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EDIT: Random side note, not something I ever really focus on, but I do love the main menu of this movie (the blu-ray version, that is, though I'm surmising it's the exact same for the DVD). The track of Arnold's they chose, mixed with the formatting of the MI6 tech in the movie, and the way it pans in and out of the globe, tracking the locations that Bond visits throughout the movie.
James Bond’s actions in this film are a direct result of the events of Casino Royale. The cocky, arrogant newly promoted 00 has already aged both physically and emotionally. Whilst in a rare moment of playfulness he still toys with Agent Fields emotions (a trait much more obvious in Casino Royale) here he develops a more mature attitude to women, almost paternal in his protection of Camille.
So, the man who only got involved with married women has gone. In fact after Solange, and maybe because of Vesper he doesn’t bed another married woman in any of his films. He still keeps it simple – no chance of a committed future with the likes of Severine or Lucia for example – but he has moved on and his own philosophies are changing.
Bond doesn’t speak much in Quantum Of Solace, his sentences are short and to the point. He speaks mainly through his actions, killing the likes of Mitchell, Slate and Haines’ bodyguard, not because they wouldn’t be useful (they would of course) but because he needs to move on quickly and has no time to ‘bring them in’.
Craig has followed up Casino Royale where Bond was often reminded of his ‘ego’ by M and Vesper, with a thoughtful, low key performance. Bond is now a man consumed with anger and guilt, but he keeps it buried because 00s who act irrationally simply won’t get to where they need to be. It’s a dangerous world for them so they need their wits about them. In Licence To Kill no heed was paid to Bond’s supposed professionalism, he acts irrationally and dangerously, but here he keeps himself together..just.
Camille has her own agenda, to kill General Medrano (Joachin Cosio – a peerless performance), and this drives her on. Her back story is tragic, but it makes her strong. It can however be argued that she is both strong and broken. Olga Kurylenko is excellent, never over stating Camille’s state of mind but always letting us see the sadness behind her eyes.
Gemma Arterton’s Fields is another tragic character. Whilst Camille has a traumatic life but looks to survive it, Fields has no such back story but her life ends due to her involvement with Bond. When M tells Bond she was a filing clerk out of her depth the full impact of her death from this less than potted history really hits home. I would have liked to have seen a more extended role.
Mathieu Amalric is Greene a slightly effete member of Quantum manipulating the bad guys like Medrano and doing business with the likes of Beam from the CIA. As he says himself they (Quantum) don’t care who they do business with as long as they achieve their aims.
Greene is flawed and Amalric deliberately shows this, especially when he maniacally fights Bond.
Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis returns. Mathis is gentle of nature, less assured than before. It’s ironic and possibly deliberate that his death is set up by a corrupt police chief, especially as we saw him in Casino Royale ruthlessly setting up another corrupt police chief. His death is poignant. Marc Forster has a way of creating poignant moments in short scenes. We mentioned Fields whose death left an impact despite her short screen time, thanks to one sentence from M. Here, a more established character dies in Bond’s arms and we feel Bond’s pain.
David Harbour is outstanding as the odious Gregory Beam. It’s a clever, thought provoking performance showing a man who is fundamentally crooked working for the good guys and trying to stay inside the set boundaries whilst occasionally stepping over that line. I love his ironic line
"Yea you're right. We should just deal with nice people".
It, like everything about this film, speaks volumes about modern politics, and if it wasn't clear enough a British Minister makes a similar point later in the film.
Jesper Christensen as the returning Mr White, remains a shady character in the background.
Judi Dench as M is starting to trust Bond. She finally sees something in his methods and allows her instincts about Bond to kick in. This is finally hammered home when she allows a clearly under par Bond back into the field in Skyfall.
Jeffrey Wrigth is back as Leiter. He has more to do here (his screen time in Casino Royale was plentiful but he didn’t have much to do or say), and his opening scene as he is asked to identify Bond from a mobile phone picture is terrific. Leiter is so cool in the scene it only just stays the right side of comical. Great character.
