Skyfall
User Score
7.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1075 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 887 out of 1075
  2. Mixed: 78 out of 1075
  3. Negative: 110 out of 1075

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  1. gimmedatsammich
    Nov 17, 2012
    3
    This movie, like Heineken beer, leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. Skyfall's version of Bond is so cold and lacking in charm that he will likely inspire your contempt rather than your sympathy. Javier Bardem is nowhere near as scary as he was in No Country for Old Men, but that's not his fault- the part is just poorly written. Gone are the witty one liners so famously associated with the series. I can recall laughing twice during the entirety of this film. Bond movies need to have a good sense of humor, which you won't find here. On the romantic front, things are equally grim: there is no chemistry between Craig and his legion of shallow female sidekicks. This is partly because the script sucks, but it's also because Daniel Craig is just downright ugly, pardon the crassness. He is not easy on the eyes. I'm glad this is his last Bond movie, to be honest. I think Michael Fassbender could play the kind of Bond this series needs in order to get back on track. I found myself feeling quite bored for the majority of the movie. Strange that such an explosive action movie would be so devoid of intrigue and suspense. I'll give it a three for the gorgeous title sequence and Roger Deakins' photography.… Expand
  2. lancevance8
    Nov 10, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. let me start off by saying I love james bond so much!!! I think craig is great in casino and quantum of solace. But this movie was so bad here is why.

    the villain was about as scary as an employee of a mac store.

    the new Q looks like an indie rocker groupie bond doesn't have his new dbs Austin martin.

    bond has a very weird shower scene he just shows up in there naked with out saying anything.

    then the french bond girl has 4 lines then dies by a bet with whiskey and one shot

    a large kamoto dragon saves bonds life by eatting a large Asian man

    for 5 mins bond stares at London then for 10 mins he stares and walks around Scotland with nothing going on.

    they play home alone in a old mansion for about 30 min built in the middle of no where. I mean they put shotgun shots under the floor boards and little grenades in the light fixtures. I was expecting to see 5 gallon paint cans hit people in the face. This is was the biggest let down in the theaters I've ever had. Don't believe the hype. The best thing I can say is I used free tickets to see this!!! SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  3. dysonlu
    Nov 11, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. They had four years to write a good (if not brilliant) story but they failed miserably! The "pre-theme song" part was pretty good and promising but then it was disappointments one after another. Right after the theme song, you learn, which was a bit of a shock, that Bond is alive and well (was rescued by a hot unknown woman, had sex with her and decided to report back for duty). What a wasted opportunity for some good "come back" story. But no. He lost his aim (which he magically, all of a suddenly, finds back at some point during the movie) and was somewhat out of shape. But nothing of that will lead to any consequence whatsoever in the story. Essentially zero character development (the bad guy "Silver" (lame name) and the Bond girl -- which lady was the Bond girl anyway? What was her name again? Actually, there is NO Bond girl in this James Bond movie). So uninspired, no flair, no style, no class. No memorable location (Shanghai, Macau, oh sooo original!) No witty retort or remark by Bond, nor interesting dialog between any character of the movie. Oh and the bad guy dies with a knife in the back, presumably thrown by Bond. No fight, no nothing.

    Note to hollywood: we have enough of the evil genius hacker who can control everything and do everything with his computer. It's just a lazy way to avoid explaining anything. He knows where this person is because he hacked into this computer. He controls that house's refrigerator because he hacked into this person's computer. PLEASE STOP THIS NON-SENSE!    … Expand
  4. MrLadyRat
    Nov 10, 2012
    4
    It's a return to the classic, campy Bond movies. I didn't know that going in, and was disappointed when walking out.

    A bad script sets the movie apart from it's two predecessors. Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace had such a rich, deep storyline, where characters had intricacies, and separate stories of their own. Skyfall is missing this.

