Skyfall (2012)

James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers:

Neal Purvis, Robert Wade

Stars:

Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris

Won 2 Oscars. Another 63 wins & 122 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Craig	...	James Bond
Judi Dench	...	M
Javier Bardem	...	Silva
Ralph Fiennes	...	Gareth Mallory
Naomie Harris	...	Eve
Bérénice Marlohe	...	Severine (as Bérénice Lim Marlohe)
Albert Finney	...	Kincade
Ben Whishaw	...	Q
Rory Kinnear	...	Tanner
Ola Rapace	...	Patrice
Helen McCrory	...	Clair Dowar MP
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Doctor Hall
Bill Buckhurst	...	Ronson
Elize du Toit	...	Vanessa (M's Assistant)
Ian Bonar	...	MI6 Technician

Storyline

When James Bond's (Daniel Craig's) latest assignment goes gravely wrong and Agents around the world are exposed, MI6 is attacked, forcing (M Dame Judi Dench) to relocate the agency. These events cause her authority and position to be challenged by Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee. With MI6 now compromised from both inside and out, M is left with one ally she can trust: Bond. 007 takes to the shadows, aided only by field agent, Miss Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), following a trail to the mysterious Tiago Rodriguez, a.k.a. Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem), whose lethal and hidden motives have yet to reveal themselves.

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Plot Keywords:

007 | official bond film | premarital sex | terrorist cell | sex in shower | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences throughout, some sexuality, language and smoking

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of only two Bond films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Score; the other being The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

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Goofs

After Bond and M arrive at Skyfall they review the available weapons with Kincade. Kincade hands Bond what looks like a double barrel shotgun and says that is was his father's hunting rifle. This is an "express rifle", a double barreled large caliber rifle designed for dangerous game at close range, and easily mistaken for a shotgun.

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Quotes

[first lines]
James Bond: [Speaking on a blue tooth device] Ronson's down. He needs a medical evac.
M: Where is it? Is it there?
James Bond: Hard drives gone.
M: You sure?
James Bond: It's gone. Give me a minute.
M: They must have it! Get after them!
James Bond: I'm stabilizing Ronson.
M: We don't have the time!
James Bond: I have to stop the bleeding!
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits feature Bond periodically shooting at targets, Shanghai dragons, Silva's skull logo, and the Skyfall mansion from which Bond's eyes stare out. At the end of the credits, the sky is seen falling upon the mansion.

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Alternate Versions

In the European theatrical release, BBC journalist Huw Edwards presents a news report about the attack on MI6's HQ that prompts Bond to come back from the dead. In the North American release, CNN journalist Wolf Blitzer presents it instead.

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Connections

Referenced in My Weekly Bond: SPECTRE Review (Spoiler Free) Part 1 (2015)

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Soundtracks

Moonlight
Performed by Jun Chen
Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

User Reviews

A good anniversary Bond

This is one of the better Bond movies as I see it. The directing is excellent, as is the cinematography and music. Javier Bardem is great as a baddie, though he could have used a bit more background. He is over the top, but it suits the genre. In comparison, we get more background for Bond and M.

The plot is good and has a good flow to it, though the movie feels ever so slightly bloated in the beginning and the end. The action is well paced and free of annoying shaky-cam work. The dialogue is witty (more so than usual), though too much of the good stuff is given away in the trailer. It definitely feels less of a Jason Bourne movie than the last two.

Location-wise, Skyfall spends more time in Britain than any other in the series as far as I can recall. I like this change and it's nice to see more of MI6.

In all it's well worth watching and a great Bond movie.

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [United States] MGM [United States]

Country:

UK USA Turkey

Language:

English Turkish Shanghainese Portuguese Japanese

Release Date:

9 November 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Skyfall

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$88,364,714, 11 November 2012

Gross USA:

$304,360,277

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,108,561,013

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Columbia Pictures, Danjaq

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat SDDS Sonics-DDP Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Atmos IMAX 6-Track

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1