We finally see Yusef (Simon Kassianides) in a heart stopping final scene. Again Forster cleverly creates tension in a deathly quiet sequence with Craig, Kassianides and Stana Katic as Corinne. He uses close ups of the characters faces to create a sense of uncertainty as the latter two try to make sense of the man with a gun. Is he going to kill them?
It’s sublimely acted by all three, and Corrine’s quiet ‘thank you’ to Bond as she leaves, is heart breaking.
It’s a short movie with plenty of action, but the cast works effectively within the quieter moments and no one who is important to the film really gives anything short of a splendid performance.
I'm going to plough on a little
Quantum Of Solace - Bond elements
For a series with such a rich history of car chases this is the first film that features a car chase in the PTS.
It's a frenzied, hard hitting chase as well. It starts with some amazing shots across Lake Garda, and when we get to the road it feels like we have dropped in mid chase.
Some of the action works well, including the rooftop pursuit of Mitchell, the aerial combat, the opera sequence. Other scenes like the boat chase are not so involving.
Much is made of the hand held camera and fast cutting technique, comparing it to the Bourne films, as if the latter franchise invented it (has no one seen Gladiator?)
It's hit and miss here, but the hits outweigh the misses.
The incorporation of the horse race in Siena is a neat idea, and some of the locations look amazing. The film moves quickly though and there is never the chance to take the views and locations in.
There is the chance to embrace the amazing Tosca opera in Bregenz, and the shoot out that follows with the opera becoming the soundtrack is almost Godfather-like in it's scope and execution.
Humour has always been a key element of the Bond films, and the Craig era has sometimes been criticised for lacking humour. Look closely and it's there.
When Bond calls Felix and teases him about the location of the CIA office. Bond only had to ask the taxi driver for directions.
Felix, still drinking his beer while the bar is being shot up is funny.
Bond's refusal to stay in a cheap hotel and his twist on Fields' cover story is amusing, as is his reply to Mathis' comment 'She has hand cuffs you know?'
''Oh, I do hope so."
I can't think that Bond uses any gadgets here. We certainly have no Q to dish them out.
Bond drinks his fair share of vesper martinis. Is this the first time Bond has been drunk?
David Arnold's last (to date) score is a good one structurally and melodically. The stirring use of horns at the opera is reminiscent of John Barry.
Plot wise Quantum is after controlling the utilities in Bolivia, but the differing motivations of the characters which interplay through out the film is what is most interesting. Seeing Camille get revenge on Medrano is the most satisfying aspect.
The film ends with closure for Bond, but Quantum survive with no suggestion that they would be pursued further. Certainly nothing in Skyfall suggested that MI6 were still interested.
I loved Greene's explanation to Medrano of what was likely to happen if the latter didn't sign the utilities contract. And Medrano desperately trying to save face while he signed was outstanding. Sadly he tried to take his frustration out on the waitress. I'm sure it's an all too real situation where young girl's become rape victims of powerful men, but it's uncomfortable having to see it in a James Bond movie.
The film moves quickly and the traditional Bond elements struggle to find their place amidst the mayhem. However, look closely enough and it's as much a traditional Bond film as the longer, more ambitious Skyfall which followed.
I also agree with your words on Stana Katic. I forgot to mention her in my own notes but, in such a short space of time, she is excellent. I think someone mentioned her little "thank you" as she leaves. A great little thing that makes a big impact.
Not being up with the books and short stories, i didn't know that. Thanks for the info.
Bond...I need you back.
I never left.
JAMES BOND:
Craig is in top form once again in this, taking on a more damaged, revenge-driven portrayal of the character, who takes longer to flash a smile than he does to gun someone down. Well, he says he isn't driven by revenge, but that's negated with his emotional discussion with Camille in the sinkhole. He's not a dumb, quiet, killing machine brute, but he isn't as suave or laid back as he seemed to be in CR; this is a man on a mission, who aims to save the world while subsequently saving himself from the thoughts that are haunting him, and the bad guys that he knows are still free, particularly Mr. White and Yusef. A cracking good time, this movie, and his take on the character only manages to heighten the danger and excitement throughout. I've always enjoyed how hardened and direct he is in this.