    I love the classic Bond movies, and think t    hat this movie is very much in line with those. With that said, my reasoning for such a harsh rating is that the previous two movies had taken Bond in such a vibrant direction, and it is so disappointing to see the series regress.… Expand
  5. alm5609
    Nov 11, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not the WORST James Bond but definitely not a good one. The writers really missed the mark on this one. James Bond's apparent death at the beginning of the film was not woven deep enough into the story. The missing MI6 agent roster really had no impact on the plot. The villains character was so irrational and illogical even for a James Bond movie. Now, I have to say I like Daniel Craig. He won me over when I saw Casino Royal and it proves he's better than this. If you pay close attention, the director has bond awkwardly standing and "taking in the view" while remaining all tough. He literally just stand there like an emotionless statue for the greater part of the film. LET THE MAN ACT! Create more interesting dialog! Allow a script to have reasonable action sequences! I like the updated: cold, hard, ruthless, willing to do anything to get the job done James Bond, but come on! It has to be a little dynamic. As an audience we need some way to "bond" with the character. You can tell they attempted to do this by trying to fill in a lot James Bond's past but ultimately failed (unneeded for plot). I didn't really feel like we needed to be introduced to James Bond's dead family, nor did we need to see his family's mansion from which he uses "Home Alone" tactics to repel the world worst assault force led by the worlds corniest bad guy. James Bond does need to be "re-vamped" but it needs to be done in the writing/directing department. It's a shame that after 4 years this is the best product they could produce. Heck, I'm even considering writing a James Bond screenplay after seeing how far off the mark these guys are. OH! I gave it a "3" because "M" is fiiiinnnnnnalllllllyyyyy getting replaced and the fact that this movie wasn't "Tomorrow Never Dies" which deserves a "0" in everyones book and should NEVER be shown to a public audience. Thanks for taking the time to read my ranting.… Expand
  6. haslam
    Nov 20, 2012
    3
    What can I say?! Like many, Im a Bond fan...but cannot understand how the 'media' has put this latest Bond movie in the same league as Goldfinger? The introductory action scene was good; the shot to Bond and his presumed death added a twist, but from then on it was flatter than than the cinema cola I was drinking!! What on earth have the directors and producers created?! The story line was so weak it was painful...the Villan was an ex MI6 agent who was 'betrayed' by his Boss (M) and was now plotting on her downfall and death via cybercrime and access to a hardrive (from another MI6 agent) carrying data of all western secret agents...come on!!! Bond is here to settle a personal vendetta of an ex agent and his Boss?! With all that is going on in the world today, is this the best that can be done (even when being politically correct)! The various action scenes-Shanghai & Macau did not have substance. they came and went without a real reason. the Bond girls could not even be called that...their roles where so short. The gadgets and cars were non existant...Daniel Craig was good. He is looking alittle old and ragged, and feel this should be his last film as 007. The whole film was a a mixture of many films (Borne Identity, MI 1, Harry Potter, etc...). Personally I feel Mr Mendes has done a very poor job here, he was hired to do something different with Bond, but ended up making a real mess...Probably the worst Bond film ever made....even Timothy Dalton's two films were better...the 3 marks I give to Daniel Craig, for trying his best, Villain's Camp hairdo, and M's death....Utterly disappointed and disallusioned about the future of the 007............… Expand
  7. coxmail10
    Nov 18, 2012
    1
    Casino Royal was a very good movie. Craig became a new Bond, a rougher Bond, a more "realistic Bond. All this is swept away in Skyfall and replaced by a dull, boring, regrettable image of a Bond character that is put together with traces of Startrek and Batman movies.
    This is one of the worst Bond movies ever made (in comparison Casino Royal was one of the best).
    Sam Mendes provided chea    p script work....what can I say....bad, bad, bad.… Expand
  8. DarkKnightG4
    Nov 26, 2012
    9
