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Comments
It has. Except in Moonraker. I don't mind it there.
I like M in the scene in Russia. M bopping around Bolivia is another story...
Also, the way CR ends I think DC earns it and so do we the fans. Though the PTS while isn't top 5 it's certainly would reside in my top 10 PTS's. I've got use to that fast editing and in for me personally it works, though this is the last time that I will excuse it.
The length of the PTS is brief but it certainly start the film with a bang and DC's only line of dialogue is one of the funniest of his time as Bond so far.
Right the titles, first of all Kleinman should have been back. OK in an ideal world Amy Winehouse & Mark Ronson would have delivered a cracking theme for the film.
Though we didn't get that and something that seems to get forgot in the I hate AWTD furore is that Jack White was given very little time to come up with his theme.
Due to the Winehouse, Ronson situation where the likes of Adele & Sam Smith got plenty of time to come up with theirs, White got mere months. So if White had been given time from the evidence of his back catalogue he could have delivered something a lot better than AWTD, so either Winehouse & Ronson or Jack delivering the kind of theme I know he could have given the time.
Slow that chase down in Sienna, as much as I've grown to like this film and it's in my top 10 I can't forgive it. The frenetic editing is just too much and at times it's just confusing from the moment Mitchell reveals his true intentions.
Shame really from the moment the film starts after the titles this is cracking, great bit of dialogue between Bond and M then Jesper gets to shine, he's great for what we see of him in CR but QOS is his best moment, he's quite chilling. The idea of the chase is fine but it needs to slow down.
Then onwards, all the bits in London, especially in Mitchell's flat great right up to the boat chase the film doesn't put a foot wrong. Then with the boat sequence the editing again makes it a blur and well not the best, I feel short-changed with it.
Though the film again is fine after this, Greene on the plane with Beam and Leiter, all 3 are excellent here, especially Harbour as Felix's slimy boss.
Bregenz is masterful, all of it Craig brilliantly deadpan eavesdropping on Quantum's meeting and also Jesper final scene of the film and his deadpan line of dialogue. The slowed down sequence is brilliant and really marks Forster out as not a mistake at all.
Craig and Gianni back together, great chemistry between Bond and Mathis. I Really like it in QOS when it slows down and breathes. I did think that the film needed to be around 2 hours but maybe if some action sequences were edited and conceived better the length might not be such a problem.
I like Bond meeting Fields and most of the dialogue here with Mathis involved, especially Bond displaying the snob in him with hotel sequence, the stationary line though is this films little finger, not quite as crass but I'd dump it.
It's only when we get to the plane sequence and the dreadful sinkhole, I'd jettison this, shoot something more original when it comes to a dogfight and also something that isn't remotely like the sinkhole sequence to get them to this point of the plot.
Then from here on the film is fine, some of the best dialogue of the era and I love the explosive climax in the desert, the plot is fine to me.
Maybe something more for Almaric, he doesn't quite get a chance to shine, he's great when he appears and critics weren't kind but like Mads he plays it more subtle.
Maybe some more quieter moments, more of Bond and Mathis possibly Felix and Beam could have featured more. Not so on the nose with the obvious Bourne influence, CR flirts with it but QOS definitely commits to it more.
No Bond theme on the credits again, CR should have been the last time that happened. Maybe just that Four Tet, Arnold track expanded
I think that is it for me, Arnold's best score so no complaints, maybe more instrumentals of JW's theme like in CR but little complaints in that department.
While the film has its issues my frustration over the years has blunted over the years and I hold it up as quite damn good Bond film even as it stands without adjustments but it could have been even better but it's not the worst of the era and certainly not the worst of the series that it is sometimes classed as.
That said, I agree with many of the already proposed fixes:
* Gun barrel at the start and less rushed.
* Break the fingers of whoever edited the opening chase scene.
* Cut down on CGI--stunts that require major digital crutches aren't worth it. We go to Bond films to see stunt men perform honest-to-God stuntwork.
Aside from the chase in Sienna, none of the action in the film is particularly memorable. Is this the fault of a lackluster second/third unit or the predictable result of hiring a director with no experience in or aptitude for action/adventure filmmaking? (Call it the Apted effect.)
Agreed. It was a real missed opportunity. Quantum of Solace is a title that needs to be explained to make sense to an audience. Fleming did that splendidly. And since the film was so short a bit more dialogue wouldn't have hurt.
Apparently a couple people care about the water storyline, but I certainly don't. In real life I certainly would, but in a Bond film that sort of plot doesn't have high-sounding stakes or the eccentric interest of something like toppling rockets from a private island or robbing Fort Knox.
Quantum's evil scheme--a heavy metaphor for neoliberal privatization via multinational corporations--is the sort of thing more suited to a Bourne film or LeCarre novel, and the same goes for the film's treatment of the CIA and the British and American governments. Bond films have almost always been politically centrist. QoS is the only left-wing Bond film, and though I vote left in real life, those sort of heightened politics tend to deaden a Bond movie.