BOND GIRLS:
Camille Montes: One of the stronger Bond girls in the series, without diving into that "I'm Bond's equal and am either equal or superior in every sense of the word to him" territory. She's an agent, driven by revenge, who can handle her own, but also accepts help and assistance when needed (and it's most certainly needed in a few instances). Don't get me wrong, she's equally helpful - she obviously handles her own in the hotel during the finale, infiltrating and killing her target relatively easily (aside from having her ass handed to her in a couple of moments), and she's also skilled at directing Bond with both the pursuing boats during their escape from Haiti, and at directing Bond with the pursuing Marchetti jet during their flight over the sinkholes. That grounded, emotional moment they share in the car at the end is absolutely beautiful, as they ponder the future, death, and share a touching kiss that says "Maybe we could've been lovers under much different circumstances." But, regardless of what you feel their intentions truly were, they were both out for revenge and had no eyes for love throughout the film (aside from Bond, who had to bed Fields). Terrific Bond girl, this one.
Strawberry Fields: I've always loved the character, while also feeling that her only reason for being introduced in the movie is just so Bond doesn't have to go the full runtime without having sex with a girl, but she's gotten better and better for me over the years, and I wholeheartedly love her appearance in the film now. Like others have mentioned, she's rather classic and unique in how she seems to hark back to the Bond girls of old - she knows who she is, what's going to happen, and it's likely that she won't make it until the end of the film, which ends up being the case. An homage to GF with her oily death is another great touch, yet most certainly ballsy, given the iconic, classic status of the film. It never bothered me, though, and I've always liked it, particularly how Bond fishes for a reason as to why she was killed. The stern retort by M after finding her body seems to really strike a chord with 007, considering his glowing words of praise he has for her immediately after his escape from the elevator.
Gemma: While I'm ashamed to say that I don't notice any of Lucrezia Lante della Rovere's previous Italian work, I'm glad anyone involved with the casting did, and hired her in this. She may not be remotely pivotal at all, but damn, if she's not an older beauty worthy of an appearance in one of these films. I love how she complains to Mathis in Italian, and Bond flashes a smile after, demonstrating that he's relatively fluent in the language, or at least enough to understand that Mathis is a cheap ass with his wine. Her final, slightly determined look before the scene exits to the airplane is a wonderful touch, too; she goes from playful about getting a massage from Mathis, just to see the look on his face as he weighs the idea of helping Bond or not. With Bond's gulp of the wine, it's decided, and Mathis is off to help. Sadly, she won't get to see him return to her arms.
BOND ALLIES:
Rene Mathis: I'm also happy that Mathis made a return, because I loved him in CR and enjoy him getting a bit of redemption in this, and while every scene he's in is a delight, I do hate that he has to die, especially in such a quick fashion; though, as previously mentioned, Bond doesn't seem to forget it as easily as the film lets on, and he ensures he lets Carlos know just who he is before getting revenge for his dear friend. After everything that Bond mistakenly had done to Mathis, he still understands where he was coming from with his motivations, forgives him, and helps him out when he needs it the most, even losing his life in the end. Touching stuff.
Felix Leiter: I'm very happy that they brought Jeffrey Wright back as Leiter once more, but I feel like with the unnecessary inclusion of Beam, he's sidelined a bit too much. Beam does all of the negotiating and talking during the plane scene, and he seems to command every scene he's in until he's not, when we're given a rather great back-and-forth between Leiter and Bond at the hotel. Also, while I do love the character, I feel like he's a little too aggressive with Bond at times - they needn't be the absolute best of friends, but a little more appreciation for one another and a better chemistry between the two would go a long way. Then again, I suppose this is still "rookie" Bond, so they don't have the same rapport and connection that they have in the past.
Bill Tanner: This is around the time that Tanner becomes utterly useless, relegated to spouting off obviously information and thus, wasting screentime. It's nowhere near as bad as it was here as it is in SF and SP, but still, there's no sense in keeping around a character, particularly one that I doubt the general audience truly notices, if he has no real use.
