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Comments
UGH.
WORST. VIEWING. EVER.
This is so much worse than I could have imagined.
Starting at the beginning:
John Barry's sublime artistry is back -- thank Dog.
PTS: why would a transported shuttle have fuel? But, if it it did fuel up, the 747 wouldn't have been able to take off with that "load"...
But in concept, it was interesting, at least.
RM is remarkably older in this than TSWLM-- he looks worn. His stunt double on the plane looks a little like "Peeder Fransksh".
My least favourite Bassey song. But still, unlike this film, a weaker Bassey song is still better than most.
Jeezazz!! The Bond entrance scene to MP's office was written and was executed like a sitcom.
Poor Bernard Lee ain't looking too good. However, he was the best.
Corrine is gorgeous. I'd love for her to pick me up.
Once Corrine lands the helicopter... where did all the training astronauts disappear to??
I have always liked Drax-- nothing like Fleming's creation, BUT, this Drax could be a Fleming creation. He's a finely tuned menace. Very dangerous.
Holly Goodhead: I disliked her immensely as a "kid"... she is growing on me. i find her sexier now, in my 45th year on the planet...
When Bond survived the centrifuge attack, was that then the first time flashback was used in a Bond film?? I think so!!! Escaping the centrifuge, RM's reaction was the best of his tenure.
People worried about DC's suits should be upset with this James Bond wearing his pants above his waist!!!
Chang is a nicely sinister and underused henchman.
The stupid scene where Bond assassinates Drax's killer: the story is over at this point! Drax wants to kill Bond; Bond knows Drax wants to kill him; he kills Drax's assassin, and; Drax lets him wander away??? WTF??? This is all about the writers needing this to happen, rather than some kind of organic storytelling.
From this point forth, the story falls off the cliff...:
Venice: so far away from FRWL....
Following Goodhead reminded me of DC following Vesper...
Coffin/assassin, this is all going cartoonie, quickly...
In the end, this was the most difficult watch of a Bond film.... It was terrible and I will just rank at this moment.
Rankings:1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/YOLT
7/TSWLM
8/LALD
9/TMWTGG
10/ DAF
11/MOONRAKER
You really do need to be in a certain mood to watch MR. But it has lots of good stuff in between the silliness. And I still prefer it to TSWLM!
I agree @Mathis there were some good things in the film-- like the air stunt, the centrifuge attack, Corrine's death-- but it all happened at the beginning for me, and there wasn't enough. Once Bond kills the man in the tree, things wildly fell off the rails for me. The story felt like it was glued together by slapstick action sequences (the gondola, the cable car fight, the ambulance ride). The last two thirds were a real slog for me to get through. I don't think there will ever come a time where I will appreciate this entry, sadly.
Films like LALD and TSWLM certainly have shot up the ranks and I admire and appreciate what they brought to the series.
This Bondathon has been interesting, for sure. I'm trying to bang them out as quickly as I can so that the previous film lingers in my memory as I watch the next one in line, and then, like Malcolm Gladwell's book, I respond to my "blink" reaction to the films-- I'm going with a gut response, if that makes sense. It's been most enjoyable and it never ceases to amaze me how, collectively, this truly is a very special franchise.
That's funny cos I much prefer the space battle to the action at the end of TSWLM, which I find tedious I much prefer Drax as a villain than the boring Stromberg, and Jaws is just as daft in Spy as he is in MR, plus I was never keen on Marvin Hamlischs jokey score (oh and I love Basseys sombre ballad to the overplayed 'Nobody Does it Better) and i even prefer the pts over the ski jump!
You're right though about this unique series, you can keep your Bournes, MI films, True Lies at al. Nobody comes near this wonderful franchise for me!
I did think Drax was great and felt, although not Fleming's Drax, he could have very easily have been created by Fleming (as played by Lonsdale).
I do like several franchises from the first three DH and Indy films, to the Lethal Weapon, Rocky and Rambo series. But Bond is far and away my untouchable favourite. The rest will never come close!
It may have been me haha and it was also probably back when I had MR at the bottom of my list. I’ve grown to appreciate a lot more about it over time. I was a hater of MR for a long while. It is still in the bottom section of my list, but my enjoyment of it has skyrocketed in the last few years.
I find them both dull and anticlimactic.