The Vesper storyline is what makes the film special--it's the only true sequel in the Bond series. It ties up the loose ends of CR, the ones Fleming forgot to deal with. Finding out who doomed Vesper is more important and emotionally gripping than a plot cornering water resources.
I also agree about Fields. Give her more to do or cut her altogether. The dimwitted Bond girl who exists only to be bonked and killed is a lousy holdover from the old films. If this film wants to be serious about characterization, it needs to avoid resorting to ditz stereotypes.
Amen! It's criminal for a woman that beautiful to not get bedtime. I would have had her and Bond do it in the sinkhole. Camille's character and backstory are schematic and predictable, so her sexless parting with Bond feels unsatisfying. I know someone will bring up Gala in Moonraker, but she has a much different reason for not sleeping Bond, something more than a psychological hangup and more like a cultural prohibition. And if we look at Fleming's other heroines, we will see that many of them have backgrounds of sexual trauma and psychological hang-ups like Camille. Meeting Bond, and having a positive sexual experience with him, helps heal their trauma and put them back on the road to better mental mental and sexual health. So Camille was shortchanged in comparison with Tiffany Case, Honey Ryder, or Vivienne Michel.
-There are a few moments of 'illogic' that frustrate me. For instance, why doesn't Bond even try to correct M when she says he killed Greene's bodyguard in Bregenz? These moments pull me out of the film a bit.
-The introduction to Greene is weird. What is he doing in that warehouse? Stamping an old roll of receipts? Almaric is a great actor but Greene doesn't come across as a memorable villain.
-Elvis is a damp squib as a henchman. Figure out what he's supposed to be and get on with it.
-I'm generally OK with the quick-cut editing; it works well enough and is a product of its time. But in both the car and the boat chases, pull back and go wide, even just once or twice, to give us a sense of the scene.
-Killing Mathis might have been 'necessary' for the plot here, but selfishly, I wish they hadn't. The Mathis of the novels is so great, and he's played here absolutely brilliantly but Giannini, that it's a real shame to lose him.
-The freefall scene is odd. The greenscreening/CGI don't quite work, and it does strain our disbelief too much. Fix or remove, please.
-Overall the terse dialogue generally works, but having a bit more exposition from Mathis (as suggested above) would be great. We have enough spare run time!
And as always, a few things I wouldn't change:
-Generally great casting, once again. Olga really gets the job done, and almost everyone else hits their marks and has solid chemistry.
-Foster inserts a handful of tiny grace notes that really work for me in establishing location. For instance, the dog on the roof and the woman looking out the window in Haiti. Just a split-second thing, but it helps convey some local flavour and I'd love more of this in future.
-This film, generally, is "intense Bond" done right. I'm a fan of the more intense takes, and rate Dalton (and am a fan of Moore's less campy efforts, too). But for future directors looking for the 'serious Bond' tone, look no further than QOS.
Lose the location cards
Other than that, I don't really mind it. To me, its the epilogue to CR and that's it
Recent years, with films like Fury Road and the recent Mission Impossible movies really exposed the dull shaky cam/fast cutting trend from the last decade. It enhances nothing. It does nothing better. It only obfuscates and confuses. There is nothing immersive or grounded about that style of filming and I am glad it has seen its final days. A clean, wide shot of actors doing their own stunts is much more realistic then that epileptic buffoonery.
Otherwise, I would take out the starting two seconds after Casino Royale thing, and the story arc with Vesper's lover. It only served to makd Quantum a small movie. A coda to Casino Royale, r ther than a sequel that stands on its own. Set it after two years, the Vesper crap long done with. Move on.
Agreed. The overhead shot of Bond in the CR PTS is one of the most exciting shots in the movie.
With a better song and more lifestyle porn, it could’ve been a real contender.
Then again, the way Craig tosses his room key away in disgust, perhaps Bond wasn’t in the right mindset for champagne, casinos and caviar.
I used to hate them. Now I think they add to the film.
You're not alone. I liked them too, particularly the Siena pts one, and the London card was cleverly done.
So what would I change to improve it? I'd replace the title song with something that Arnold could incorporate into the musical score. Compared to CR, this soundtrack sounds more generic because it lacks a consistent theme throughout. I'd also replace the title graphics with Daniel Kleinman's work. Of course, GB at the beginning. Make Elvis and Greene more of a threat and give them more menacing things to do. I'd also slow down the pacing. I know that was the intention of the director, but I feel it zips along too fast at times. I'd also have given the character Yusef Kabira more to do in this movie.
I don't want to go into a long thesis on QoS because we know it had writer strike issues and was a rushed production. But considering it was turned around in a third of the time that SPECTRE was, this is a much better movie overall.