M/MP/Q:
M: As I've said many times in the past, I love Dench in the role and am happy to have her around once again, but at the same time, this is when the movies continued that streak of M not being able to trust Bond - I understood it with CR, since he's a rookie agent, and I can kind of accept it in this, since there are so many traitors amongst them, she genuinely feels that he's gone off the deep end and is killing anyone in his way to find Yusef, so it's a case of miscommunication, as she misconstrues Bond's actions. Having said that, it's made even better when she smartens up after Bond's escape and tells Tanner she doesn't give a shit about the CIA or their trumped-up evidence: he is her agent, and she trusts him. This is something the earlier films always did well - even if M wasn't 100% on what Bond was attempting to achieve, he knew that he hired him for a reason and he should be completely trusted to save the day (which he always was). Craig's entire era has had this air of mistrust about it, that no matter what he does, M will always be questioning his abilities and intentions, and it's gotten so very old lately. Ramble over, but hopefully we can get back to the days of M trusting Bond again soon.
MP: Non-existent.
Q: Non-existent.
VILLAIN/HENCHMEN:
Dominic Greene: Before this, I'm not sure I would've ever expected such a fantastic actor to be cast as a Bond villain - he certainly has the chops and the look for it - and he's one of the few whose filmography I was familiar with before seeing this back in 2008, particularly the perfection that is 'Munich' and 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.' I've always seen his villainous "schtick" as being those beady, insect eyes, especially the look he flashes to Beam and Leiter before driving off after he arrives in Bregenz. A lack of imposing henchmen and a physical prowess are made up for by just how psychotic and crazy he is, which is what makes the final duel between him and Bond so believable: Bond could easily take this guy out - Craig's Bond, especially - but a quick blindside by a pipe puts him at a disadvantage, and Greene doesn't stop swinging and yelling frantically at Bond throughout, barely giving him time to breathe. I do like that Bond leaves him out in the desert to die, but it would've been better knowing that he died from the heat/oil, rather than having his superiors magically find him and execute him.
General Medrano: What I love most about this character is how, regardless of how large or small his role is, he's serving two grand purposes with his inevitable death: he's crooked, so Bond wants to take him out (regardless of the fact that he would likely be replaced by someone equally bad, yet a bit more agreeable, thanks to Greene's speech), but he's also a large driving force behind Camille's mission, who wants revenge on the sole man who raped and murdered her family and left her for dead. It's a satisfying conclusion, especially with how he mentions she has the same look of fear that her mother's face once held, which likely fuels Camille's aim for revenge even further. Of course, he gets what is coming to him, and in another brilliant moment, Greene, who is seconds away from being dropped into a pit of flames, shouts "Sounds like you just lost another one! *cackling and laughter commences*" It further shows how psychotic he truly is, and I think a more fitting conclusion (not to get off topic) for the character would've been seeing Bond drop him right into the flames, just to run off to check on Camille as the stairwells, railings, and walkways give way and tumble down upon the freshly-charred corpse of Greene.
Mr. White: I can't complain about Christensen obviously returning, given that this was an immediate sequel to CR, and I like that he's given a plausible chance to escape in the beginning through QUANTUM "having people everywhere." It's a great moment that further shows just how deadly and mysterious the organization is, and having him return once more as a face in the crowd during the Tosca sequences is nice, especially since he realizes that Bond is watching them, so he doesn't make any quick moves to escape, instead pocketing his ear piece and casually biding his time.
Elvis: What a tragic character this one is. I've written rather in-depth about him in the past, particularly how in every scene he's in, he's being ignored, yelled at, or treated like dirt, so it's rather easy to feel a bit of sympathy for him, as he cannot win whatsoever in this movie (perfectly demonstrated by the fact that his own blood would leave him to take on Bond while he makes his escape, just to be rocked by an explosion and a loss of his pants). Poor guy.
Carlos, Colonel of Police: Past Greene, I'd say he's the most sinister bad guy in the film. There's something about how he's a background "ally", with Mathis calling him when he arrives in La Paz and even gets Bond an invitation to the party with Greene, just to magically betray old-friend Mathis for the allure of money. The fact that Bond puts a quick round right through his skull is gorgeous revenge, as is the fact he clues him in on the fact that he killed his own friend, before losing his own life.