A welcome return to earth for this viewer. I appreciate the more scaled down James Bond adventures. Two thirds of this film flowed beautifully, and far better than the two previous Bond adventures; John Glen really knows action! He frames it wonderfully, and his editors take over from there. He creates a real sense of genuine danger in these sequences-- as an example, when Kriegler and Locque's men go after James Bond in the snow, one obstacle after another started to pile up (Bond trapped behind the tree, loses his gun, ski pole blown to bits, the incredible ski jump and chase on the bobsled run. Fantastic stuff!)
I'm not a fan of Conti's score, although he showed during the St. Cyril climb he could compose some tense and classy music (without the bubble-gum spectacle of disco beats).
Something I loved to see during the credits: the name Richard Maibaum.
The story is more set around the McGuffin of the ATAC, but, for me, this was enough after MR. I enjoyed seeing the crosses and double crosses going on-- something the producers would again use in the LTD-- Kristatos is like Koskov, setting up his chief rival as a villain, and wanting Bond to assassinate him.
As I'm banging out these films in quick succession to get a gut response, I am finding-- as I always have-- how enjoyable Roger Moore is. However, I find his performance in FYEO his best to date. He doesn't seem anything like the man I watched in MR, and, in fact, seems at ease with himself. His charm is incredibly natural and likeable and there was less "Hugh Hefner Playboy Spy" in this one. In fact he was great with Lisl, and was appropriately pissed at her murder (in fact that entire beach sequence with the Countess and the thugs was a wonderful shout-out to another Countess, on another beach, with another 007).
And, for the most part, I loved his relationship with Melina as it was one of fatherly protection (until the end, which made me cringe-- RM was far too old to be her suitor!).
Bibi's never annoyed me. In fact Ms. Johnson plays it very self aware and puts a smile on my face many times.
Topol is a charismatic and wonderful actor, with an incredible energy. His Columbo is a great ally in the mold of Bey and Draco...
On this viewing, there was a very cruel side to Kristatos that I enjoyed. He's not such a sleepy character after all. However, after he's revealed to be the villain, we could have seen a little more of his cruelty (and I don't mean slapping Bibi around either-- I wanted more of the man who could care less one of his men was to be dined on by sharks; the man who wanted to drown Melina and Bond, and then, when that didn't work, run them over. He was a real mean bastard, and an effectively duplicitous prick-- there just needed to be more of it)...
The film loses a bit of its lustre, first during the The Neptune/St. George/Geek attack sequence (and by the way, was the geek just left at the bottom of the ocean, or did I miss something?). However, the torture sequence, taken right from Fleming's LALD always gets my heart pounding and palms sweating. Great and terrible torture and my lungs feel as if they will burst watching it.
The second time the film looses its pace, unfortunately, is right after the amazing, tense-filled climb of St. Cyril's. It becomes by the numbers, the pace becomes plodding while the bad guys are taken out. And, the MacGuffin really had no emotional impact on me, so I could care less if Kristatos has it, Gogol, or Bond.
And of course, the less said about the (blossoming) relationship with James Bond and Melina Havelock, and the call from the "P.M.", the better.
A solid outing with an admittedly slower third act but a return to incredible action and spectacle that had quality tension without having to go over the top...
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/YOLT
7/TSWLM
8/LALD
9/FYEO
10/TMWTGG
11/ DAF
12/MOONRAKER
Always lovely to hear John Barry's music-- a comfort to my ears and immediately gets me into any James Bond film.
There's something about older Roger that was missing in his earlier films; an ease and comfort of self. A more natural edge that comes with age. Not as stuffy, yet still charming (maybe more so).
I've loved the PTS since I was a kid, and that ain't changing. It's great as far as I'm concerned. There's a dangerous game of Tag in the air.
Practical stunts and miniature work is lovely and better than the CG we've been seeing...
I used to despise "An All Time High" but I was a virgin then, so... In my more experienced self, I get it and like it...
The hunting of 009 was like a Fleming short story come to life.
General Orlov is a crazed baby. Great actor. Wonderful physical work (as he marches with his monologue and slumps in chair).
Robert Brown is not Bernard Lee-- but he's not bad and doesn't stand out like a sore thumb.
Magda's intro at Sotheby's and she's challenging RM for the best helmet head.
Louis Jordan reeks of scum.
Love India's intro...
But I hate Vijay playing the Bond theme.
Godina is great henchman-- good looking, physically imposing, and crushes dice better than Oddjob crushes a Penfold...
