Bond vs Hinx - Where does it rank among other fight scenes in the series?

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  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    That rocks.
  • HInx was set up as an awesome henchman. His scenes through the story are great, but his death was anticlimactic, and I don't feel like his character deserved that finale. He should have survived to the end, in my opinion.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Maybe he did survive. ;)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    He has the neck of a bull. It is an open question.
  • It sure would have been a cooler ending with Bond battling Hinx in the mi6 building.

    The intro scene with Hinx was great.

    Good villain, underused in the story, for me.
  • edited February 2016 Posts: 1,596
    I said "maybe the best" in my mini-review, but I'm not sure I can say that. I'll say top 3/4. Certainly does piggy back on a few (most notably FRWL) but there are enough differences between those two fights that I can respect and admire SP's on its own. I loved it. In a film full of action sequences without any feel of danger (as soon as he calls Moneypenny during the car chase it deflates the whole thing) the train fight was a welcome visceral gut punch in which everything clicked and felt Bond.

    I absolutely love it. The true climax of the film. Hell, next time I watch I might turn it off after Bond and Madelaine are picked up heading to the lair and just make up how they defeat Blofeld in my head.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Birdleson wrote: »
    My problem with the fight is that it piggy backed on a couple of classics. Not the best way to be memorable. Still it was decent and I will include it among the elite 15 or so best in the series. Not in that top set, though.

    Which is your top five fights, then @Birdleson?
  • edited February 2016 Posts: 1,817
    It was definitely one of the best action scenes in the film, but it does feel like a rehash of just about every other train fight in a Bond movie ever...

    The only real problems are that Hinx dies way, way, way too early in the film. He dies before the third act even begins... I was expecting Bond to fight Hinx one last time in the demolished MI6 building, who obstructed Bond as he tried to save Madeleine... And also because it is the film's last true flash of genius... Once they got off the train, the film downspirals quickly.
  • It's an awesome fight, but I agree with Henchman, he died too soon in the story.
  • ForYourEyesOnlyForYourEyesOnly In the untained cradle of the heavens
    Posts: 1,984
    It's pretty brutal and nice to see Bond fighting a bit differently, but I agree that it's a bit too blatant of a reference to some of the older ones.

    Hinx probably needed a more glorified death, too.
  • GettlerGettler USA
    Posts: 326
    A fight on the dam would have been cool to see after the plane crash, then ski parkour.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    edited February 2016 Posts: 11,139
    It's a decent enough fight but it was still disappointing to me considering who the fight choreographer was. Still, it's the best fight scenes out of the last 2 Bond movies. I was expecting more, dynamic and creative fisticuffs in SP but we didn't. The helicopter fight in the PTS felt pedestrian too and the other physical alternations Bond got into in the movie just felt so lazy. Honestly, can we please get a new director who knows how to shoot action and f*** what Craig says, give him enough stunt men if he's prone to injury which compromises what can be achieved action-wise.

    A final confrontation between Bond and Hinx at MI6 would have been phenomenal. These 2 guys beating the crap out of each other from pillar to post.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    It was definitely one of the best action scenes in the film, but it does feel like a rehash of just about every other train fight in a Bond movie ever...

    The only real problems are that Hinx dies way, way, way too early in the film. He dies before the third act even begins... I was expecting Bond to fight Hinx one last time in the demolished MI6 building, who obstructed Bond as he tried to save Madeleine... And also because it is the film's last true flash of genius... Once they got off the train, the film downspirals quickly.

    Absolitely. Agree on everything. The problem is that the fight comes out of nowhere and its reason remains unexplained. But the main problem is that it's more or less an homage to all the previous train fights (esp. FRWL). Of course it's maybe better executed today but remains a little uninspired and uncreative to me. Especially since Spectre was not released as an anniversary Bond film. Hence, I never understood the huge amount of references. But of course it is a decent fight, just probably not that memorable.
  • GBF wrote: »
    It was definitely one of the best action scenes in the film, but it does feel like a rehash of just about every other train fight in a Bond movie ever...

    The only real problems are that Hinx dies way, way, way too early in the film. He dies before the third act even begins... I was expecting Bond to fight Hinx one last time in the demolished MI6 building, who obstructed Bond as he tried to save Madeleine... And also because it is the film's last true flash of genius... Once they got off the train, the film downspirals quickly.

    Absolitely. Agree on everything. The problem is that the fight comes out of nowhere and its reason remains unexplained. But the main problem is that it's more or less an homage to all the previous train fights (esp. FRWL). Of course it's maybe better executed today but remains a little uninspired and uncreative to me. Especially since Spectre was not released as an anniversary Bond film. Hence, I never understood the huge amount of references. But of course it is a decent fight, just probably not that memorable.

    Unfortunately, with SP, you are between a rock and a hard place. If you include set-up to that moment, then you increase the film's length even more. If you don't, then it is random and unexplained.
  • I said "maybe the best" in my mini-review, but I'm not sure I can say that. I'll say top 3/4. Certainly does piggy back on a few (most notably FRWL) but there are enough differences between those two fights that I can respect and admire SP's on its own. I loved it. In a film full of action sequences without any feel of danger (as soon as he calls Moneypenny during the car chase it deflates the whole thing) the train fight was a welcome visceral gut punch in which everything clicked and felt Bond.

