Quantum of Nothing?

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  • Posts: 1,492
    SaintMark wrote:
    [
    But I can easily say that Bond23 has to put in little effort to improve on the "Qualities" of QoB.

    And of course continually calling it Quantum of "bollocks/bullshit" gives you the moral high ground.

  • edited October 2012 Posts: 12,837
    actonsteve wrote:
    Have a complete inability to understand or comprehend that other people like it. They like it for a myriad of reasons and because THEY DON'T LIKE it they expect others to fall in line. Narrow mindedness at its worse.

    I could say the same about you when it comes to Brosnans films.

    Anyway, it's fine if you like it, people can like what they want. I like some films that people would probably laugh at me for, EG-Rambo 2 and 3 are two of my favourite films.

    I'm talking about when people are defending it against those of us who don't like it.

    @SirHenryLeeChaChing If it makes you feel any better DAD is only one place above QOS on my list ;) But here's something you won't be pleased to hear, TWINE is in my top 10.
  • Posts: 7,653
    actonsteve wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    [
    But I can easily say that Bond23 has to put in little effort to improve on the "Qualities" of QoB.

    And of course continually calling it Quantum of "bollocks/bullshit" gives you the moral high ground.

    No it is simply Quantum of Bourne hence QoB. ;)

  • actonsteve wrote:
    Have a complete inability to understand or comprehend that other people like it. They like it for a myriad of reasons and because THEY DON'T LIKE it they expect others to fall in line. Narrow mindedness at its worse.

    It's fine if you like it, people can like what they want. I like some films that people would probably laugh at me for, EG-Rambo 2 and 3 are two of my favourite films.

    I'm talking about when people are defending it against those of us who don't like it.

    @SirHenryLeeChaChing If it makes you feel any better DAD is only one place above QOS on my list ;) But here's something you won't be pleased to hear, TWINE is in my top 10.

    I have presented a fairly persuasive argument for QOS being better from a category standpoint for all to read. If you agree, no reason you can't change places between the two. If you disagree, short of a moment by moment list which would further illustrate my point of view, nothing I can do about that other than shake my head.

    I don't even know how to respond to TWINE in a top 10 list. To each his own is the best I have for the moment. Of which I am out of due to fatherly duties and will be starting Monday until 11/11. Will miss this place a lot :((
  • edited November 2012 Posts: 74
    Risico wrote:
    In my opinion, it gives it *less* meaning. Quantum of Solace is the 'measure of comfort' a relationship requires to survive (uh, I think). Quantum of Solace in the context of it being the name of the organisation... makes so sense at all.

    No it means to have peace of mind. Bond's seeking it due to the betrayal and hurt over Vesper. If you think about it and also what I mentioned before about one synonym being "bulk". Quantum are after money, power and connections. For them their 'quantum of solace' involves gaining power and information with whichever method is expedient. So in a sense... it fits albeit loosely I'll give you that. ;)
    There four techniques I've seen people use when defending QOS on this site.

    1) Point out all it's positives like the last scene, etc, while completely ignoring any of it's flaws.

    2) Blame the writers strike for all it's flaws.

    3) Say Brosnans films were worse and try to derail the thread.

    4) Do a balanced defense where you admit it has flaws but explain why you like it.

    Unfortunetly, not many people use that last one.

    Eh? Having a go at people for liking a film. You might want to add that one to your list. All that smacks of to me and possibly others is "you still don't agree with me so go and do one"... gladly, preferably on your front lawn if that's your attitude.

    I wouldn't resort to using Brosnan's films like some crutch. Granted I don't like them except for Goldeneye (and how DAD has made it into 007 Legends I don't know - I digress) but that wouldn't factor into my 'defense' of QoS. Frankly, you're just sidestepping things and having a go at people because they don't agree with you, seems myopic to me. Besides, why should one have to "defend" their film preference? You either like it or you don't. I explain why I like them because for someone else who doesn't agree with me, they may gain a better understanding of one's opinion which favours something contrary.

    The thing is I honestly don't find anything 'wrong' with QoS. That's not to say I refute a large body of opinion which has a problem with it but that doesn't concern me because at the end of it, I still enjoy the film for my own reasons. What anyone else thinks is irrelevant when I watch it.

