Quantum of Solace Appreciation Thread- We Found a Better Place to Meet

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  • Seven_Point_Six_FiveSeven_Point_Six_Five Southern California
    Posts: 1,257
    it's interesting that it took him so long to dispatch an ostensibly untrained Greene (I suppose the flurry of axe attacks may have had something to do with it).

    Thats for sure

    vFvgEG5.gif
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    He moved towards Bond both hands holding the hard shaft of his mighty weapon !
    ( The 50 shades of grey, version of QOS) :D
  • Posts: 15,106
    jobo wrote: »
    It is certainly in keeping with the quickness of the action that preceded it. With that said, however, it's interesting that it took him so long to dispatch an ostensibly untrained Greene (I suppose the flurry of axe attacks may have had something to do with it).

    That's the rule of cinema. The final confrontation between the hero and the villain always has to be a long, tense and even affair... nobody cares if it makes any sense or not. The classic is when the villain has done no fighting and given no signs of being a warrior through out the film, but then suddenly pulls up a sword and happens to be an agile expert in sword fighting... (:| Its the same with computer games. The final 'boss' always has to be the most challenging one.

    I've also never liked how Blofeld personally goes after Bond on skies in OHMSS. It seems a bit silly, out of character... Its so much more satisfying in Spy for example, when Moore quickly shoots the guy in the balls, and we're done! ;)

    RE: Greene's fight at the end, I think it does make sense. Like I said before, it is like the skinny, sickly junky threatening you with a needle. Sure, you can take him down, but would you take the chance? In other circumstances, Bond could easily overpower him, but he is trying to about getting bits cut off.
  • OnlyManWhoCanOnlyManWhoCan Greater London
    Posts: 202
    I have been watching this thread with interest but hadn't contributed because I really didn't like QoS so had nothing positive to say, apart from the Tosca sequence which I think even the harshest critic of the film could not deny was super-stylish.

    However, this week I ended up watching it (in two parts) and found myself really enjoying the film!

    I still think the majority of the action sequences are a bit weak, and shaky-cam action has no place in Bond (although it's perfect for Bourne IMO). For such a short film it's almost too action packed - but Craig is great, it looks gorgeous and Arnold's score is modern and compliments his work on CR well. The fight with Mr Slate is brutal and perhaps my favourite one-on-one in the Craig era.

    Dominic Greene is a low-key yet slimy villain and I love the fight at the end. I don't find it unrealistic at all that a wild lunatic with an axe could hold his own against Bond (I do find it questionable that a hotel could keep highly dangerous fuel cells at the bottom of a ramp in their garage, though!)

    I'm happy to see Felix back and I loved his interaction with the other CIA dude. I do hope Jeffery Wright returns in a future Craig movie.

    I don't think this film is as humourless as some have said either.

    There's still much wrong with it: I think Greene's henchmen and the Bond girls barely register and the CGI skydiving sequence is reprehensible - it looks so fake and out of place in such a serious-minded Bond movie.

    While it's bracing to have such a lean Bond movie a part of me wishes it was a bit longer, if only so we could spend more time with Bond, Mathis, Greene, Felix and even Fields, who isn't given much time to make an impact before she's killed off (saying that, I think Severine in SF gets a similar short shrift but I found her scenes much more engaging - perhaps she gave a better performance?)

    I still think it's my least favourite of the Craig films so far but it has definitely been upgraded from one that I found terrible to 'pretty decent,' and that's thanks in part to this thread!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    That's great to hear, @OnlyManWhoCan. We're always happy to welcome a QoS convert into our humble thread.
  • OnlyManWhoCanOnlyManWhoCan Greater London
    Posts: 202
    The only problem @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 is that I have to change my Bond film rankings... AGAIN!

    But that's why I love the franchise - there's a Bond film for every mood!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    The only problem @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 is that I have to change my Bond film rankings... AGAIN!

    But that's why I love the franchise - there's a Bond film for every mood!

    And that's why I don't try to rank them myself! ;)
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Agreed, I have my top five, after that they're all much the same. I can't rank them.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    DrGorner wrote: »
    Agreed, I have my top five, after that they're all much the same. I can't rank them.

    That's kind of how I am, but I could maybe get up to a definitive top 10 or so before I just don't care to continue. That list would include most of the Connery era, all of Craig's and at least one Dalton. Lazenby might squeeze in there too, but just maybe...
  • Posts: 11,425
    I have been watching this thread with interest but hadn't contributed because I really didn't like QoS so had nothing positive to say, apart from the Tosca sequence which I think even the harshest critic of the film could not deny was super-stylish.

    However, this week I ended up watching it (in two parts) and found myself really enjoying the film!