Lieutenant Orso: I can't be this big a fan of 'Man on Fire' without mentioning the silent role of Lieutenant Orso, who was one of the main villains in that film. He looks particularly sinister in this, with his cold gaze and full beard, and it's even more cold knowing that he casually stands guard outside Medrano's room as he proceeds to rape the hotel worker. Camille sees to his end through a bullet and a punch off the railing.
Mitchell: I pretty much said all I had to say regarding him in the 'Story/Action' section, but he makes for a good agent-turned-bad, and gives Bond quite the bit of trouble during their pursuit, so I like him as a henchman, particularly an unexpected one.
Yusef: What a lovely way to wrap up the film - Bond finally meets the man he's been tracking for a good while, and we get a satisfying conclusion to the whole tale, with Bond coming to terms with it all and allowing him to keep his life, just so he can suffer the consequences in prison. The scum gets what is coming to him.
Mr. Slate: There really isn't anything to say about him, since we know nothing regarding his character and he's gone as soon as he makes an appearance, but I had to note him since he lends his hand to one of my favorite fights in the entire series.
STORY/ACTION:
Some might call it convoluted or absurd, but it's a grounded plot by a twisted villain, whose sole aim is to further fund his organization. Simple and direct, an eco-terrorist of sorts out to betray anyone around him, as long as it benefits QUANTUM. Now, the action:
PTS: If you want to immediately grab my attention in the starting moments of a Bond movie, then it really doesn't get much better than a sweeping shot of the beautiful locales that Italy has to offer, before the rumble of engines, tires, and gunfire shatters the chilling silence of the scene, and we realize that Bond is picking up where we last left him, high-tailing it through the tunnels and lake edges of Italy, with White in the trunk, fleeing the two cars in pursuit. There are some terrific little moments throughout, such as the way the truck manages to impale Bond's door and keep him stuck alongside him, before slamming on the brakes, tearing off the door, and spinning around to continue the chase.
It's frenetic and lightning-paced, with the smallest of moves swinging our characters between life and death, as we're quickly shown by Bond swerving out of the way of the oncoming truck, which dispatches the car behind him with brutal efficiency. I love that the police get involved, albeit needlessly, as they're cut down moments later, and I enjoy the transition from the tunnels and roads to a gorgeous looking quarry that reminds me at times of 'The Agony and the Ecstasy.'
Of course, as exciting as this entire chase is for me, it doesn't compare to the tense final moments of it, with Bond coming ever so close to crashing or being shot, just to buy himself a split-second of time that allows him to grab his UMP rifle, take aim, and fire, and just like that, an air of jaw-dropping silence hits as we watch the Alfa Romeo careen directly off the cliff into the rocky abyss below. This moment is where it always clicks that I'm in for the long haul, and will be doing nothing but giving my full attention to the movies until the credits are done rolling.
Sightseeing in Italy: I'll gladly take another parkour scene so soon after the one in CR, and while you absolutely cannot top Bond chasing Mollaka across construction sites and large cranes, you can give us a different, rooftop-hopping locale with some unique twists to the action, which is what we're given here, as Bond goes through numerous obstacles and constantly finds a way to continue his pursuit of the inexplicably-bad Mitchell. I love his frustration as he stumbles and falls and is blocked off while chasing him through the catacombs, and it only gets more frantic as they get topside and rummage through a large crowd at the horse races. Something rather artistic that Forster does here, that I think is brilliant, is the random intercutting of the woman being shot in the crowd; it's a tragic moment, even more haunting when you ponder whether Mitchell missed shooting Bond, or whether he was aiming to hit anyone in his path to slow Bond's progress, regardless of who they are. Even after they've fled the crowd and are moving forward, the scene cuts back once again to hurried crowd members attempting to help and save her, while eyeing the area to find where Bond and Mitchell went. It's a lovely moment.