    I absolutely love it. The true climax of the film. Hell, next time I watch I might turn it off after Bond and Madelaine are picked up heading to the lair and just make up how they defeat Blofeld in my head.

    Aye. It was quite different from the famous FRWL punch-up. In fact, practically the only similarities are that both occur on a train and Bond emerges victorious. Pretty lazy to claim that one fight rips off an earlier one because they take place in similar vehicles. I mean, really. How many different types of vehicles are there? When a series runs as long as Bond, it is inevitable that there will be some semblance of repetition.

  • Posts: 3,336
    Its right up there with Obanno vs Bond and Bond vs Grant.
  • GBF wrote: »
    It was definitely one of the best action scenes in the film, but it does feel like a rehash of just about every other train fight in a Bond movie ever...

    The only real problems are that Hinx dies way, way, way too early in the film. He dies before the third act even begins... I was expecting Bond to fight Hinx one last time in the demolished MI6 building, who obstructed Bond as he tried to save Madeleine... And also because it is the film's last true flash of genius... Once they got off the train, the film downspirals quickly.

    Absolitely. Agree on everything. The problem is that the fight comes out of nowhere and its reason remains unexplained. But the main problem is that it's more or less an homage to all the previous train fights (esp. FRWL). Of course it's maybe better executed today but remains a little uninspired and uncreative to me. Especially since Spectre was not released as an anniversary Bond film. Hence, I never understood the huge amount of references. But of course it is a decent fight, just probably not that memorable.

    Sometimes I really can't believe you people. What the hell do you want to prove creativity?

    The fight begins from out of the blue with Hinx's thunderous disruption of a pleasant meal between Bond and Swann--this itself is creative--the fight does not take place in one car but careens through several cars--another creative touch--Hinx misses several uppercuts--missed punches are yet another thing we rarely see in film fights, and especially Bond film fights--Bond stabs Hinx with an icepick, lights him up with a flaming oil lamp, and then once it becomes clear that Bond can do nothing to harm Hinx, he flees pell-mell, hurling every object at hand. Swann pops up and shoots Hinx and herself is knocked unconscious with a sickening thwack, and then Bond has the resourcefulness to wrap a rope around Hinx's neck, attach it to kegs, and then toss them from the train, resulting in Hinx's demise. Yet another creative touch!

    It's really an anthropological oddity to see somebody offer up some half-baked critique which is then parroted obliviously by other posters.

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    I thought the fight was pretty stunning. It's the most bone crunching in the series; you feel the hits. In the Craig era I've always enjoyed the Obanno fight, you feel Bond is really on the edge. It's the same with the Hinx fight, he gets absolutely leathered. Counter that with the slate fight and I just feel like that is overly choreographed Bourne-lite fare. I imagine the Hinx fight would be more highly regarded if the film had been.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    edited February 2016 Posts: 45,489
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    My problem with the fight is that it piggy backed on a couple of classics. Not the best way to be memorable. Still it was decent and I will include it among the elite 15 or so best in the series. Not in that top set, though.

    Which is your top five fights, then @Birdleson?

    I ran a game about this once in here. I'll try to remember off of my head.
    No order.


    B v Odd Job
    B v Grant
    B v Slate
    B v Peter Franks
    B v TeeHee
    B v Bouvar (I know, sped up, but still good)
    A bunch from CR
    B v Patrice 2
    B v 006

    Didn t care much for the TB or GE fights much myself, but the rest are excellent. Would switch one of those with the Bond vs Jaws train fight in TSWLM personally.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I included the GE fight because I know it has a lot of fans and I didn't want to seem biased.

    Biased is bad now?
  • It was pretty good, but I liked Bond vs the helicopter better. The snow plane chase was good too.
  • w2bondw2bond is indeed a very rare breed
    Posts: 2,252
    It's my pick for the best action scene in the movie. The brutalness of it, no crappy Newman score, use of the environment...

    My only complaint is the underuse of Hinx in the movie
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Cuckoo007 wrote: »
    It was pretty good, but I liked Bond vs the helicopter better. The snow plane chase was good too.

    The chopper fight and snow chase did nothing for me, unfortunately.

  • doubleoego wrote: »
    Cuckoo007 wrote: »
    It was pretty good, but I liked Bond vs the helicopter better. The snow plane chase was good too.

    The chopper fight and snow chase did nothing for me, unfortunately.

    Wow, I can get not liking the snow chase but I thought the helicopter fight was unanimously considered thrilling.
  • GBFGBF
    Posts: 3,197
    GBF wrote: »

    Sometimes I really can't believe you people. What the hell do you want to prove creativity?

    The fight begins from out of the blue with Hinx's thunderous disruption of a pleasant meal between Bond and Swann--this itself is creative--the fight does not take place in one car but careens through several cars--another creative touch--Hinx misses several uppercuts--missed punches are yet another thing we rarely see in film fights, and especially Bond film fights--Bond stabs Hinx with an icepick, lights him up with a flaming oil lamp, and then once it becomes clear that Bond can do nothing to harm Hinx, he flees pell-mell, hurling every object at hand. Swann pops up and shoots Hinx and herself is knocked unconscious with a sickening thwack, and then Bond has the resourcefulness to wrap a rope around Hinx's neck, attach it to kegs, and then toss them from the train, resulting in Hinx's demise. Yet another creative touch!