    I still think the majority of the action sequences are a bit weak, and shaky-cam action has no place in Bond (although it's perfect for Bourne IMO). For such a short film it's almost too action packed - but Craig is great, it looks gorgeous and Arnold's score is modern and compliments his work on CR well. The fight with Mr Slate is brutal and perhaps my favourite one-on-one in the Craig era.

    Dominic Greene is a low-key yet slimy villain and I love the fight at the end. I don't find it unrealistic at all that a wild lunatic with an axe could hold his own against Bond (I do find it questionable that a hotel could keep highly dangerous fuel cells at the bottom of a ramp in their garage, though!)

    I'm happy to see Felix back and I loved his interaction with the other CIA dude. I do hope Jeffery Wright returns in a future Craig movie.

    I don't think this film is as humourless as some have said either.

    There's still much wrong with it: I think Greene's henchmen and the Bond girls barely register and the CGI skydiving sequence is reprehensible - it looks so fake and out of place in such a serious-minded Bond movie.

    While it's bracing to have such a lean Bond movie a part of me wishes it was a bit longer, if only so we could spend more time with Bond, Mathis, Greene, Felix and even Fields, who isn't given much time to make an impact before she's killed off (saying that, I think Severine in SF gets a similar short shrift but I found her scenes much more engaging - perhaps she gave a better performance?)

    I still think it's my least favourite of the Craig films so far but it has definitely been upgraded from one that I found terrible to 'pretty decent,' and that's thanks in part to this thread!

    Great to see another Bond fan showing some love for QoS.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    QOS wardrobe was amazing. The Cardigan, the two Harrington Jackets, the suits. Top banana. I love the scene on the aeroplane with Mathis, the cold hard British front is down we see how human the character underneath is, more in the tone of Fleming"s bond underneath the bravado there is a heart, human after all. The end scene's in the snow as well. I love QOS I just think Greene needed a prominent henchman. The Bolivian hotel in the desert was a bit bland. But all in all no way as bad a Bond movie as some make out IMO.
  • Posts: 1,394
    Watched for the first time in several years last night.......nope sorry,still one of the weakest Bond films if not THE weakest.It just tries to hard to be a Bourne film and fails miserably.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    If Bourne was anything like QOS, I would be a Bourne again fan of that franchise, which I am not.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    This was pointed out to me, the editing with QOS starts out very fast, but as the
    Film moves on the editing becomes much more traditional. This must have been
    Done on purpose ? As with the card game in CR which starts with many wide shots but as the game continues, the camera moves closer, tighter in on the faces.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Well the real ending was chopped. There was Bond drives up to Guy Hanes residence and finds him inside with Mr White and takes them both out. QOS was more expensive to make than Skyfall. My only criticism of the film is I don't see where that budget was spent. Mendes and Guy Hamilton both used 2nd unit on Casino and Skyfall to keep production costs down. I can only assume Foster did not and that swallowed the budget.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Guy Hamilton?

    Glad they left the Mr White story hanging as it will provide an interesting link to SP.
  • edited March 2015 Posts: 7,507
    Well the real ending was chopped. There was Bond drives up to Guy Hanes residence and finds him inside with Mr White and takes them both out. QOS was more expensive to make than Skyfall. My only criticism of the film is I don't see where that budget was spent. Mendes and Guy Hamilton both used 2nd unit on Casino and Skyfall to keep production costs down. I can only assume Foster did not and that swallowed the budget.

    Of course they used second unit on Quantum as well! The budget became big because they filmed almost everything on location. And why would it be cheaper with a second unit anyway? The second unit is there to save time, not money. And by 'Guy Hamilton' you are refering to Martin Campbell i presume?
  • edited March 2015 Posts: 1,596
    If Bourne was anything like QOS, I would be a Bourne again fan of that franchise, which I am not.

    Well, considering there are multiple scenes directly ripped from Supremacy (and the trilogy in general) I'm going to have to call you on that one.

    Not to mention the action style, editing style, and cinematography of the action scenes.

    I'm not saying that the films are identical, or that they're terribly similar, but to claim that they are nothing alike is just plain wrong. Bourne / Greengrass's influence is obvious.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Matt Damon is no Daniel Craig, though.
  • Posts: 1,596
    Matt Damon is no Daniel Craig, though.

    Completely agree with ya on that.

  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    jobo wrote: »
    Well the real ending was chopped. There was Bond drives up to Guy Hanes residence and finds him inside with Mr White and takes them both out. QOS was more expensive to make than Skyfall. My only criticism of the film is I don't see where that budget was spent. Mendes and Guy Hamilton both used 2nd unit on Casino and Skyfall to keep production costs down. I can only assume Foster did not and that swallowed the budget.