Aside from the displacement of the gunbarrel and omission of "Bond, James Bond" I'd possibly change some of the character names. I never cared for the henchman being called Elvis. Dominic Greene isn't my favorite villain's name either, but IMO Silva was worse. Perhaps take an unused Fleming character name like they used Solange in the previous film?
It always kind of bothered me that Bond's relationship with Camille was platonic...........like Jack, Janet and Chrissy. I suppose that was an attempt to be different, or perhaps a nod to Gala Brand. Perhaps they're saving the Gala Brand character for a faithful adaptation of Fleming's MR called MONDAYS ARE HELL?
Doubtful.
Minor quibbles. The biggest for me is still the damned gunbarrel.
As I type this it's January 15th. Christmas and New Years are over.
The gunbarrel at the end is like putting up and decorating one's Christmas tree right now .........weeks after the holidays.
Still I'll take QUANTUM over any of the BOURNE films in spite of comparisons. It's still Bond.
The cards were cool. Very stylish.
This is your chance to say whatever you would have differently witH the film, so things like; plot changes, character additions or subtractions.
Anything you like. People will be given the chance to give their responses within 7 DAYS from today (this may change so let me know if you want me to extend the time for longer) until the discussion moves on to the next James Bond film. This will run until we reach SKYFALL as a discussion for SPECTRE already exists.
Hope you guys enjoy hearing everyone's responses!
First of all, props for the Three's Company reference.
With regard to the names, my impression was that instead of numbers a la Spectre, Quantum used colors: White, Greene, Slate, Silva (even though that was retro-)...
It's only on here that I've read his name was Elvis. That's not actually in the movie, is it?
If it is, I missed it.
As for what not to change: please, for god's sake, don't touch the cinematography. This is the best looking Bond film ever, bar none.
1. dump the Omega promo and CGI Craig face in the PTS. It was the beginning of more indiscretions to come in the next film
2. separate Eve from MP. Let Naomi play disgraced agent Eve and just have another actress appear at the end as MP, flirting with Bond outside Fiennes M's office.
3. delete the Bond crying scene. He can show emotion, but I disliked the crying
4. retain the Severine airport scene with the two bodyguards that we saw in some initial photos
5. retain the Bond running through the park scene from the trailer
6. dump the 'circle of life' line. It was a precursor of more embarrassments to come in the next film
7. I wouldn't mind a fight between Bond and Silva. They seemed equally matched, and the knife in the back was a bit disturbing and unsporting, especially since Silva was conflicted about killing M
8. dump the convenient train derailment scene. It's rather silly and the effects aren't that good either
9. keep the 'falling man' from the trailer - it's far cooler than what we got finally
10. remove the 'go ahead, eject me' line by Dench. It's too much. The wankery moment was already had a bit earlier with the Bond theme. Enough
11. get Craig to do a proper GB. He embarrasses himself here and I wouldn't be surprised if that's why Mendes dropped it from the PTS (yes, yes, I know his explanation for why it's not in the beginning).
That's about it for now.
In the script, Severine's role is extended. I think the creator imagined Sofia Loren as the Bond girl. Anyway, do forgive my memory of this, she is not killed on Silva's Island but captured by Silva. I'm not really what happens with her in the London sequence but she is used as bait in Scotland before being killed by Silva. A bit of weird extension but gave me an interesting idea.
It could've been interesting to see the more dangerous effect Silva had on Severine. She could have been easily leading Bond into a trap. She lures James Bond on the Island and when are finally captured by her man, the line "I'm sorry" completely changes context. It's more mischievous and reveals that Severine is in fact helping Silva, it would probably help make his plan make a bit more sense.
At this point, you could either have Bond kill her in the shootout, but that would be a waste. I think keep her until Scotland, it adds a more defined character on Silva's side rather than just random bearded men with black beanies. Severine could look really cool in that scene. My instinct would be to replace the henchman that Bond kills under the ice but would Craig's Bond really drown a Bond girl, especially after Vesper? Maybe that's too much a full circle haha.
What would you guys do?
MP is in the office..end of.
The underground train crash does not work IMHO, in fact the whole escape sequence should have been re-done to show/indicate he made the most of an opportunity rather a pre-planned escape.
Small things, it's a great film IMHO
I always thought there was room for a "last meal" where Kincade, Bond and M enjoy some scraps from the kitchen and a decent bottle of red from the cellar? Some bonding time (forgive the pun), a little like the drinking scene in Jaws: quickly changing mood. Cut the first "pre-attack" and go straight to a sun set "wap, wap, wap" of the chopper coming over the horizon.
I think you mean M, but I like that idea. Also, Moneypenny really didn't need to be in this movie. Other than that, I enjoy the movie greatly, with not much to change. Silva is one of my favorite Bond villains. In the top 007, for sure, movie and villain wise!
Actually, a game of poker in the kitchen would have been fun with buttons or pins for chips and a decent bottle of scotch. A twist on all of the glamorous casino scenes of old with potential for some good banter.
Nope. Count me in.