    It's really an anthropological oddity to see somebody offer up some half-baked critique which is then parroted obliviously by other posters.


    I haven't said that it is a bad fight or that there are no creative elements in it. It is in fact a very cool fight but I mean it is probably the 6th or 7th train fight we have had so far in the series. That was what I meant when I said the action is not crative because I think it is more a collage of all the action and fight sequneces in the previous Bond fims.

    You are right that this fight takes place in several train cars but that makes me wonder: Are there no other people on the train? I don't know but the FRWL train fight was very intense but still natural and not over the top. It is also somehow realistic because it remains in one place. In Spectre they destroyed half of the train. But nobody seemed to care or even notice it.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Cuckoo007 wrote: »
    It was pretty good, but I liked Bond vs the helicopter better. The snow plane chase was good too.

    The chopper fight and snow chase did nothing for me, unfortunately.

    Wow, I can get not liking the snow chase but I thought the helicopter fight was unanimously considered thrilling.

    It was overhyped and poorly edited.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Cuckoo007 wrote: »
    It was pretty good, but I liked Bond vs the helicopter better. The snow plane chase was good too.

    The chopper fight and snow chase did nothing for me, unfortunately.

    Wow, I can get not liking the snow chase but I thought the helicopter fight was unanimously considered thrilling.

    Speak for yourself. It's alright but nothing staggering. People to be mistaking the style of the tracking shot over the substance of what we actually get.

    Has anyone listened to that James Bond Radio thing? The guy on there can't stop creaming himself about how good the PTS is. Although given that him and his mate wound up on the red carpet I suspect EON dished out premiere tickets because he generates sufficient publicity so he's not going to bite the hand that feeds him.

    Personally I prefer Martin Grace doing everything for real in FYEO and Newman's shoddy SF ripoff score kicking in halfway through takes me out of the scene every time.
    Birdleson wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    My problem with the fight is that it piggy backed on a couple of classics. Not the best way to be memorable. Still it was decent and I will include it among the elite 15 or so best in the series. Not in that top set, though.

    Which is your top five fights, then @Birdleson?

    I ran a game about this once in here. I'll try to remember off of my head.
    No order.


    B v Odd Job
    B v Grant
    B v Slate
    B v Peter Franks
    B v TeeHee
    B v Bouvar (I know, sped up, but still good)
    A bunch from CR
    B v Patrice 2
    B v 006

    Out of those the Hinx fight is easily better than Slate, Franks, TeeHee, Bouvar, Patrice.

    Odd Job and 006 are debatable ones because Oddjob lacks the intensity but is more iconic and 006 merely because Dan is so much better in a fight than Pierce.

    It's not better than Grant and it's not better than Obanno, although if Dan had wound up covered in blood a bit more it might have been. That's the big flaw for me - Bond takes a pasting but not a scratch on him.


  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited February 2016 Posts: 23,883
    I preferred Patrice/Bond 2 in SF to Hinx/Bond in SP. That is just because the former was extremely original in the way it was conceived. Quite unique and it matched the glossy, classy elements of that whole segment of the film in Shanghai. Bond being a little bloodied after it while on the floor staring at Severine also ups its score for me.

    I found Hinx/Bond very derivative when I saw it for the first time, but by that point I was already losing interest with the whole film in the theatre. As I mentioned on here before, the setting is too familiar for a Bond film (we've seen this at least 3 times before if you count the Moore fights) and that is a big negative for me.

    Having said that, when I saw it on blu ray earlier this week, I appreciated it much more. It's very well conceived and is a welcome bit of energy in this film. I still would have preferred it if they just did the same thing in a different location (even it was at Blofeld's lair in a cellar or something).
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,209
    I can understand why it wasn't done, but I would have liked to have seen Hinx , unexpectedly, reappear at the end for an even bigger fight that would have had greater impact on the films climax.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Cuckoo007 wrote: »
    It was pretty good, but I liked Bond vs the helicopter better. The snow plane chase was good too.

    The chopper fight and snow chase did nothing for me, unfortunately.

    Wow, I can get not liking the snow chase but I thought the helicopter fight was unanimously considered thrilling.

    Speak for yourself. It's alright but nothing staggering. People to be mistaking the style of the tracking shot over the substance of what we actually get.

    Has anyone listened to that James Bond Radio thing? The guy on there can't stop creaming himself about how good the PTS is. Although given that him and his mate wound up on the red carpet I suspect EON dished out premiere tickets because he generates sufficient publicity so he's not going to bite the hand that feeds him.

    Actually, I got the boys from JBR tickets and we went down there together. They're top blokes, not at all affiliated with EON and do it all for the love Bond. Their enthusiasm is genuinely infectious, but they're no EON lackies, Chris actually wrote a letter to them post QoS outlining his immense disappointment.
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