    As most of you will know, there's an article on this site which contradicts the claim that John Logan is penning a two-parter for Bond. I've read opinions which say if a two-parter were made then he would ignore Quantum because he wasn't involved with their creation and he'd be writing the screenplay on his own. So if this is correct and he's only writing a single film (without input from Purvis or Wade) he'd most likely ignore Quantum, right?
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,582
    Well we know Quantum are global, and that like, SPECTRE, they can have various unique schemes underway at any one time. Not sure if I'd say EON have a bit of an obligation to bring them back for (at least) Craig's grand finale, but one does wonder would they have written in White's line 'we have people everywhere' if they didn't plan to use them again in future films. The Vesper arc may seem resolved, but I can still see the outline of a stain on Bond's shirt, and I'd like to see CraigBond take out a higher ranking Quantum member, or heck, just a more physically and psychologically challenging opponent than the little weasel that was Greene. There's a lot that can be done with Quantum. I, like others here, just feel they need to appear more sinister whilst staying as realistic as needed.
  • Posts: 97
    I'd like to see Quantum having a big meeting of their board of directors and get wiped out by the new guys in town... led by some fella with a penchant for white Persian cats.
  • Posts: 12,526
    QBranch wrote:
    Well we know Quantum are global, and that like, SPECTRE, they can have various unique schemes underway at any one time. Not sure if I'd say EON have a bit of an obligation to bring them back for (at least) Craig's grand finale, but one does wonder would they have written in White's line 'we have people everywhere' if they didn't plan to use them again in future films. The Vesper arc may seem resolved, but I can still see the outline of a stain on Bond's shirt, and I'd like to see CraigBond take out a higher ranking Quantum member, or heck, just a more physically and psychologically challenging opponent than the little weasel that was Greene. There's a lot that can be done with Quantum. I, like others here, just feel they need to appear more sinister whilst staying as realistic as needed.

    Could not agree more.
  • acoppolaacoppola London Ealing not far from where Bob Simmons lived
    edited November 2012 Posts: 1,243
    Quantum will certainly return, it is just a question of when. I too love QoS @Mach21Infinity, but after a bitter hate for it. After I realized it would never be CR I see it for the little gem it is. Scratched maybe, but it still shines.
    Shark wrote:
    I'm glad Quantum was dropped. A dull bunch of Eurotrash villains in suits does not make a threatening organisation.
    That's what a believable organization would be like though, as well as their methods apparent in the film. This isn't going to turn into SPECTRE and feature men sitting in chairs and assigned numbers. Those days are far far gone.

    Quantum shows the script writers are aware of the various theories out there of who really runs the world and why things go horribly wrong.

    I think the real reason QOS is hated is because it has resemblance to the real world. The film leaves you with a scary thought because some of the plot is taken from real life stories and how certain organisations manipulate the world to their advantage. It is no secret that politicians thanks to the party donating system will leave alone these organisations if they contribute substantially to their campaigns.

    The classic Bond formula has villains and stories that are far removed from out daily lives. I mean Goldfinger does not exist in the real world. Neither does Stromberg or Hugo Drax.

    I think Craig gave a good performance in the film and he parallels Dalton in the sense that both their second films created huge division among fans. And both were accused of damaging the good work of their first films. And both films were in production during a writers strike. I think the delays in green lighting Skyfall were in part possibly due to the studio being afraid that damage had been done to the franchise. To this day, the backlash is still there.

    QOS even implies that the CIA have corrupt elements and that as an organisation there can be people inside it that have a conflict of interest. Felix Leiter's associate is an example of this allegation and his closeness to the villains.

    If I have a criticism of QOS, it the fast modern editing style.The car chase at the beginning is a case in point. A very cool moment ruined by the editing.

    But you have to think a lot to get the story of the film. It has some truths in it.

  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    Risico wrote:
    I'd like to see Quantum having a big meeting of their board of directors and get wiped out by the new guys in town... led by some fella with a penchant for white Persian cats.

    Just like the rough draft for The Spy Who Loved Me, although in the draft for Spy it was SPECTRE being taken over by real life terrorist.

  • Posts: 7,653
    I think the reason QoB is disliked because it did not borrow some ideas from the Bourne franchise but complete frigging chapters including key-personnel from said franchise. And then beside the arty-farty touch from Forster, who was an awefull choice for direction in hindsight, lacked a decent plot. Even Craig admitted that QoB (Quantum of Bourne) was not the result he would have liked it to be.
    QoB is one of those movies that was just not a complete product or even faithfull to the 007 franchise. As an actioner it was flawed, the boatstunt added only bewilderment and the skydive stunt was done better in MR and NOT in CGI., the footchase was an almost copy of the same chase in the last Damon Bourne-movie, the fightscene in the hotel was a poor copy of the Bourne fightscenes in the same movie. QoB lacked original ideas with the exception of the Tosca scene that everybody mentions, which was easily the highlight of the movie.
    The scene where Craig dumps his "friend" in a bin is so against the legacy of the character James Bond these last 46 years that it hurt my Bond fandom. If the new Bond starts being so careless about his allies he is in my book not my Bond and EON should be ashamed.
    QoB treated the character of James Bond in a shabby way, in stark contrast of the James Bond chyaracter of the past or even Flemings version. That is imho the reason I severly dislike the movie.
  • edited November 2012 Posts: 2,165
    Just out of interest I tried courting how many cuts there were in the pre-titles car chase, which is four minutes. I counted 195 different cuts, which is one every 1.23 seconds on average.