The action on the rooftops is even better, and we're given one crowning cool moment after another: the way Bond takes the same long jump to the roof that Mitchell is on, firing in mid-air at him, or how Bond loses his footing and begins sliding off the roof, death or serious injury surely in his future once he plummets to the bottom, only to gain a foothold at the last second and make a grand jump (this shot really stood out to me in the trailers, and I couldn't wait to see it in the finished film) across the street, slamming into a wall, and continuing his chase immediately after.
Their final scuffle is excellent, too, with Bond utilizing the bell tower to mask his approach (though there's so little room up there, I'm sure Mitchell expected nothing but Bond climbing the steps, so why he didn't lie in wait with his handgun trained at the steps is beyond me). The CGI gets a little spotty with their fall through the glass ceiling, but it doesn't detract that much for me. We get another unique action scene as Bond and Mitchell fly and tumble around the room through the use of ropes and pulleys, and it's all very exciting. The intensity is further exemplified by Bond's aimless dangle just inches from the ground, as Mitchell gets closer and closer to retrieving his weapon. A well-timed pull by Bond saves the day with a spot-on, nasty bullet. What a damn good action sequence this one is. Too many solid moments throughout.
Haitian Hotel Fight: If it wasn't for the nostalgia aspect of the finale fight between Bond and Trevelyan, I think I would label this as my favorite fight scene in the series. Don't get me wrong, it's a series littered with classics (Bond vs. Grant, the elevator fight in DAF, several train tussles Bond has, etc.), but this one takes the cake simply because of the choreography, and just how brutal it is. It's over as soon as it begins, it feels like, giving the viewer no time to breathe as Bond is ambushed, cut, and defends himself using anything at his disposal - an empty jewelry box, a pair of scissors, a glass door, etc. It's made even better when Bond delivers a bit of overkill, casually eyeing the Haitian sky and nearby buildings to see if anyone spotted him. Thankfully, nobody did, and he robs the nice man of a great jacket and makes his exit.
Water Escape: In keeping with the action scenes featuring the four elements, we get a pretty fantastic boat chase with this one. It's actually refreshing to see one where the boats collide and Bond actually tussles with the men, to a degree, due to the proximity, as opposed to a long-distance chase that involves missiles and bombs and gadgets. I could do without the spotty CG used when Bond crashes into the side of Medrano's boat, but at least the rest of the chase is entirely practical and thrilling, and I love how the music heightens as Bond sets up the trap for the final boat, then calms as soon as the boat is dispatched, leading to a quieter bit of score with the audio effects rather muted as Bond drives off.
Tosca in Bregenz: This might be one of the more beautiful action sequences in the series for me, and it's mostly down to the fact that the entire Tosca performance plays in the background throughout, even leading to the unfolding scenes being a bit muted as it blares and Bond makes his escape from the stage and inevitably, the kitchens and rooftop after a run-in with Greene leads to his men pursuing him. The way the orchestra momentarily pauses as soon as Greene and Bond part ways, kicking off with the firing of the gun on-stage, is ever so brilliant, as is how haunting the bit of score is during this sequence - Bond's escape is paralleled with our main character in Tosca dying on stage in a bloody mess.
This same parallel is what I touched on earlier, with Bond chasing after Mitchell over the rooftops while the scene is simultaneously spliced with shots of the frantic crowd trying to save the woman shot by Mitchell. Forster is cracking in this regard, and it's another reason why I feel both he and this film are seriously underrated. These moments can easily be overlooked if someone goes into this with the intention of not enjoying it.
A Traffic Stop With Bolivian Police: Another terrific, yet short, scene, that sees Bond directly dealing with killing some police, corrupt or not. I'm assuming it has featured elsewhere in the series, but I'm currently drawing a blank. I guess it further demonstrates just how upset and livid Bond is that Mathis is likely going to die, as he doesn't even care to knock the cops out. In fact, after dispatching the first one and with the second one on the ground, relatively unconscious, he STILL puts a round through him to kill him. Very cold. Took me a few rewatches of this back in '08-'09 to realize that he did in fact shoot and kill the final cop.