    Skyfall is my favorite Bond film thus far. I never was a big fan of the older Bond movies, but have thoroughly enjoyed the Bronson and Craig iterations. I like the direction the Daniel Craig ones have taken as far as leaving the cheesy gadgets behind in favor of a more rugged, physical Bond. I was a bit nervous with the way Skyfall started as there were several different actions/reactions that pulled me out of the action sequence. However, as it calmed down and started to introduce the main villain I was reassured. Javier Bardem was the highlight of Skyfall and I consider him to be the best Bond villain to date. His menacing, cerebral nature was more scary and intimidating than any other Bond villain plotting to rule the world. Despite having the knowledge and technology to wreck huge havoc on the world, Bardem's plan is more local and revenge driven (a much more interesting approach). Learning more about Bond's past was nice but nothing earth-shattering since it came off as the already done Bruce Wayne type of story. However, it was all executed convincingly and Daniel Craig does a great job as a broken but still very deadly Bond. Like the movies underlining story of "This Old Dog still has Bite", Skyfall proves that the 23rd Bond movie can still pack a punch and bring something new and entertaining to the table. In a sense, I wish this would be the last Bond movie since it was so fitting for a conclusion, but we all know there will be more and lets just hope they'll be as good as this one was. 9/10… Expand
  9. theoffice
    Nov 10, 2012
    9
    An amazing Bond film that harkens back to the old days with a genius supervillian, witty one liners, several girls, and some intense action sequences. The script was extremely well written and made due with less in a great way with excellent pacing and an engaging story. The action was much more subdued taking up less screen time than in previous films but this was something I was actually hoping for as it was more meaningful when it took place. Not having been a huge fan of Craig's previous Bond interpretations/scripts I really enjoyed his performance and am looking forward to his next one. Overall definitely a more dramatic movie and highly recommend.… Expand
  10. kaleb
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    Skyfall is the best of the Daniel Craig movies. The plot was awesome. Sam did an awesome job with this bond film. Daniel Craig is the best bond Since Sean Connery in my opinion Craig is the best Bond.
  11. axelkoch
    Nov 10, 2012
    3
    You have to put feelings in a movie starring Daniel Craig (like in Casino Royale) and Skyfall doesn't do that, just like Quantum Of Solace. Thus, Quantum Of Solace is bad and thus, Skyfall is bad. Skyfall is even worse, actually it's the worst Bond movie I've ever seen (but okay, I've only seen 7). Except Ben Whishaw, none of the actors is interesting and I was really annoyed by Judi Dench, because I've got to see her so often in this movie. The first scene with villain Javier Bardem is really cool and leaded me to expect the ending to better than the beginning, but in fact Bardem is just another stupid antagonist. When it comes to the final showdown, he is just dumb. The ending was really bad and I don't know how Sam Mendes could film such **** The action is not rememberable, the actors aren't good and the whole movie is at least half an hour too long. I have no clue why critics raved over this movie so much, it didn't entertain me at all. I was very disappointed with Skyfall and I'd suggest you not to spend money on the cinema ticket for this.… Expand
  12. Mazmorrero47
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    Sam Mendes achieved the perfect balance between the realism in Casino Royale and the classic Bond elements. 007 fans will have a great time appreciating the subtle references to other films (unlike the ones in Quantum of Solace which were thrown right at your face). Once more, Daniel Craig is amazing as the most badass James Bond to date along with Timothy Dalton. This time he does a great job on portraying a weak and more vulnerable Bond that has lost his touch and is tired of life. Judi Dench at this point can act as M in her sleep, but this time we see a more human side of 007's boss as she tries to keep cool in the most chaotic circumstances. The relationship between Bond and M is explored as never before. Javier Bardem will certainly be remembered as Silva: one of the best villains in Bond history with his threatening and enjoyable presence. Ralph Fiennes is great as usual, this time posing as the one who comes to put Bond and M in their places. Also, the music by Thomas Newman and the cinematography by Roger Deakins are top notch. The only flaws I found in Skyfall are that even though Ben Whishaw's portrayal is cool, Q is more like Anna Grimsdottir from the Splinter Cell games than Q (the gadgets are deeply missed in the Daniel Craig films) and the Bond girls do a good job but they aren't as important as in other films. Skyfall has one of the best stories in the 007 series without ever forgetting watching James Bond has to be exciting.… Expand
