I don't get it????

[bjamesobrad]

I don't get it???? What triggered the box office success of Skyfall???? Was it the critical praise??? And if so why was it hailed by so many critics???? Most of us have seen it and know it's not even close to being worthy of the praise it has recieved. Even the people who liked the movie must admitt it isn't all that the critics said it is. I have heard people who liked the film say they still like Casino Royale better which means the critics praise falls short (even if it is a little bit). I know there will be people saying the critics were bought out, but that would cost alot of money to buy that many out would it not??? I mean I don't know, I have never paid one off before (obviously) but you would think paying off a guy like Roger Ebert would cost a fair amount. The only thing I can think of is paying off the majority of critics in the UK and the critics else where have to follow suit or look like an idiot???
I just don't get it????

[Capt. Sir Dominic Flandry]

Maybe Bond - any sort of Bond - is popular and everyone wanted to see a Bond movie the long four year gap.. I know i would give a biased view ( ) but Skyfall was a mediocre thriller which was quite embarrassing in parts and I cannot really understand why many critics, Bond fans and the Craig as bond fanatics rate it so highly.

[bjamesobrad]

I have no doubt the gap helped but we have had bigger gaps and they did not lead into that kind of success.

[Kristatos]

I dunno, a lot of people seem to like it. Some of it I think is peer pressure, people feeling that they are missing out by not seeing it, but most of the comments from family and friends who have seen it are positive, and I seem to be in the minority in considering the film a crashing bore with a couple of good bits (the PCS and the tube train chase were well-done, I thought).

[Napoleon Solo]

There's some old/classic Bond bits (Craig straightening his cuffs, the return of the DB5), the occasional quip that it felt a lot more like a Bond movie than Quantum of Solace. The audience I was with definitely had a good reaction when the DB5 was revealed in the storage garage.

[The Saint 007]

Some possible reasons could be:

- The strong marketing for the 50th anniversary heavily pushing Bond in the eyes of the public.

- Critics saying that Skyfall is the best Bond ever, or the equivalent of Goldfinger.

- The promises of Skyfall being more along the lines of a traditional Bond.

- The four year wait

[The Sweeney]

Guys, guys, guys.....you are forgetting my checklist which predicted this huge BO success. I'll repeat them again for the umpteenth time -

1) Olympic ceremony
2) Bond 50 anniversary
3) Adele
40 Positive reviews

And personally, I think the film DOES live up to the hype from the critics, and I know many other who do too. Add all that together, and you are all set for the biggest Bond film to rock the franchise since Thunderball......

Also, Craig is popular as Bond. I know all of you here may find that difficult to take in, but you have to face up to it. He may not be your cup of tea, like Brozza wasn't mine either, but I was realistic enough to know there were enough people out there who liked Brozza as Bond, to ensure he was a success during his era.

[bjamesobrad]

Let me understand this Sweeney... Skyfall lives up to all the hype the critics have given it in your opinion. Fair enough. So what your saying is the critics are right, Skyfall is a 10/10, 100%, the best Bond movie of all, right? Now this is the part I am confussed with... How can a 007 fan ever say Skyfall is a better movie than the likes of Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, The Spy Who Loved Me??? ( I would have said Goldeneye as well but I know you dont like Brosnan) Heck I can't even see how Skyfall is superiour to View to a Kill???
Do you not see all the problems with the plot after reading reviews from a site like this???
How can you claim a weathered Craig is the best Bond since Connery or better???
Again I just don't get it????

P.S. I'm not trying to be rude or anything I respect your opinion. I just don't understand the logic. Help me understand and maybe I can enjoy the Craig era alittle more (Doubtfull but Maybe)

[bjmdds]

The 21st century has dramatized GRUNGE as the IN thing. SK-AWFUL delivers on NOTHING. It has an origin story of MP, retold by Eon, with the wrong actress. It has an origin story for Q, retold, who screws up computers, not invent gadgets, and the actor is miscast as well. It re-introduces a male M, removing a female from the role, but the actor is too young and better looking than Bond's actor. The plot is a tedious snoozefest and the villain is a kin to Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint. The acting is nothing great, YET..........it warrants a huge box office from the public. Why? Grunge and ugliness sells. Watch Jerry Springer and Maury on USA morning tv and tell me how those shows are on air yearly? It's moral decay, nothing more. It's quite scary that Cr-egg is getting away with murdering the iconic franchise. Sweeney would call this success.......I call it a disgraceful shame. If Cr-egg can do this type of box office as Bond, how high could Jackman or Cavill have gone? We won't ever know. Why? In 9 years Elba will be Bond and be cast as a bisexual as well by MGW's children, and none of us will care any longer. FBF, your thoughts.

[The Sweeney]

Let me understand this Sweeney... Skyfall lives up to all the hype the critics have given it in your opinion. Fair enough. So what your saying is the critics are right, Skyfall is a 10/10, 100%, the best Bond movie of all, right? Now this is the part I am confussed with... How can a 007 fan ever say Skyfall is a better movie than the likes of Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, The Spy Who Loved Me??? ( I would have said Goldeneye as well but I know you dont like Brosnan) Heck I can't even see how Skyfall is superiour to View to a Kill???
Do you not see all the problems with the plot after reading reviews from a site like this???
How can you claim a weathered Craig is the best Bond since Connery or better???
Again I just don't get it????

P.S. I'm not trying to be rude or anything I respect your opinion. I just don't understand the logic. Help me understand and maybe I can enjoy the Craig era alittle more (Doubtfull but Maybe)

I rate SF alongside FRWL, GF and OHMSS. To me they are all cut from the same cloth. I never found any issues with the plot when watching the film (many of the other Bond films plots used to confuse the hell out of me anyway), even though I know there are a few plot holes (then again, which Bond film doesn't...)

