The Most Contrived Action Sequences in the James Bond Film Series?

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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I once fell off a 60 ft ladder, with no injuries......... Mind you I was only
    Standing on the bottom rung at the time. :D
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,713
    RC7 wrote: »


    Not sure many people would pull this off and live to tell the tale.

    I know there wouldn't be much of a movie if it were more realistic, but she must be the worst agent in the history of espionnage. Not only did she shot her ally (OK, it can always happen), but she didn't bother to take a second shot to kill Patrice. She had a good 10 seconds before he disappeared, but she just froze. A lot of people say Bond villains are idiotic for not killing Bond immediatly, well this is MI6's own version of such scenario. This IMO is maybe the most contrieved sequence in the entire franchise, because had Eve been a more professional agent, she would have fired at Patrice, thus the entire plot would be over at that point.
  • RC7RC7
    edited June 2015 Posts: 10,512
    but she didn't bother to take a second shot to kill Patrice. She had a good 10 seconds before he disappeared, but she just froze. A lot of people say Bond villains are idiotic for not killing Bond immediatly, well this is MI6's own version of such scenario. This IMO is maybe the most contrieved sequence in the entire franchise, because had Eve been a more professional agent, she would have fired at Patrice, thus the entire plot would be over at that point.

    The fall never really bugged me as it's clear Bond will survive, but this I agree with. It really got my goat. So she's a rookie, but decent enough to tag along with a now seasoned agent in 007 on a mission we presume is of the utmost importance? You'd think her training would be enough for her to react to the situation, but it's clear that she's there purely to service her own unnecessary back story and not the plot. I've heard people say, 'she was in shock', obviously not enough to give two shits, as she's hardly grovelling on Bond's return. It's swept under the carpet pretty much. I genuinely thought there would be more friction rather than immediate flirting given that her incompetence nearly killed him.

    In a different universe, I often wondered if that set up would have been a neat twist on the Q character rather than MP. Have him working alongside Bond in the field and thrown into a situation, because of Bond's single-mindedness, for which he has no real experience. It would have made logical sense that he'd not think to shoot Patrice and it would have added a frisson to their relationship, plus Bond would always have that 'bloody shot' in his arsenal when verbally jousting with Q. Anyhow, I do like Q as we got him, just wish MP had either been done differently or not at all.
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    RC7 wrote: »


    Not sure many people would pull this off and live to tell the tale.

    I know there wouldn't be much of a movie if it were more realistic, but she must be the worst agent in the history of espionnage. Not only did she shot her ally (OK, it can always happen), but she didn't bother to take a second shot to kill Patrice. She had a good 10 seconds before he disappeared, but she just froze. A lot of people say Bond villains are idiotic for not killing Bond immediatly, well this is MI6's own version of such scenario. This IMO is maybe the most contrieved sequence in the entire franchise, because had Eve been a more professional agent, she would have fired at Patrice, thus the entire plot would be over at that point.

    This is pretty much the entire problem. The plot hinges on supposedly smart people making completely idiotic decisions and the villain being omnipotent.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I don't think Silva was impotent. ........ Sorry misread that. :D
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited June 2015 Posts: 15,713
    Even if Eve was 'in shock', she would have taken a shot at Patrice. If she had, and it were to miss (because, no point in the film is she kills him), it would be a lot more credible than have a trained operative just standing there looking at Patrice get away and not even bother trying to hit him.
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    True. Her gun could have jammed, the sun could have gotten in her eye. Literally anything would have been better than simply standing there and watching Patrice get away.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    He was out of range or would have been by the time she aimed again.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    What I also found somewhat contrived about this scene, in addition to what has been mentioned before, is Dench's Ms persistent yacking on the earpiece & necessity to be kept informed about absolutely everything.

    While it added dramatic tension to the scene, I may have frozen too if I had to put up with her constant annoying nagging.....I'm not excusing MP's obvious incompetence, but attempting to explain it.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,713
    Patrice would probably have been out of range, but atleast have her try to aim in time, not just standing there with her mouth and eyes wide open and looking at him getting away.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I spent my gap year as an international assassin, and think she was in
    Shock. She'd just killed James Bond ........ and as we know you don't hang
    about waiting for the cops to arrive, when you do that. ;)
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    bondjames wrote: »
    What I also found somewhat contrived about this scene, in addition to what has been mentioned before, is Dench's Ms persistent yacking on the earpiece & necessity to be kept informed about absolutely everything.

    While it added dramatic tension to the scene, I may have frozen too if I had to put up with her constant annoying nagging.....I'm not excusing MP's obvious incompetence, but attempting to explain it.

    I think most of us will agree that MI6 in earpieces is just not necessary and in the case of SF undermines one of the central themes, as it stinks of the kind of the bureaucracy that M is seemingly fighting, yet they continue to use them throughout. I do hope there's less of that this time out.