  13. FilmEqualsJoy
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    As a kid all I watched were Bond movies. Sean Connery was my favorite out of all of them. Casino Royale came out and Daniel Craig was so interesting to watch. He was gritty and different than the other's. I'm happy to say that I liked Skyfall even better than Casino Royale. In fact it may be my favorite Bond film yet. Why? Well because Daniel Craig has proved that he is a brilliant bond. He in fact is one of my favorites. May even be my favorite. In Skyfall his performance is so top notch and well done. The plot is interesting and deeper than other Bond films. One must think about the plot over a day or so. At first it doesn't seem to deep, but than it hits you the next day how deep it actually was. The action scenes are choreographed to perfection. The locations are breath taking. The visuals are stunning. Javier Bardem is masterful in this film. I could not help but smile whenever he talked. His dialogue was so evil and twisted. His character was the most colorful of the film, and also the of the most colorful and rememberable villains in the Bond films. Bardem is flawless through out the whole film. Sam Mendes directed Skyfall with up most skill. He adds new elements to Bond, but is sure not to forget about keeping some classic Bond elements in the mix. I am very impressed with Skyfall. In fact I can't wait to see what's next for Bond. I would hope that Craig would return, because I have become so attached to his Bond. Excellent work by the cast and crew. This film is the best movie I have seen so far this year! I hope it gets Oscar attention. It certainly deserves it!… Expand
  14. Annabelle
    Nov 10, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was such a disappointment after Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. I was so excited to see Javier Bardem as the villain, but all we have is a psychologically damaged former spy who has a poorly dyed hair and eyebrow job and a poor script. Where were Bond's new toys? A new gun and a transmitter hardly qualify. Even the romance was missing. The action was sub par to previous Bond movies. I had read some critics reviews before seeing the show and I was anticipating something great. Far from it. I wonder what movie those folks had seen because this sure was a disappointment. This makes me wonder about the caliber of future Bond movies. If this is the direction the future movies are taking, I guess I will be watching the old shows rather than the new ones from here on in.… Expand
  15. DustbowlHippie
    Nov 10, 2012
    2
    Probably the most boring Bond movie I've seen. Unfortunate, as I came into it with medium-rare expectations. I'd wait for Redbox, at best. See something else on the big screen.
  16. banstylejbo
    Nov 11, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Skyfall might be the most un-Bond film in the series. There are little to none of the classic Bond tropes (gadgets, girls). in their place the movie is filled with personal issues and M being pushed out. The villain has the most small-potatoes plan of all the Bond villains. Still, the movie didn't entirely lose me until the final act where Bond and M hide out in his family's old Scotland home. At this point the movie took a big turn for the worse. The final act boiling down to a Straw Dogs/Home Alone type home defense scenario that is just boring and completely unoriginal. Setting aside plot holes, of which there are a number, this movie just left me scratching my head. After setting up a mysterious syndicate hiding in the shadows in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, this movie doesn't even make one mention of what had been built up in the previous two Craig movies. I just don't understand where they were going with this movie other than to just slap something together to introduce new actors in the roles of M, Q, and Moneypenny. The movie is overlong and spends too much time dealing with things that feel more like they came out of a Bourne movie. I had high hopes for this movie, but if Skyfall is the best we can get after 4 years, I think this franchise is going to get stale again pretty fast. Overall the movie isn't unwatchable, it is just not a Bond movie. There are some cool action sequences and Bardem isn't bad as the villain, but he doesn't have much to work with. Skip this one until it hits video.… Expand
  17. andytimber
    Nov 17, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Once the credits roll, you will have only one question - why did that stupid b*tch not aim for his head and kill Bond for good. For me, he most certainly IS dead.… Expand
  18. cfscorpio
    Nov 11, 2012
    3