I prefer the novels to the films in general, and I prefer the grittier, harder, darker aspects to the novels. Comedy and gadgets I don't particularly care for in the films. I like my Bonds serious and gritty. To me Craig delivers this kind of Bond perfectly, in the same mould as Dalton, or early Connery.

But I can appreciate if he doesn't do it for you.

[Kristatos]

Guys, guys, guys.....you are forgetting my checklist which predicted this huge BO success. I'll repeat them again for the umpteenth time -

1) Olympic ceremony
2) Bond 50 anniversary
3) Adele
4) Positive reviews

I really don't think the Olympics or Adele had much of an effect on the box office. The Olympics had already started to fade from memory by the time the film came out, and people don't go to see movies because they like the theme song. AVTAK was one of the less successful Bonds financially, despite the huge success of Duran Duran's theme.

[bjamesobrad]

Fair enough Sweeney. We'll agree to disagree.
I to prefer some of Flemings books over some of the movies. But my taste in the books is a bit different than most.

[John Drake]

The break had a lot to do with it. It made the film more of an event. Then the hysterical reviews with people proclaiming it the best film of the year (although I didn't see anything for Skyfall in the Golden Globes list) and the fact that the Bond brand always sells. I think the interesting question is why no one goes to see any of these other movies that Daniel Craig makes. It does suggest that EON could be making even more money with an actor who had more general widespread appeal.

[FormerBondFan]

It does suggest that EON could be making even more money with an actor who had more general widespread appeal.

DC's none of these categories. If he is, then EON can make money off of anyone who plays Bond no matter what his race is or what looks like as long as he can act.

[bjmdds]

Mr.Ed as Bond FBF?

[FormerBondFan]

Mr.Ed as Bond FBF?

Freaks/weirdos, robots, and pets are best saved for later. Babs is interest in casting a black so let's give it to her. But I say she should cast an Asian as Bond. A shift from traditional Pierce Brosnan to a blonde, short, odd-looking DC was controversial and successful. From blonde to Asian....I would like to see that. It's Babs' world now, and the traditional Bond in likes of the first 5 Bonds have no place in it. The likes of Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Henry Cavill, Michael Fassbender, Richard Armitage, Ben Barnes, and even James D'Arcy don't belong there. The tall and dark-haired folks have done their jobs, and it's the time for foreigners to take over. Yes, this includes wrestlers (not The Rock though as he is too cool for the role).

[John Drake]

It does suggest that EON could be making even more money with an actor who had more general widespread appeal.

DC's none of these categories. If he is, then EON can make money off of anyone who plays Bond no matter what his race is or what looks like as long as he can act.

It is starting to look as if they could cast anyone and get away with it. My vote for the next Bond therefore goes to Dustin Diamond.

[FormerBondFan]

It does suggest that EON could be making even more money with an actor who had more general widespread appeal.

DC's none of these categories. If he is, then EON can make money off of anyone who plays Bond no matter what his race is or what looks like as long as he can act.

It is starting to look as if they could cast anyone and get away with it. My vote for the next Bond therefore goes to Dustin Diamond.

Babs has already got with what she did to Pierce. Dismissed him without a great Bond other than GE then hired DC, leaving Pierce to be bashed by those minions like it's fault. DC was given the good stuff while Pierce was given none. No reason to bring back the traditional Bond anymore. It's Babs' world now, and the traditional Bond doesn't exist. She can bring in Idris Elba as she wishes.

[John Drake]

It does suggest that EON could be making even more money with an actor who had more general widespread appeal.

DC's none of these categories. If he is, then EON can make money off of anyone who plays Bond no matter what his race is or what looks like as long as he can act.

It is starting to look as if they could cast anyone and get away with it. My vote for the next Bond therefore goes to Dustin Diamond.

Babs has already got with what she did to Pierce. Dismissed him without a great Bond other than GE then hired DC, leaving Pierce to be bashed by those minions like it's fault. DC was given the good stuff while Pierce was given none. No reason to bring back the traditional Bond anymore. It's Babs' world now, and the traditional Bond doesn't exist. She can bring in Idris Elba as she wishes.

I wouldn't take the Craig lunatics too seriously. Prior to 2005, half of them were on the boards saying how great Brosnan was and that he simply must come back. They tend to swim with the tide and hate to feel left out. I do agree with you that Brosnan got the shaft with his films and scripts but I don't think the Craig era has been very good either.

[FormerBondFan]

I do agree with you that Brosnan got the shaft with his films and scripts but I don't think the Craig era has been very good either.

Considering Skyfall gets attention from the general public and big American movie awards, this could happen to anyone who plays Bond no matter what race he is and what he looks like. Seriously, you might as make Bond as a role for everyone. The traditional Bond had their turn. Now it's the foreigners' turn. Like I said, this is Babs' world now, and there's no point of having hope that the handsome tall and dark-haired will return. If I want the traditional Bond back, have someone else to do it and reboot the franchise as the movie is the new James Bond Chapter 1. Take Chris Nolan"s Bat and J.J. Abrams' Trek, for example. Batman Begins resets the franchises and is the new Batman 1 (not Batman 5). The same can be said with 2009's Star Trek although it's connected with the Trek we know. Some consider it the Star Trek 11. Others see it as the new Star Trek 1. I see it as the latter, considering the reboot is in parallel universe, and Star Trek 11 would have to take place in the old universe after Nemesis. If you want to support a franchise, it's all about Star Trek and many other non-Bond franchises. Forget Bond except that giving "cast a black as Bond" idea to Babs.