    I always loved the opening of TND as they're in contact with 007, but primarily observing and the fact we don't hear Bond reinforces the idea he's his own man and not a puppet.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    RC7 wrote: »
    I always loved the opening of TND as they're in contact with 007, but primarily observing and the fact we don't hear Bond reinforces the idea he's his own man and not a puppet.
    YES!!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,263
    I've just added a new contrived action sequence to my list in the OP:

    -the Helga Brandt "defection" sub-plot leading to Bond trapped in a plane without a pilot in YOLT

    I think that we should all agree that this one is very contrived in nature!
  • Posts: 15,105
    Someone mentioned the Gypsie camp fight in FRWL as a contrived action scene and I disagree: it shows the escalation between East and West and how SPECTRE is playing both sides like a violin.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    As far as the gypsy fight goes, If Fleming thought it was important enough to
    Go in the Book, then I'm more than happy to see it in the film. ;)
  • Posts: 2,341
    DrGorner wrote: »
    Surely any sequence after Q hands over a gadget is " contrived " ? After all
    We then know a chase or action scene has to be put in, so it can be used. Meaning
    All chases etc since FRWL have been contrived ? :D

    I don't think any of the chase sequences in OHMSS are contrived. They all actually add to and are parts of the narrative.

    Most of the chases in the Moore films are contrived, big time. Why does Bond have to go full boar after a suspected assassin. The PTS of TWINE though entertaining and long as a giraffe's neck, the scene was a throwback to the lesser elements of the Moore era.
  • MansfieldMansfield Where the hell have you been?
    Posts: 1,263


    Watching that video makes me enjoy the sequence even more.
  • Posts: 553
    DrGorner wrote: »
    I spent my gap year as an international assassin, and think she was in
    Shock. She'd just killed James Bond ........ and as we know you don't hang
    about waiting for the cops to arrive, when you do that. ;)

    I don't think we'll get confirmation in SPECTRE as to whether the collars and cuffs match.

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    :))
  • Will_OnceWill_Once Surrey, England
    Posts: 22
    The "take the shot" scene doesn't bother me as much as the whole idea of the bad guy allowing himself to be caught so that he will be imprisoned in exactly the spot that he wants and then being able to time a bomb just right so it brings a tube train crashing down on James Bond, who he knew in advance would be chasing him.

    So on the one hand we have bad guy super-incompetence (Oddjob crushing the car before removing the gold) and bad guy super-competence (knowing exactly where you will be imprisoned).

    Faced with those two, a little bit of rookie fallibility in the take the shot scene seems like hyper-realism.
  • Posts: 15,105
    Silva being almost godly at the last part of SF is indeed very contrived. Personally I blame Logan.
  • Posts: 11,189
    Mansfield wrote: »


    Watching that video makes me enjoy the sequence even more.

    That video is funny watching Pierce and Jimmy make fun of Roger on ski's. We all know Pierce never had his naff back projection moments ;)
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,582
    Well, almost on cue, the thread has turned into a SF hater's paradise.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I've been living most of my life,in a Skyfall haters paradise. #. ;)
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,263
    TripAces wrote: »
    Well, almost on cue, the thread has turned into a SF hater's paradise.

    That was certainly not my intention when I started the thread as Skyfall is no. 2 on my list and if you read my article linked in the OP you will see that I cite the Silva underground train carriage crash as a "Drax's Gambit" type of action sequence, which are not contrived but use the situation to the best of their advantage.

    http://www.thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/kingsley-amis-draxs-gambit-and-reform.html
  • Will_OnceWill_Once Surrey, England
    Posts: 22
    But surely "contrived stunts" is a part of the appeal of 007? That would be like criticising a carry on film for being politically incorrect or that Fifty Shades as being a a bit naughty
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,582
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    Well, almost on cue, the thread has turned into a SF hater's paradise.

    That was certainly not my intention when I started the thread as Skyfall is no. 2 on my list and if you read my article linked in the OP you will see that I cite the Silva underground train carriage crash as a "Drax's Gambit" type of action sequence, which are not contrived but use the situation to the best of their advantage.

    http://www.thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/kingsley-amis-draxs-gambit-and-reform.html

    @Dragonpol: I know it wasn't.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Agreed =D>
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited June 2015 Posts: 18,263
    TripAces wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    Well, almost on cue, the thread has turned into a SF hater's paradise.

    That was certainly not my intention when I started the thread as Skyfall is no. 2 on my list and if you read my article linked in the OP you will see that I cite the Silva underground train carriage crash as a "Drax's Gambit" type of action sequence, which are not contrived but use the situation to the best of their advantage.

    http://www.thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/kingsley-amis-draxs-gambit-and-reform.html

    @Dragonpol: I know it wasn't.

    Thanks, friends.
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