    I didn't like this movie. It is little more than a straight action film. Take out the name James Bond and you'll find it hard to see the resemblance to the James Bond series. They took away all the clever gadgets, don't give Bond much time to be cool or charming, he doesn't really play out as much of a hero and the villain has no motivation or plan other than revenge. This seems to be the direction of the Daniel Craig era of Bond movies and I for one have had enough.… Expand
  19. bosnian
    Nov 12, 2012
    3
    Story makes no sense. Enough plot holes and ridiculous moments where you are questioning what where they thinking to fill out any Roger Moore Bond movie. Series that started with amazing Casino Royale keeps going down the hill thanks to over the top action sequences and no regard for coherent plot. Fails miserably in comparison to MI4.
  20. Sorry15
    Nov 10, 2012
    9
    In 2006 we were pleasantly impressed by ,,Casino Royale'' and thought that was the best Bond movie. 2 years late, when ,,Quantum of Solace'' made its debut on big screen we stuck at our first opinion and began to think that 007 may be exhausted. Well, ,,Skyfall'' proves just the opposite as it resurrects an 50 years old spy. More focused on a personal dispute than a global threat, ,,Skyfall'' comes forward with his characters, but it didn't forget to bring a thrilling action and a great script. Injured in appearance, but strong, determined, lucid and phlegmatic in the same time, Bond must prove his loyalty to duty. For the first time his attributes expand from being an agent as he's pulled in a personal conflict. Away from love or personal interest, he must become unselfish in making use of his attributes. Apart from Bond there's a second great item for ,,Skyfall'' and that's Javier Bardem's villain. Raoul Silva represent more than a simple villain, he's a powerful symbol, an opposite Bond, charming the viewer with his moral-psychological attitudes as well as interpretation. We witness the greatest villain in Bond movies, a sociopath, driven by personal vendetta with nothing to stop him. Silva is the cause of all intrigues, but his role becomes even more interesting with subjectivity because he's not seen only as a terrorist but as an individualist. The action of ,,Skyfall'' is already useless when you have such great character, but still, it comes to perfectly complete this ensemble with great, thrilling action, well-written script and solid story. Maybe because it's ,,guilty'' of quite some realism this story becomes even more exciting. From crowdy city into the nature, from normal conflict to personal one, the script takes credit for being made to interpret the moral and psychological action. The technicals are quite impressive to, the movie is exciting to watch, the soundtrack is just as it's supposed to be, and the frames let you enjoy Bond, action and atmosphere as well. We witness some great stunts as well as beautiful filmed frames, made especially to enjoy the audience. In conclusion ,,Skyfall'' meets the standard set by ,,Casino Royale'' and I can say it overtakes him. Now the normal questions that comes into my mind: is there any potential left for Bond or it reaches its peak? The answer is: there's still potential left in 007 and peaks can grow higher. If they continue being so great for the next movies, Bond will become the best spy with no chance to be brought down in any possible future, but he's already there...… Expand
  21. mmweiss
    Nov 9, 2012
    9
    Skyfall, the new James Bond film, is one of the best in the Bond series. Skyfall takes the Bond character to another level, it really develops him. If in "Cassino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace" Daniel Craig was a good Bond, in Skyfall, he is Bond. The action scenes are awesome, the dialogues are great, but what really stands out is Javier Bardem as the villain, he is one of the best Bond villains ever. It´s a bit overly long, but apart from that this film is great!… Expand
  22. tropicAces
    Nov 10, 2012
    7
    Look I'm NLT the biggest James Bond fan in the world, but I don't know why this film is getting praised. The first half is slow and dare I say almost somewhat boring, and the motivations of some characters are left unexplained. Also, and this may be me griping, but if Bond wasn't superhuman or a bad guy could hit a target, the movie would be over in 10 minutes. Still entertaining and an improvement over Quantum, though.… Expand
  23. catcarlo
    Nov 9, 2012
    8
    Anche gli agenti speciali invecchiano. Diventano sacrificabili e si lasciano andare agli ozî di Turchia, godendosi la morte tra sesso forsennato e bevute monumentali (spesso di Heineken, il cui product placement ha contribuito parecchio al finanziamento del film). Così, quando il senso del dovere e i legami personali li richiamano in servizio, la condizione fisica e psicologica lascia un po… Expand
