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Comments
The SF lodge explosion seemed far more spectacular to me.
Yes, I would definitely have to agree with you there. Plus, there's the emotional impact of seeing Bond's childhood home burn down, although I realize some did not care for that particular aspect. The SP explosion just sort of happened and was instantly forgotten.
And SP is fair game to be slaughtered here time and time again? @barryt007 is right you know.... we all have our ugly duckling in the nest.
Never mind SF and SP, what about DAD? Many people have been slaughtering that film for 15 years now. ;)
hahaha true, and yes, I've been quite guilty of that too.....
From where I stand: if we had more those types of scenes in setting, flow, performances and tone, SP would have been just fine. In fact, I think it's one of the sexiest scenes ever in a Bond film (helps that Monica is that hot)
There is a deliberate overt artistic tinge to that entire mansion sequence, which is not dissimilar to what Forster brought to the post-Quantum meeting chase and shoot scenes in QoS. Like the earlier film's approach, I didn't like it at first because it is non-traditional, but it's growing on me with every viewing.
Something about it reminds me of Bond and Corinne in MR too. It's the setting.
I can see that.
I think SP has a grandiosity that reminds me very much of MR and, at times, TB.
Personally I've grown weary of EoN's qualitative pattern that sees them make one good movie and then they become complacent and follow up said movie with a string of mediocre to utterly disappointing films. Its annoying and frustrating and to make it even worse, they do all of this under the umbrella of Bond's rich cinematic history which is such a cheap tactic to employ made even worse when the latest film turns out to be something that leaves you in despair and with a heavy heart.
I don't like SP at all. There are some good parts to it (No Bond film is 100% terrible) but SP comes close. It's biggest sin that it commits is that it's so boring and rather forgettable. There's so much waste of potential and opportunity in this film that it just makes the movie instantly uninviting.
We keep hearing Craig harp on about how these films don't get made very often and when they do, this is the rubbish they give us? No thanks. What one thinks of the Sony leaks is their business but one thing the leaks did highlight is the complete disregard, time wasting and ineptitude going on over at EoN. It baffles me that EoN neglected their duties as PRODUCERS to not only oversee at frequent stages the development of the script but they had absolutely no clue as to wtf Logan was writing and they left it too late before realising the river of shit they were in.
Kevin Feige is just one man and yet he manages to oversee the development of 2 to 3 seperate movies of their respective franchises a year; that also ties into an overall cinematic universe and meanwhile, EoN with their almost 60 years in the business, a plethora of excellent source material to draw from can't even hash out an agreeable decent story let alone a complete and cracking script. Seriously, what is going on?
We have some fantastic, best in the business films in the Bond series and it's heart breaking to know that after all these years, to get a film today that is half as good and that can truly rival some of the great entries that came before is seemingly asking for a miracle.
I don't care who the candidates are for being the next Bond. I don't care about superfluous rumblings with what may or may not be happening with the next film. I'm just not interested in the whole dog and pony circus show that surrounds Bond/EoN if at the end of the day they can't put out a great film. Just give me a great and exciting film with a cracking musical score and let's make James Bond great again. It's hard to go from watching great films like FRWL, OHMSS, TB and GF and then watch SP and still feel that special something. These last couple of Bond films just don't feel special to me at all and SP really takes it there. I'm disappointed I've had to admit this to myself but it's just how I feel and I pray EoN can really turn things around but if not, I'll make do with the older films which are in a league of their own when it comes to escapist entertainment. I for one don't see myself ever coming round to finding a new appreciation for SP. It's just too disagreeable.
Babs seems more interested in doing other projects and gaining critical acclaim these days and not bothered in the slightest if 3, 4 even 5 years go by between Bond films.
MGW, after decades of sterling service is past it and deserves to be enjoying his retirement. The Wilson sons don't fill me with the slightest confidence at all.
Judging from the Sony leaks without the studio interceding to say this is rubbish God alone knows what we might have ended up with if EON had been left to make SP unchecked.
None of us want to hear it or contemplate the possibility but perhaps the harsh reality is it's actually EON who are flying through the air wearing the Fonz's waterskis with a great white looking bemusedly up at them as they sail over?
