Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

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  • #16
    Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

    Originally posted by Biohazard View Post
    That wasn't Mendes's fault. Unless he's the guy who okay'ed all the story idiocy.
    You mean like the way a director is ultimately responsible for the finished film?

    And it wasn't just that the story made no sense, to me, it was the opening, in which Mendes proposed that the primary purpose of vehicles is crashing into things, and the skyscraper fight seen, in which he thought it would be better to film it as though it was a Bond title sequence. (Did it look cool? **** yeah! Did it help tell the story? No, it took away from the story.)

    Originally posted by jboffer View Post
    It's like someone was handed a predetermined list of locations to shoot at and told they need to find a way to hop from one to the next with their screenplay.
    I agree.

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    • #17
      Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

      CR and QOS were great. SF, not so much, at least to me. Like I said in the Skyfall thread, celebrating 50 years of Bond makes no sense when the current incarnation of Bond is meant to be a rebooted character.

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      • #18
        Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

        Originally posted by jboffer View Post
        I judge a movie based on what it attempts to be.

        Die Another Day succeeded more as a film than Skyfall.

        The Bond reboot films with Craig take themselves seriously. Which was fine with Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale, which did not have the issues Skyfall did.

        Though I know Bio would be quick to disagree about Casino Royale
        I see Casino Royale in a new light after the disaster that is Skyfail.

        I don't have a problem with a movie being a somewhat dumb action popcorn flick, like pretty much every Bond film, but there is an absurdity limit that must never be reached, lest you seek to insult your audience.

        Skyfail did that. It's not dumb in a fun way, it's dumb in an insulting way. It's TOO dumb. The entire middle of the movie, from where Silva is captured until he is finished executing the most incredibly stupid kindergarten-level idiocy that was supposed to be passed off for some ingenious strategy...that entire third of the film is dumber than the worst Saturday morning cartoon. It has no business being in a $200,000,000 live-action feature film created by professional film-makers.

        There has to be a limit for absurdity, even in popcorn flicks. Where is it? I defy anyone to come up with a dumber plan for Silva. You can't do it. Change anything and it can only get better.

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        • #19
          Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

          Skyfall was a little ponderous, but was gorgeous and got the job done.

          Would love to see more of the old swagger in the next one.

          Jettison the angst. Get on with a rollicking Bond adventure.

          Blofeld origin perhaps?

          Give me casinos, club tropicana and ridiculous henchmen.

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          • #20
            Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

            I saw Skyfall recently and wasn't too keen on it, too much angst and everyone is too cold. I just didn't find Bond or M or any of them very like-able. It was shot well enough, even if it didn't feel like a Bond film.

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            • #21
              Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

              Shizz, I thought everybody loved Skyfall.

              For the record Craig is the most truthful to Fleming's Bond. I'll always love Connery but Craig made the character relevant again. The films needed to take a break away from campy.

              Looking forward to the next but I'm surprised Mendes signed back on.

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              • #22
                Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                Originally posted by TheConnorNoden View Post
                The films needed to take a break away from campy.
                Absolutely. With Austin Powers in public consciousness, the Bond films can't go back to camp and cheesiness.

                This is reminiscent of the Man of Steel discussion. A lot of people remember the older Bond films, like the older Superman films, from watching them when they were younger viewers. But today's audiences are used to more gravitas in these kinds of movies -- they expect it, and they enjoy it. (Witness how well Skyfall and Man of Steel did at the box office.)

                Skyfall had its share of problems, to be sure, but the serious tone certainly wasn't one of them. In fact, that was one of the film's best aspects, with the comedy kept to minimal cynical quips, as it should be.
                Last edited by karsten; 07-15-2013, 08:22 AM.

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                • #23
                  Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                  Originally posted by karsten View Post
                  Skyfall had its share of problems, to be sure, but the serious tone certainly wasn't one of them. In fact, that was one of the film's best aspects, with the comedy kept to minimal cynical quips, as it should be.
                  The main problems for me were a weak villain (you can't set him up as scarier than anything imaginable then simply have him mince about) and a lack of action (most of the action in the trailer was from the opening sequence).
                  M.A.G.A.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                    We have Roger Deakins to thank for the gorgeous "look" of the film. And that opening shot where Bond just walks in from the shadows - awesomeness! I pretty much agree on the story points being messy and the villain being very much a misstep. Like others have said in this thread, I'm intrigued that Mendes is back. I could have sworn I read somewhere that he was not keen on doing more Bond.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                      Originally posted by movieguyjon View Post
                      I could have sworn I read somewhere that he was not keen on doing more Bond.
                      Negotiating tactic to get a good deal, IMO -- as was the case when Abrams said he was iffy about Star Wars (when of course that was a gig he very much wanted).

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                      • #26
                        Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                        Originally posted by movieguyjon View Post
                        We have Roger Deakins to thank for the gorgeous "look" of the film. And that opening shot where Bond just walks in from the shadows - awesomeness!
                        I hated the cinematography. It can be cool when every color on screen "pops" (take your pick of Tarantino films) but Skyfall was too much and for the wrong reasons, IMO.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                          Originally posted by roscoegino View Post
                          SKYFALL made a serial killing at the box office, so that explains that.
                          Precisely.

                          If it ain't broke...
                          Story Structure 1
                          Story Structure 2
                          Story Structure 3

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                          • #28
                            Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                            Originally posted by karsten View Post
                            Negotiating tactic to get a good deal, IMO -- as was the case when Abrams said he was iffy about Star Wars (when of course that was a gig he very much wanted).
                            Makes sense. Still reads kind of odd on paper.

                            Still, I don't think Mendes did too terrible of a job and overall I enjoyed the film when I saw it in the theaters. It's pretty much the same reaction I had with The Dark Knight Rises. Enjoyed the experience, but there was a lot to pick apart.

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                            • #29
                              Re: Sam Mendes to direct next James Bond film

                              Originally posted by TheConnorNoden View Post
                              For the record Craig is the most truthful to Fleming's Bond.
                              As much as I like Craig in the role, Connery nailed it in his first four films. Lazenby, despite the occasional wooden line delivery, was also pretty accurate to Fleming's Bond.

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