  24. Crazy-guy
    Nov 12, 2012
    9
    This movie was a very great movie it was full action and the tragic ending waked my emetions up but i cant give it a 10 because if this was your first 007 movie its difficult to understand it.
  25. cameronmorewood
    Nov 11, 2012
    9
    As Skyfall drives down the road that is its ever winding plot, there are many decisions to be made. Shall we go right, or left? To use to word in its non-directional fashion, Skyfall goes right. Mendes and the producers are smart enough to see temptations leading to formula and an overdrawn linear plot, and they steer clear of any such cliche. Skyfall is an intelligent, well-paced action thriller that restores our faith in films of its genre.… Expand
  26. Kevlar1
    Nov 14, 2012
    1
    Sky fell flat on the nose
  27. bewv1080
    Nov 10, 2012
    0
    Unoriginal in literally every way. The story had no surprises whatsoever. Had I been wearing a watch, I would have been checking it after the first 20 minutes. If you're an idiot and are easily impressed by shooting guns and Daniel Craig's buff bod, you might enjoy this film, otherwise steer clear and save your money.
  28. valuefilms
    Nov 12, 2012
    1
    I really feel like I wasted my money on this film and the audience, if the grumbles on exit were anything to go by, seem to agree. A silly silly plot, non-threatening villain, no girls or action. I do not think this is a Bond film. I really cannot see where all the positive hype is coming from. Look at the reviews below and save your money.
  29. FireOccator
    Nov 12, 2012
    5
    Skyfall, as all James Bond films have, this one also is trending around. The film even loved the product prices by 0,07%. However, can the 007 recover from it's horrible video game prequels?___ I will begin with the good stuff. First of all, great Bond character by Daniel Craig. I just wish his story in the film, had not began with a gigantic plot-hole. The camera work is smooth and the action scenes cannot be ignored. Also the humour is still there.___ Now, sadly, the longest part of the review. The bad stuff. The main plot is an unsuccessful depiction of modern communication and it's roll in war on terror. We also have M, who keeps messing up in every James Bond film. The annoying plot-holes and M's ''smart'' decisions aren't even close to the main villain of this year's film. Behold, a walking plot-hole that has just escaped from a mental facility, Raoul Silva! A villain's first appearance is important... as is his two minutes walk towards Bond, that makes you fall asleep. This guy truly can predict anything and I mean ANYTHING. Whatever he touches immediately turns into a plot-hole. Everything he does is by style, that screws up every plan, at the last second. The creators even removed a scene, so they could hide this man's plot-hole skills.___ Overall the film is mediocre. I just wonder what other villains are brewing in the next 007 film and what storyline are we going to experience next, hopefully better than this one.… Expand
  30. saucyninja007
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    I don't care if I sound like a broken record when I say this: Skyfall really is the "Dark Knight" of the James Bond film franchise. You don't need to be a bond fan to enjoy this one. The action is comprehensible and exciting. The acting is great all around, with Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem always threatening to steal the show. Casino Royale was great, but Skyfall may just be better.
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 43 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 43
  3. Negative: 0 out of 43
  1. Slate
    Reviewed by: Dana Stevens
    Nov 9, 2012
    60
    Skyfall leaves you wondering whether this incarnation of the character has anywhere left to go. It's the portrait of a spy at the end of his rope by an actor who seems close to his.
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  2. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Rene Rodriguez
    Nov 9, 2012
    88
    Mendes' approach to action is classical and elegant - no manic editing and blurry unintelligible images here - but what makes the movie truly special is the attention he gives his actors.
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  3. New Orleans Times-Picayune
    Reviewed by: Mike Scott
    Nov 9, 2012
    60
    The sky is far from falling on the Bond franchise. In fact, it is as good as it has ever been. What's more, Craig is reportedly on board for at least two more outings, so Q had better get to work on those bifocals because 007 is no where near ready for retirement.
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