    I'm a Quantum of Solace fan, it's a top five for me (around 5th infact) but, um, yeah, the editing is pretty terrible. Especially early on in the film.

  • Posts: 7,653
    Mallory wrote:
    Just out of interest I tried courting how many cuts there were in the pre-titles car chase, which is four minutes. I counted 195 different cuts, which is one every 1.23 seconds on average.

    I'm a Quantum of Solace fan, it's a top five for me (around 5th infact) but, um, yeah, the editing is pretty terrible. Especially early on in the film.

    I read that the carchase had actually a third chasing car involved and that one is completely cut away, hence the frantic editing in the beginning. But they kind of messed up far worse with the editing of the boatchase which ends somehow but I cannot for the live of me see how. And how about the freefall scene, too low for basejumpers even and a pretty poor cgi rendering again (EON does like his bargainbasement CGI).

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    QOS wasn't that bad at all.
    Reality check????
  • Posts: 7,653
    chrisisall wrote:
    QOS wasn't that bad at all.
    Reality check????

    Have just seen Bond23 and it leaves QoB wanting so much.
    Recently saw FRWL, OHMSS, MR, FYEO, CR & TLD, and QoB does not even come close in any aspect that matters.

    Reality check on your side I say. O:-)

  • Posts: 11,425
    Just seen SF and have to say that I still prefer the compact and underappreciated QoS.

  • edited November 2012 Posts: 12,837
    Getafix wrote:
    Just seen SF and have to say that I still prefer the compact and underappreciated QoS.

    Hipster :P

    SF is miles ahead of QOS imo. It just has much, much more going for it.
  • edited November 2012 Posts: 204
    I'm inclined to agree that Quantum of Solace is in a way actually a hipster Bond movie.

    As a graphic designer myself, I personally loved every second of Quantum, from the opening titles by MK12, the theme song by Jack White and Alicia Keys, the editing and the fonts they used when changing locations, the colour grading, the music playing in the background at Greene's party, the opera house in Bregenz with the Tosca playing, the interface and the glass table etc - it's all very art school-ish and if you're in the know and enjoy such things, Quantum of Solace is an incredibly rich and textured movie that stands up well to repeat viewings, but I would agree Skyfall is a much much more accessible film.

    QoS is a super stylish art-house Bond movie. It might in a way suffer from a kind of style over substance but I wouldn't really compare it to Skyfall I wouldn't compare, Skyfall is different, and I love Skyfall as much as Quantum of Solace. I try to take each Bond film as it's own gem and not comparre but that said the only film really I could not warm to was Die Another Day.
  • Also,
    SaintMark wrote:
    The scene where Craig dumps his "friend" in a bin is so against the legacy of the character James Bond these last 46 years that it hurt my Bond fandom. If the new Bond starts being so careless about his allies he is in my book not my Bond and EON should be ashamed.
    QoB treated the character of James Bond in a shabby way, in stark contrast of the James Bond chyaracter of the past or even Flemings version. That is imho the reason I severly dislike the movie.

    I would have to disagree - Bond pretty much did the same in Skyfall, when Severine got shot what did he say...?

    "Waste of good Scotch'.

    I think if you go by the Bonds of the Brosnan era, towards the end he was essentially a cartoon. This new Bond is remorseless and that's kind of how you would need to be to do a job like his IMHO...

    Correct, QoS treated Bond in a shabby way, but then he was in a shabby state of mind, pulling triggers left right and center until towards the end he slowed down. He never actually killed Greene, he gave him motor oil and sent him on his way who was later shot by his own Quantum. And he didn't kill the guy who caused the whole Vesper incident either, he handed him over to MI6.

    I think it was the right way to depict the refinement of the character into how he is in Skyfall, where you get the feeling that he's been at this a while now.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Also,
    SaintMark wrote:
    The scene where Craig dumps his "friend" in a bin is so against the legacy of the character James Bond these last 46 years that it hurt my Bond fandom. If the new Bond starts being so careless about his allies he is in my book not my Bond and EON should be ashamed.
    QoB treated the character of James Bond in a shabby way, in stark contrast of the James Bond chyaracter of the past or even Flemings version. That is imho the reason I severly dislike the movie.

    I would have to disagree - Bond pretty much did the same in Skyfall, when Severine got shot what did he say...?

    "Waste of good Scotch'.

    I think if you go by the Bonds of the Brosnan era, towards the end he was essentially a cartoon. This new Bond is remorseless and that's kind of how you would need to be to do a job like his IMHO...