Silliness in the chase on the streets, takes away from the tension that could be. Thankfully, Barry's music brings gravitas.
I suppose Q showing up proves he's always in the field (to date: TB, YOLT, OHMSS (wedding), DAF, TMWTGG, TSWLM, MR, FYEO, OP).
Sophomore humour that shows Bond zooming in on boobies would never wash today. Unfortunately, I enjoy Sir Roger's cheekiness. Does that make me evil?
Glen improved very dramatically as a helmer between his two films. More confident and interesting in choices (like following Kamal into OP's hQ from behind; nice wide shots...)
Speaking of OP's compound-- so bizarre and sexy at the same time. A modern Isle of Lesbos.
I love RM's expression when he sees "stuffed sheep's head"...
Bond sleuthing around is magical. And I love the fact that even though he's in danger, he stopped to watch Magda get ready for bed, lol. This sequence is Glen at his best: tension via action.
Does Kamal ever sleep?
Bond's escape into the jungle could have been amazing without the gags (SIT; hiss off; Tarzan yell)
Vijay giving Bond a massage-- uh.................................
I love Bond meeting OP for the first time.
Kamal couldn't have called OP to let her know Bond escaped?
And OP, your father's pet name for you was Octopussy??? Uh...........
The romance between Bond and OP was adult, mature, genuine and quite touching. Two loners that matched. Their first kiss is RM's best -- it's filled with desire and passion... I never found RM believable as a seducer and lover. I did in Octopussy.
OP and Bond's relationship is very Fleming IMO.
Always loved the fight in OP's boudoir.
The last third of the film is a ticking time bomb that hasn't been as effective since GF or TB. The reveal that this story is about setting off a bomb "by mistake" so that allied forces disarm, is kinda brilliant.
The twins are amazing henchmen and when one discovers that Bond killed his brother, it ups the attention.
Bond shooting Orlov's man in the head was awesome.
Gorilla scene...c'mon guys, find another way...
Orlov, put down like the wild dog he was...
Loved the train action; the struggles Bond had to do to get back to the base, and; RM's desperation to unarm the bomb.
I also had no prob with OP's women attacking Kamal's compound using their skills.
The final fight on the plane was amazing and nauseating. To me this stunt sequence was better than most Tom Cruises's stunt sequences since this was organic to the story-- rather than be spectacle.
It's a shame RM didn't end his tenure with sailing off in the sunset with Maud Adams... They were perfect!
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/YOLT
7/TSWLM
8/LALD
9/OP
10/FYEO
11/TMWTGG
12/ DAF
13/MOONRAKER
I was going to put this one below MR, however, the final act, after Zorin betrays everyone, May Day flips sides in defiance of her ex-lover, then sacrifices herself, becoming the hero (I love the last glance she and Zorin share, very satisfying to know she spoilt his plans), and the finale on the Golden Gate Bridge, inches this bloated film just past the 1979 film.
Yes, the FX of MR are award worthy; but if there are no real stakes, I'm emotionally not invested. AVTAK, a very dull and vanilla film for the last two thirds, really packs in the personal stakes at the end. I'm not saying it's right, but it certainly woke me up and made me take notice.
All in all, this wasn't an enjoyable viewing.
It's unfortunate that RM's face does look remarkably and unnaturally tight around the eyes and mouth-- at times it looked like his lips barely moved. The charm that so often exudes across his face has vanished, along with his mole! His last performance suffers because of this.
The strong: Zorin and May Day-- whether together (superb chemistry), or apart, they're amazing and I loved them in every single scene they were in. Grace Jones may have not been an actress, but she has a giant presence. To watch she and Walken have their erotic exchange while "training", was almost repudiating and certainly uncomfortable. However, Grace Jones, to me, is interesting to look at and strikingly beautiful. She was a true joy to watch.
A great soundtrack and a theme song that is one of the best-- I believe Duran Duran could knock another one out of the ballpark any day of the week.
Another strength: MacNee and his chemistry with Moore-- these two obviously had fun shooting their scenes together.
With some reservations, I enjoyed mostly everything (especially the horse chase), up until San Fran. The film nose-dives from here on out, with scenes that felt like padding. All urgency and stakes got sucked out of this balloon. Even if they showed people falling from blimps and fires set to City Hall, there was just too much flabbiness to make the story interesting by this point.
However, the final fifteen minutes claws its way back to some respectability. It's sad to see RM go. I wished he ended his tenure with a stronger film (or, retired with OP!).
