines of "Amazing what you can do with an extra pair of hands."

Since we're not shown anything, I took it as Bond not doing the deed with her. The whole shaving scene to me feels like that's about as intimate as they'll ever get, a close shave and nothing more.

Maybe she shaved his balls.

"Amazing what you can do with an extra pair of hands."

Here is the biggest word for me to describe my reaction to SKYFALL: Compelling. I find the film damned compelling. The story with Bond especially so. And how he and M are so embattled. More viewings may reveal flaws or things I'm not as happy with, but the fact that the film is so compelling over all to me helps to wipe away a lot of sins. There is a threshold that some films cross for me, a critical mass beyond which the flaws don't bother me as much because I like the film. Even though I can point out the flaws as being such. I think SKYFALL is such a film for me.

Tis the thinking man's Bond.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Isn't nuQ meant to be a bit of a smug t***? He's never that lovable in the film. That said, he's got a decent chemistry with Craig.

Maybe I'm reading in, but the moment when Q realizes he has been had and has basically opened them up to everything seemed like a true moment of horror for him. I thought you'd be able to see him having to deal with it in later scenes (and presumably the rest of the film series), but nope, they don't follow through at all. I mean, for a movie where all the goodies keep fucking up one way or another, there doesn't seem to be much self-recrimination.

trevanian wrote:

Largo's Shark wrote:

Isn't nuQ meant to be a bit of a smug t***? He's never that lovable in the film. That said, he's got a decent chemistry with Craig.

Maybe I'm reading in, but the moment when Q realizes he has been had and has basically opened them up to everything seemed like a true moment of horror for him. I thought you'd be able to see him having to deal with it in later scenes (and presumably the rest of the film series), but nope, they don't follow through at all. I mean, for a movie where all the goodies keep fucking up one way or another, there doesn't seem to be much self-recrimination.

While Q made a very basic mistake, immediately after he guided Bond in his pursuit of Silva through central London, saving lives at the enquiry. That's got to count for something. Besides, at this point in the film, it's a race against time. Central London's just had a second terrorist attack, and Q is needed by Bond give breadcrumbs for Silva off-the-books.

Just In J wrote:

Harmsway wrote:

Also, and this isn't actually a criticism, on second viewing the film definitely seemed to suggest that Eve/Bond hooked up, regardless of whatever Mendes' intentions might have been.

There were a couple lines in the casino at Macau that are suspect too. After Eve returned Bond's compliment, Bond said something along the lines of "Amazing what you can do with an extra pair of hands."

Doesn't this come off the back of Eve mentioning something about Bond scrubbing up well? I've only seen the movie once, so I can't geek the dialogue like I can the other films.

I think the meaning is ambiguous. You could spin it either way. We'll never know, unless they expound on their night together in future films.

Just In J wrote:

After the success of these three films (with this one looking to the the most critically and commercially successful Bond film in a long time, if not ever), the tradition will become finding ways to be untraditional.

Yes, the pattern is established and there is no reason to believe it will end. A straight Bond-on-a-mission film won't be happening. We've already been teased in that direction twice and it didn't happen.

I'm guessing we will see more of the TB/YOLT/MWTGG novels era style of plot and inner musings. They will not end Bond inner turmoil and have Craig going Moore doing just quips and shagging for the next two films. It doesn't make sense.

Craig is doing the quips at least. He could pick things up with the shagging though. Have a little more fun with it. More like Sean did. There is still much that padwan Craig can learn from the master.

Sean basically pawed at anything that came across his radar, but he did it with such alpha-male charm, that it was utterly convincing.