    Correct, QoS treated Bond in a shabby way, but then he was in a shabby state of mind, pulling triggers left right and center until towards the end he slowed down. He never actually killed Greene, he gave him motor oil and sent him on his way who was later shot by his own Quantum. And he didn't kill the guy who caused the whole Vesper incident either, he handed him over to MI6.

    I think it was the right way to depict the refinement of the character into how he is in Skyfall, where you get the feeling that he's been at this a while now.

    Such a weird scene. I did not even realise Severine was dead for several seconds after Silva fires his shot. I thought she fainted - surely they can't be bumping her off already...

    Bond doesn't care about her, so why should we. Infact you don't really care about anyone in this film. A bit like Le Chiffre in CR, Silva was the only character that I felt remotely sympathetic for - he'd been royally shafted by M. And I'll always be grateful to him as being the character who finally killed Dench.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited November 2012 Posts: 13,355
    Getafix wrote:
    Silva was the only character that I felt remotely sympathetic for - he'd been royally shafted by M. And I'll always be grateful to him as being the character who finally killed Dench.

    He didn't. She was caught in the crossfire.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Also,
    SaintMark wrote:
    The scene where Craig dumps his "friend" in a bin is so against the legacy of the character James Bond these last 46 years that it hurt my Bond fandom. If the new Bond starts being so careless about his allies he is in my book not my Bond and EON should be ashamed.
    QoB treated the character of James Bond in a shabby way, in stark contrast of the James Bond chyaracter of the past or even Flemings version. That is imho the reason I severly dislike the movie.

    I would have to disagree - Bond pretty much did the same in Skyfall, when Severine got shot what did he say...?

    "Waste of good Scotch'.

    I think if you go by the Bonds of the Brosnan era, towards the end he was essentially a cartoon. This new Bond is remorseless and that's kind of how you would need to be to do a job like his IMHO...

    The new Bond is remorseless and less human than any before him, the two examples mentioned Mathis and his flippant remark immediately after the death of Severine show that EON is leaning to far towards the other end and thus making Craig an unsympathetic character. WHich is something I never had with any of the Bonds before, including Dalton. It even disses Flemings creation.

    I found 007 in this movie far less interesting than Schwarzenegger in Terminator, his motivations were very 1 dimensional and not very interesting. I was not sure why he did not stay away he had no motive except running around like an robot and killing people.

    EON is making a poor choice in this matter Imho.

  • I was kind of sad that Silva didn't have any connection to QUANTUM or Mr. White. I would have liked to see QUANTUM funding him in a similar way to Le Chiffre.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    Quantum07 wrote:
    I was kind of sad that Silva didn't have any connection to QUANTUM or Mr. White. I would have liked to see QUANTUM funding him in a similar way to Le Chiffre.

    But that wouldn't fit Silvas carachter in the way that Silva doesen't let him be ruled by someone!
  • Posts: 66
    I personally enjoyed Quantum of Solace, but I know others didn't and the critics didn't care for it much either. So it does appear that EON is trying to sweep it under the table (it is the weakest of Craig's three in my opinion, and in many others too).However, I hope they do resolve the Quantum organization, even if its just a line Bond tosses off about toppling an evil empire. I would just hate it if Craig's tenure as Bond has such a big unfinished story.
  • hoppimikehoppimike Kent, UK
    Posts: 290
    I thought Quantum was great... hope it's brought back :)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    hoppimike wrote:
    I thought Quantum was great... hope it's brought back :)
    I too would like to see the arc finished.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    chrisisall wrote:
    hoppimike wrote:
    I thought Quantum was great... hope it's brought back :)
    I too would like to see the arc finished.
    I agree. It would look sloppy if it wasn't wrapped up, and there are many interesting things they can do with it.

  • Posts: 12,526
    chrisisall wrote:
    hoppimike wrote:
    I thought Quantum was great... hope it's brought back :)
    I too would like to see the arc finished.
    I agree. It would look sloppy if it wasn't wrapped up, and there are many interesting things they can do with it.

    Completely agree with all of this above! It's an unfinished opportunity for great stories with NEW memorable villains and henchman/Henchwomen!
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    RogueAgent wrote:
    chrisisall wrote:
    hoppimike wrote:
    I thought Quantum was great... hope it's brought back :)
    I too would like to see the arc finished.
    I agree. It would look sloppy if it wasn't wrapped up, and there are many interesting things they can do with it.

    Completely agree with all of this above! It's an unfinished opportunity for great stories with NEW memorable villains and henchman/Henchwomen!

    Disagree. I wouldn't mind them returning, but it's certainly not necessary. There's no real wrapping up to be done. Quantum appear to be an omnipotent organisation, like Al Qaeda, you cut one man down, two spring up in their place. There is no believable resolution. I'd take a good story over an effort to shoe-horn in Quantum.

    Ps. I've got a cracking Quantum cintinuation idea.

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