I don't think it's unfair to criticise EON. Babs made an inspired choice in casting Craig but beyond that EON has continued to struggle. Their inability to get good writers on board who understand Bond but can also write good original material is the root problem IMO.
Without Maibaum for all those years the earlier films would have been a lot more hit and miss as well.
GE - A decent enough return after 6 years of no Bond films but ultimately little more than a greatest hits package. And let's be honest Cubby probavly put a decent amount of input and guidance into it. 7/10
TND - A fairly slick action flick but solidly average in every department. 6/10
TWINE - Terrible choice of director with (PTS aside) leaden action sequences and veering into soap opera melodrama. 3/10
DAD - Even worse directorial choice and failure to keep control of his excesses resulted in the worst film of the series. 1/10
CR - Inspired piece of casting plus the bonus of having a Fleming novel to work from led to the one and only indisputable triumph of the post Cubby era. 10/10
QOS - Rushed and questionable decision to make it a sequel which has ultimately not led us to a good place. Craig still elevates it though. 6.5/10
SF - More a product of a perfect storm of circumstance than anything EON did with the Olympics and Adele being key reasons for the boost in box office. Once again the director given a bit too much leeway but gets away with it here thanks to a better script (if not plot). 7.5/10
SP - Blinded by the billion dollar box office and the notion that Mendes could do no wrong EON's approach to production of this film was utterly complacent. Seemed to assume if you just get A list talent in a room and leave them to it another billion dollar haul will materialise without any need for any supervision. Gave Mendes enough rope to hang both himself and them and must have been asleep on the job when things like the stepbrother were allowed through. 3/10
So out of 8 films they manage a distinctly average (and totally unscientific. The scores are off the top of my head - I'm sure a lot of you will argue with my rankings) 45/80.
Hardly setting the world alight. But then if you look at EON's output over the years the absolute highs have been just as frequent as the absolute stinkers so perhaps they are no better or worse now than they have ever been?
And its not unusual really for any film series. How many great Star Wars films have been made since those famous first two?
From my personal perspective, I think it's time for a solid 'formula' entry. One that recalls the old greats while also seeming fresh. I'm ready for another greatest hits done well to reset course. Give me a GE or TSWLM next time out and I'll be more than happy. I'm just concerned that this team hasn't got a clue how to deliver that properly.
Alternatively, give me a classic old school simple stripped down dark spy thriller with a quality espionage plot, without too much melodrama or pretension to wear it down, and with the requisite humour sprinkled throughout as well. In order words, give me another FRWL.
Asking for too much perhaps.
Its easier said than done...
True but I'll tell you how you don't do it. You don't have invisible cars, CGI atrocities or piss all over the legacy of Bond's nemesis. Get those basics right and you've half a chance so I've got little sympathy for those who say 'Its not EON's fault. It's not as easy as you think.'
It isn't easy to make a great Bond film but it is considerably easier not to make a terrible one if you just use some common sense.
Sounds like wise words to me. Some quite wise advices as well.
I agree with all that of course. But its the ambisjon of making a great film that makes Eon take chances and make original spins. If you just set out to play safe and not make a bad film, you will get a mediocre, forgetable result. I am not defending the unforgivable sins and mistakes through the years, I just say I understand the mechanisms that made them occur. The willingness and bravery to push boundaries and think outside the box has to be there, and we as fans will have to accept some missteps a long the way. What is missing is the knowledge and understanding of what is too much. However that is not easy either, as opinions and expectations are so different, both among fans and general movie goers...
She's something of a must with me.
Brilliant post!!! Agree 100%!!
The one glaringly obvious thing for me here is Fleming. Whenever the source material is tapped into, with whole scenes and characters adapted into a script, the film usually elevates itself to a higher level. And anyone who has read all the books knows there are still tons of Fleming material left untapped (whole novels even).
Yet instead, the direction from EON to P&W is for them to try and come up with original material, but to also try and mimic how Fleming would write. The results have more often than not been disastrous.
This ain't rocket science, yet Babs and co. have made it so. Just do what Cubby ordered Maibaum to do for many of the films - adapt whatever is still there and unused in the Fleming novels.
I'm inclined to agree.
Still less boring than SF IMO