Air Buds: Out of all the action scenes in the movie, this one is consistently my standout least favorite, but having said that, I've warmed to it more and more over the past couple of years. The cooperative work done by Camille and Bond to stop a much more superior fighter jet from taking them out is superb, and I think my appreciation grew for this scene when I read a rather in-depth review of it, which went over everything Bond was doing at the wheel, and how it was all legitimate and realistic within the workings of the plane. Seems like something you could really only appreciate in the movie if you went into it as an aviation expert, but I just love when directors put time and care like this into their work, no matter how small (looking at you, David Fincher, and your serial killer manifesto for 'Seven'). The one thing that'll likely always put a damper on this scene for me is the CGI of the freefall dive - commendable that they were filmed in a wind tunnel doing it, as it likely would have looked worse had they not, but at the same time, I think this would've been better as a practical stunt, panned out to let the stuntmen do what they do best.
Escape From The Bar: Another short scene, one that is slightly jarring because once the action kicks in, it's odd that the police would rush in immediately firing their guns, but it is what it is. I love that Bond's escape is solely fueled by the fact that Leiter is here to betray Beam and his orders and allow him to not only escape, but to also track down Greene and Medrano at Perla de las Dunas. I like James' quick disposal of the unaware guard at the top of the steps, along with him hopping from one building to another and exiting through the door just a split second before shots are fired right into it.
Finale: Two impressive finales in a row to conclude two very impressive films on so many fronts. Any sort of detective work is always enjoyed by me, so seeing Bond and Camille ready their weaponry while scoping out the hotel - likely awaiting the arrival of Carlos and Greene before moving in - is appreciated. His assault on the guys in the parking area is great, under the cover of an explosion nobody saw coming, as they're sealed into the building. After some more swift gun work, he takes off after Greene, and another bit of shoddy CGI takes place as he jumps through the open roof and lands on the floor below. I've mentioned it elsewhere already, but the fight between the two is fast and no-holds-barred. Craig's Bond could easily make quick work of Greene, if the latter didn't already have the advantage of a blunt melee weapon and a few seconds to react before Bond stood up. It's all Bond can do to dodge, move, duck, and counter anything he throws his way. I really like the static angle where the walkway falls, taking Bond with it before he grabs onto a railing. Another cool moment is the way he pulls himself back up, immediately kicks Greene to dodge his axe swing, just for another explosion to rock him backwards into the wall. The elements and Greene's frenetic pacing keep 007 in check throughout, and he finally manages to best him...before allowing him to escape. As I said earlier, I get that he wants answers from him, but damn, it would've been incredibly satisfying just to see him let go and drop Greene into the fires below.
MI6Community Bondathon: (May change at any time.)
I've always slightly preferred QoS to CR, but this time, I somehow feel like I enjoyed it even more, perhaps due to the analysis and really reading into the movie throughout this weekend/week already. It's a terrific, underrated film, that's obviously one of my favorites, and one of the easiest to pop in and rewatch any time I need an action fix.
1.) GE
2.) DN
3.) OHMSS
4.) QoS
5.) CR
6.) LALD
7.) TSWLM
8.) GF
9.) YOLT
10.) FYEO
11.) FRWL
12.) OP
13.) LTK
14.) TB
15.) AVTAK
16.) DAF
17.) TWINE
18.) TLD
19.) TMWTGG
20.) DAD
21.) MR
22.) TND
Arnold score ranking.
TND
DAD
TWINE
QOS
CR
Quantum Of Solace - Production notes
Marc Forster has decided to keep the movie short and compact. He creates a rapid, hard hitting and tense thriller, but in the quieter moments he gives us some very tense, edge of seat scenarios.
Mathis's death, Fields' death, Bond and Mathis on the plane, Greene and Medrano at the hotel, the unveiling of Yusef etc.
Sometimes the dialogue and the atmosphere the director creates is paralleled by the dryness of the deserts that seem to be the focal point of the film. Even the titles where we follow Bond's bullet on two occasions, focus fully on the desert and we see the sands of time shifting (maybe?)