    Of course they used second unit on Quantum as well! The budget became big because they filmed almost everything on location. And why would it be cheaper with a second unit anyway? The second unit is there to save time, not money. And by 'Guy Hamilton' you are refering to Martin Campbell i presume?

    Martin Campbell yes sorry. As for second unit it saves money because you don't send a full production team out to every location. Like in Skyfall second unit filmed the Shanghai Street s. Dan and the productions team never travelled to China the scene's were shot in London at broad gate tower. The cost of doing so is a hell of a lot cheaper. With QOS it seemed full production was at every location.
  • Posts: 1,394
    Matt Damon is no Daniel Craig, though.

    Well of course Daniel Craig is nowhere near as good or charismatic an actor than Matt Damon.

  • Posts: 15,106
    Getafix wrote: »
    Guy Hamilton?

    Glad they left the Mr White story hanging as it will provide an interesting link to SP.

    I'm glad they will finish the White storyline in SP. Leaving him hanging would have been really frustrating. Especially since he has been maybe the most personal adversary of James Bond since the beginning of Craig's tenure. I acctually think one of the flaws of QOS was that he was seriously underused.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    AstonLotus wrote: »
    Matt Damon is no Daniel Craig, though.

    Well of course Daniel Craig is nowhere near as good or charismatic an actor than Matt Damon.
    AstonLotus wrote: »
    Matt Damon is no Daniel Craig, though.

    Well of course Daniel Craig is nowhere near as good or charismatic an actor than Matt Damon.

    In the words of Peter Griffin "Ben Affect married Jennifer Garner, Matt Damon married a bar tender with a kid, these are facts"
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Guy Hamilton?

    Glad they left the Mr White story hanging as it will provide an interesting link to SP.

    I'm glad they will finish the White storyline in SP. Leaving him hanging would have been really frustrating. Especially since he has been maybe the most personal adversary of James Bond since the beginning of Craig's tenure. I acctually think one of the flaws of QOS was that he was seriously underused.

    Watched QOS yesterday there is a scene just after Dan upsets Quantums meeting at Tosca with Dan running up the stair past the row of seating where White is sitting it's a real pantomime "he's behind you moment". I believe Whites death will be one of the greatest we will see ever it has to be something big for such a menace. White is great character he's cool, calculated and you just hate his arrogant confidence.
  • edited March 2015 Posts: 11,425
    Have to say I am a bit of a Matt Damon fan.

    Craig is a good Bond, but I think Damon is possibly a better actor, with more range.
  • Posts: 11,425
    SF also had echoes of Bourne for me. The bit where Bond is recuperating on the beach with the random girl and the bar, reminds me of when Bourne is in Goa at the start of the second Bourne movie (can never remember the titles).
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    I think the Bourne model was something which Babs could look at rebooting bond to grow a new audience.I don't doubt it was a big factor. However Matt Damon a better actor than DC is not even worthy of a response. If you think that's true then you haven't seen enough DC movies outside of Bond his performances in Defiance and Munich are incredible, Damon could only dream to play. Damon is a 1 trick pony.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Damon a better actor than Daniel !, " I would laugh, if my heart was not so heavy "
    ( fatty tissue build up ) :D
  • edited March 2015 Posts: 11,425
    May be what I mean is that Damon is the better big screen movie actor. I haven't seen either of them on stage (has Damon done any stage work), so cannot judge them on that front. Like a lot of British actors, Craig is probably as at home in the theatre as on screen.

    I've seen Defiance (okay) and Munich (perfectly good in a relatively minor supporting role). As has been discussed elsewhere on these threads, Craig's movies outside of Bond have noticeably struggled. TGWTDT seemed a guaranteed money-spinner, but failed to launch. Cowboys and Aliens was an abomination. Not necessarily his fault, but...

    I'm not slating Craig, who I think is very good. I just think Matt Damon is possibly a better actor. Look at their CVs - as a movie star, Damon has a much more impressive track record and particularly outside of their respective spy franchies, Damon has I suspect had the better critical and commercial success.

    Good Will Hunting, anyone? Talented Mr Ripley? The Departed. Invictus. True Grit.

    Just think about the directors who have wanted to work with Damon on their films. It's pretty impressive.

    Just his performance in the Talented Mr Ripley alone puts Damon ahead of Craig IMO.

    Craig is a good Bond, a very decent actor and I'm glad we've got him, but I'm not really expecting him to go on and do much after Bond. If he goes on and does interesting supporting roles and theatre work after Bond, I think he will be happy.

    I don't actually personally think either of them are mind-blowingly amazing actors. They're perhaps quite similar in some respects, as actors and people. Low key. Not hugging the lime-light. Perhaps they're even happier when in supporting roles or in an ensemble. I like them both. I just think Damon has the edge on Craig. May be he's just been lucky with his roles.
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