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I thought the PTS was really good too, CGI aside. And the car chase was a bit of a let down but the ending gave me goosebumps. Overall I thought Mendes stepped his game up with the action compared to SF. The PTS and the Hinx fight felt really dangerous and exciting in a way none of the action scenes in a way none of the ones in SF did imo.
I didn't think that the action in SF was bad, it was really well shot and coreographed and everything and I love the finale, but it just felt a bit flat compared to Campbell's movies. But I thought Mendes did a much better job in SP.
The plane chase was a bit of a dud though. Not sure if there's any truth to the Craig not wanting to ski rumours but their original plan was so much better imo. I think Newman didn't help either. When I read the leaks I pictured Bond coming into view in the plane being a big moment as the Bond theme kicks in, like when he crashes through the wall in the tank in GE. Instead we got, well, I can't even remember. I like the Mendes movies but why did he have to bring Newman with him.
I'm always tense when viewing the PTS in SF, love the stylish suspense in Shanghai (including Newman's tech score) and enjoy the entire Home Alone sequence (it's my favourite finale since GE). I actually think the PTS is one of the best sequences in some time. It starts with Ronson and then moves outside to the cars, the bike & the train. The transition between each vehicle is really well done and it has an instinctual and unpredictable quality to it.
Nothing in SP came even close for me. It all just gave off a strange whiff of been there, done that to me.
I thought SP in general was sort of like a refined SF. It was weaker in some ways, Waltz wasn't a patch on Bardem for example and Newman managed to be even worse by not bothering at all, but overall I thought they did a good job of carrying on in the same direction while learning from their mistakes. So the tone is pretty much the same, they're still doing interesting stuff with Bond as a character and they're still reintroducing all the tropes but the pretentious side of it is gone (there is that stupid caption after the gunbarrel but what I mean is instead of smugly making fun of exploding pens, we actually get an exploding watch), the action felt more exciting, the origin story angle is finally done, and we get even more classic Bond stuff than in SF (the DB10 and finally a massive henchman to actually give Craig a challenge).
I like both films a lot but I thought SP was better. It was basically the film I'd been waiting for since CR and even though I know it's very flawed, it's still top five for me because they ticked so many of my personal boxes.
It's true. He didn't want to ski because he's not 23 anymore. It's all in the times interview with Mendes.
I'd much have preferred a ski chase in SP than that rather indifferent plane chase whatever it was.
I will say the plane chase was less underwhelming on first viewing in the theater than the car chase.
The car chase has no potential and is lathargic beyond belief
But I do find the plane sequence exciting because it’s something completely original, cool, filled with stunts and practical effects that could only be achieved with a production as massive as bond and something that really is unique which is what I go to see a bond film for. An exciting experience and I feel that there was only 1 in spectre which is sad.
Actually, I did a personal cut for me - it ended up a shot film but it really works this way. I left all the crap out at Blofeld's HQ, the MI-6 stuff and just let the whole Nine Eyes story in. It works ... and the only things left of actual SPECTRE is their fabulous meeting in Rome. I like the movie this way.
It really is. From the trailers (if I remember them correctly) I was expecting this to be one of the highlights, and remember thinking "Finally!" when I saw SP at the cinema. After the sequence I was sitting there thinking, "Is this it?"
How's being able to ski even relevant? There's no way he would be allowed to ski himself anyway for insurance purposes. When Laz nicked a pair of skis on the set and had a quick go he got a bollocking.
The lack of brutality and blood is it's big flaw but the sight of Bautista smashing his way through the train is pretty fearsome. It's just a shame his character was pathetically underused by not really doing anything at all and then dying before we even start the final reel.
The plane sequence is utterly inane.
What is Bond trying to achieve? Crashing his plane into the cars and gambling that he and Madeline will survive seems a ridiculously random gamble. Why not just tail them?
And then when he gormlessly knocks the wings off the whole rest of the sequence then relies on pure luck for Bond to succeed in his objective.
And given no one would sign off on really flying a plane that close to some trees there's less real stuntwork in there than you are claiming.
The start when the plane flies alongside the car is nice but it quickly goes downhill and of course Newman's insipid score hardly helps things along.
I find SF to be the superior movie but I enjoy SP more.
Don't get this at all. All he'd have to do is some beginner level stuff at most right? Then the stuntman could do the rest. Brosnan fell over when he had to ski to the bottom of a slope and meet the press filming TWINE, but the chase still looks fine in the final film because they used stuntmen.
I think it's good having an actor who likes doing as much of the stunts himself as possible, but not if he's so proud that when he realises he won't be able to do most of an action scene it gets changed. Just seems weird too. He didn't demand the crane jump be made smaller so he could do it himself did he. I genuinely don't see what the issue is. He must just have really not wanted to ski at all, but then some light skiing seems fairly tame in comparison to a fight scene with a guy as big as Dave Bautista doesn't it. Maybe he has a weird phobia or had a bad experience once or something.
I thought it was partly due to his knee he damaged during filming.
After the motorcycle fiasco in SF, I don t get that argument, either.
They were clearly going for something that didn't come off. Probably also something to do with Mendes not being an action director, although the action is something I generally defend SP on. It's the context which bothers me.
Me too.
Yeah, if you’re looking for Ronin, or QoS MKII (as some were expecting) this isn’t it.
Is that gold standard (Ronin more than QOS to be fair) not what we should be looking for - and expecting - in a Bond film?
Instead of basically an episode of Top Gear.
'We're forever arguing here which supercar is the best to drive across a deserted European capital at night. Sick of our bickering producers told us to shut up and then sent us to Rome to find out.
I was the first to arrive in the spectacular Aston Martin DB10...'