Following on from the more high tech recent Bond films this one goes all out to impress with very high techy tech stuff on display (the Bonds reacted to that in the next two films, where we see more cosy interiors for MI6, in keeping with the Bonds of old)
It would have been nice to pad out the parts of Mathis and Fields but it is what it is. I imagine quite a lot hit the cutting room floor.
I have always been a fan of White Stripes, so Jack White's song is fine by me even if it isn't quite up to the standard of the last theme song.
Where @Birdleson writes 'in order for this timeline to make sense (Mathis is captured, interrogated, tortured, revealed to be innocent, heals up from his torture and is moved comfortably into this luxuriant villa), several months (at least) had to have passed between the time that Mathis is zapped and Bond shows up at his door'
The only point I can see where that amount of time is allowed to pass is the time it takes Bond to track down Mr White.
The film is edited to maximise the frantic nature of the chases and fights. It works in some instances, less so in others. Where it works superbly well is the Opera sequence, but the style of this scene is out of sync with the rest of the film.
One of the biggest complaints from non-Bond fanatics was that they didn't always understand what was going on. For them it had been two years since Casino Royale, so the interrogation of Mr White, the confrontation with Yusef, the recruitment of Mathis could be difficult to understand. All the references to Casino Royale were falling on deaf ears.
I love Craig's suits. The more slim-line look suites him perfectly. Sometimes though he choses a bit of a fringe for his hair which ages him about ten years. As soon as his hair is tweaked up he looks like the Bond from Casino Royale.
This will always be thought of as a bit of an odd one out amongst Craig's entries. But time will allow it to be re-evaluated and seen as a worthy part of the series.
But one thing the producers took from their illustrious father was that, if there seems to be a wobble in terms of creativity then next time out go big.
The attire is something I haven't touched on in these write-ups, but I'd say Craig's wardrobe in QoS is my favorite in his era. I recall once the movie dropped in 2008, I'd occasionally find myself online shopping for some of the bits of clothing, those sunglasses he wears in particular (before noticing the price and exiting out immediately).
It's been looked upon in a more positive light over the years. Don't feel like there's many of us who were die-hard fans of it since day one.
I think they're Craig's best by far. Brioni's were okay in CR, but Tom Ford's in QoS were great and perfectly suited to him. The colors of the ensembles backed up the earthy nature of the film, and suits like Dan's charcoal with a gray tie during the MI6 brief made his eyes pop like crazy and carry a nice mood. A very successful, small collection of diverse suits including a kick ass tux and some awesome casual stuff. In CR and QoS Dan makes it known that he's the king of the polo shirt, and grabs the title again in SP.
That khaki and suit coat ensemble is a Brunello Cucinelli and may be my favorite suit of the entire film outside the Rome black 3-piece. I think the Moroccan attire was an intentional tribute to what Sean wore in the Switzerland sections of GF, with the same slightly mismatched brown colors:
http://m5.paperblog.com/i/153/1539314/spectre-brown-linen-blend-jacket-in-morocco-L-wOQsoE.jpeg
The whole style of SP is vintage, and I think that's why I dig it so much. Dan wears suits that recall the 60s, specifically Sean's colors of blues and grays with blue ties, and even that dinner jacket seems ripped out of Casablanca. Because this Bond has been built up as old fashioned over time, these style choices make sense.
Good will that Skyfall alone had earned? It's a Bond movie, people are going to see the film even if the prior one was junk.
I definitely think part of the outrageous fire being thrown at SP is down to people not being able to recall past adventures or be willing to go back to them and brush up. I like that EON stuck to their guns and told their story, however, and didn't try to morph things to only audience expectation. The Craig era wouldn't have been possible if they played by the old rules.
Before we went to see SP, a friend and I watched all of Craig's films beforehand, while his brother, who joined us later, didn't. The friend loved SP. And the brother was a bit "meh" about it.
Anecdotal, yes, but perhaps this was the problem with the general audience.
It's also just a very complainy culture we have, I feel. And a culture where mob mentality rules. QoS suffered from it, and SP seems to have the same future. Not to say that the complaints of either films aren't worthy, as I share some and understand others, but people really do take to hating them irrationally.
I agree it should've been included on the DVD release