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As a stunt performer, yes. He's a legend.
But the criticism is of his second unit directing, not of his stunt performing. They're two different things.
Exactly. There’s a very monotonous stage-y approach from Armstrong when it comes to his action sequences which is why I sort of lump TND/TWINE/DAD altogether as forgettable action films. Like, I dunno how the hell you can take an inherently awesome concept like BUZZSAW HELICOPTERS and make it boring to watch. That’s kind of amazing.
There are rare standouts. The sword fight in DAD is refreshing because for once Bond isn’t involved in yet another machine gun fire fight… okay, I lied out of trying to be generous for the sake of positivity. I can’t think of another rare standout sequence. It’s all a cacophony of noise.
I’d love to know why EON didn’t go back to Armstrong after three consecutive films, because I’m glad we got Alexander Witt instead (if only he had done QOS instead of Dan Bradley).
From purely an action perspective, the only film that disappointed me from Dalton until now has been Skyfall.
I thought all the Patrice stuff was pretty fantastic. Maybe there wasn't enough of it.
Well then I'm criticizing your criticizing. From another thread, written with you partially in mind:
This is my rant: BIAS. We all have some. Recognizing it makes for better debates. Like when one cites lazy writing and another defends their favourite movie to the hilt instead of just saying, "You're right, but I like it anyway."
I love TMWTGG, and I'd say the preponderance of peeps here do not. There is a LOT this movie does not have going for it, but I like it anyway. This is my bias. I am not Craig's biggest fan, but I am Brosnan & Dalton's. This is my bias.
I don't like Skyfall. But if it starred Dalton I'd probably give the lazy writing in that a totally free pass. CR is a near perfect film, but it never shows up in my top 5. If Brosnan starred in it, you better believe it'd be there.
/rant
But in the end, we as viewers do have a right to dislike the visual set pieces we are watching. And I happen to agree with your points— you’re respectful, observant and you’re not bashing.
This is where you and I differ.
Over the years I’ve come to realize that I don’t really have a “favorite” Bond actor that would color my views on a film like it apparently does for you. You have Brosnan hitting your sweet spot that if he were in CR you’d admit to ranking it higher, but I dont have an equivalent. I pick Connery as my favorite Bond because he’s the most iconic, but I don’t think he magically makes a film better with his mere presence. I don’t think he’s good in YOLT, for example. And while I wish he had done OHMSS, I actually feel the same about Moore though admittedly that’s because it would be interesting to see him START his tenure, and wonder how much of that debut would change the trajectory of his run.
I like Daniel Craig, but I’m ready to move on without him. I’m ready for a younger actor. A common thing I’ve noticed was fans saying they’d like to see Brosnan do a one-off Old Man Bond. I don’t, and the same applies to Dalton and Craig. I wish Dalton had done more films, but only 30 years ago. Not today. Not ever.
It’s a young man’s game, and I’m ready to dispassionately and disrespectfully shovel aside Craig Bond‘s charred remains to make way for a new guy.
I’ve been highly critical of David Arnold. What he did in TND is not what I want out of Bond music. That said, I greatly appreciate his score for QOS more and more over the years. I wish he was that interesting from the start, but better late than never I suppose.
If I have any biases, it’s that I wish John Barry had scored every Bond film up til his death. Even then, I still live what Eric Serra brought in GE and would never want to replace that with a proper new John Barry score, as much as that pains me to say!
My childhood was spent watching Connery-Bond on video with my Dad. Connery was King in our house. We also watched a healthy dose of the original Star Trek on TV, and their follow up films; Superman films were a fave; I watched Adam West's Batman in repeats (religiously)... Etc.. My point is these films you cite weren't something I ever looked at, and I certainly never asked a Bond film to be Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee....???
Added edit: I just never felt anything but cold towards Armstrong's work in his Bond years. It was always flat and uninteresting to me. But I've never once said anything to indicate to you that you should change your opinion on the man, have I?
Also i am working with a famous second unit and stunt coordinator on a project that he is directing of mine, and yes, when Armstrong has been brought up (both of us being Bond fans), he was honest in his assesment... And a lot of guys from Brand X Stunts will likely say the same to you.
Yes indeed, I think the ski chase in TWINE is a particular low point: incredibly stagey and utterly unexciting. I’d say it’s maybe the worst Bond action scene, but I couldn’t really do that with DAF’s Moon Buggy chase in the world. I mean, what is that? :D
I remember someone a while ago saying of Armstrong’s 2nd Unit stuff that he shot everything from half a mile away; hard to disagree! :)
But then he was involved on the TND PTS and BMW chase, which I’ll happily give him much praise for.
I don't know your personal history of fight training, but my suspension of disbelief is in full force in MOST theatrical fight scenes. Movie fights rarely resemble real fights. ESPECIALLY in big movies like the Bonds. The QOS knife fight was probably the closest to 'realism' Bond ever had....
Those are great, indeed. Inventive and exciting.
And, to be fair, I think the car ice chase in DAD is fairly well staged, as ridiculous as it is. I'm sure it's probably hard to craft a sequence like that when you are obligated to work in a gazillion gadgets to the sequence too - especially when it results in the vehicles basically just firing rockets of increasing size at each other. I'll cut him some slack for that.
An argument can definitely made that it started in GE, but I’d argue it was kept to a reasonable amount, and was offset by some pretty good beats like when Bond fights Trevelyan hand to hand in the climax. But with the next three films there seemed to be an even stronger emphasis on machine gunplay. And the few times it would go hand to hand like during the sub in TWINE, it’s aggressively unexciting.
I actually like the ice chase in DAD, up until things start getting invisible.
Back Seat Driver was fun, but I do want more danger...The goons Bond was up against felt like buffoons. They posed no threat to Bond, so although I wanted to take a drive in that BMW, I knew he'd end up A-OK, so all tension was stripped of the scene for me.
It felt as fun and as empty as rollercoaster for me, and perhaps that is my fault-- I love tension and conflict in my action (think the first Die Hard), and my feelings are impotent to Back Seat Driver.
It's hard to not get swept up in the indulgence of the pyrotechnics amidst all that wonderful scenery, for sure!
Award for the most original version of 'meh'!!!
Well. I LIKE you.... ;)
Fair enough. I feel similarly about the surfing; it's bad, but it doesn't make me as upset as it seems to make some people.
He also doesn’t hide his disgust of the ice surfing scene.He thought it ruined a lot of the great practical fx and real stunts that were used on the film.Maybe this is why he either was not asked back or maybe had no intention of coming back?
He gave CR the score that was asked for, his score for QOS was better because they relaxed the restrictions.
How strong is your dislike for Arnold’s music? I’ve never really thought of him as the true successor to John Barry like a lot of others tend to think of him, but I get the impression your just not a huge fan of the mans input. How come if I may ask? I’ve always felt it serviceable at best