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/YOLT
7/TSWLM
8/LALD
9/OP
10/FYEO
11/TMWTGG
12/ DAF
13/AVTAK
14/MR
WOW...
Uh... where to begin?
The PTS:
great intro to our new Bond. It shows a violence, an energy, an excitement that was lacking in AVTAK. James Bond, the man, was back.
Said this many times: Timothy Dalton was the most handsome of Bond actors (and they're all handsome); square jaw, long nose and wild eyes; he's animalistic, and the closest to Hoagy Carmichael.
In the PTS it's clear Glen has his action prowess back.
Doesn't 004 look like Brosnan? I wonder if this was to trick audiences not up to date with the new casting?
@RC7 is right-- a fantastic soundtrack!
Dalton on the jeep is a nice stunt that shows this Bond is no "Saint".... And this guy delivers a fine headbutt.
An incredible PTS-- one of the best!!!
I like Dalton's "Bond, James Bond"-- this man has other things on his mind.
The theme song: after Duran Duran, TLD is a rather limp song.
I believe this is Barbara Broccoli's first on screen credit.
BRATISLAVA: an updated Fleming sequence based off his short-- incredible.
Saunders, the archetypal "company man"; of course he'd rub Bond the wrong way.
Watch Bond's eyes sweep the street-- are we being followed?
He scopes out his perch.
Tim's Bond is all business ("steel-tipped...")
"Sorry Old Man"; upon hearing this, Tim's fingers slip while loading the gun. He doesn't like this term. A call back to Bond's meeting with Red Grant???
Bond "drops" Saunders' escape plan, and throws it in his face!
Q's popping heart pills?
Bond meets up with Saunders. Gives him a nice F-you grin. And Saunders is still going to tattle on Bond...
Q Branch: Tim looks great in the suit. Relaxed.
Bliss is a nerdy, yet fine MP.
Necros attacks- once again the flow of this sequence is awesome: we have Necros getting closer to the safe house while Koskov sets up Pushkin. And Dalton changed out of his grey suit-- why??? I hate the blazer and tie he wears here!!
Bond doesn't believe Koskov, as indicated firstly through a cloud of smoke he exhales, then a wry grin as he tucks away his cigarette case into his blazer.
Necros vs Green 4-- violent and desperate. I like how Necros has to sweat and bleed to reach success in kidnapping Koskov.
M's Office: Brown's best turn so far?
And Timothy Dalton has yet another suit! I like this one!! In this meeting with M, he became rather stiff when it was one on one. A minor quibble-- he's been fantastic so far.
Bond stalks Kara... and we get to see the great John Rhys-Davies accost the girl...
I love how Bond plays Kara and makes her think he's Koskov's friend, in on the whole scheme.
Kara, escaping from the phone booth is as stupid as James Bond escaping from the gorilla suit in OP.
Tim breaks and goes back for Kara's cello. Hafta repeat-- Dalton. Is. Awesome. And this film hums along-- where the hell am I rating it?? I've no idea!!
The Aston Martin: it didn't need "a few optional extras" with Kara beside him. We're supposed to believe that she believes, that missiles were a "few optional extras"?!?!?!? No, that's silliness from before. Take away most of these gadgets, this could have been a wild car chase.
Controversial opinion: Whitaker is awesome. Ahead of his time, really. He's like a movie-version of Trump: a fat, weak, cheating bully that plays with all kinds of nefarious people to make a buck.
Bond charms Kara in the horse-drawn carriage.
In the opera, I wonder what Bond says to Kara to make them both laugh. And DAMN Dalton slides eyes so well to Saunders!!! So sly. Like a fox.
Bond uses Saunders to work for him-- but of course.
The Ferris Wheel... uh... moving on...
Saunders and Bond in the cafe while Necros waits in the shadows... And Bond doesn't like his coffee. At all. He takes a sip, reacts, pushes the cup away. Love it.
The murder of Saunders unleashes Bond... He "got the message"...
Spying on Pushkin has always been one of my favourite scenes in the series...
Confronting Pushkin has always been top 5... Now maybe top three... Or two.
Pushkin's assassination and Bond's escape-- this film ain't letting up!!
Dog! Felix is terrible...
Kara drugs Bond-- and Dalton kills the scene (plus he downed his martini in one go! He's a beast)
Not taking anything away from Roger who was very good in his debut, but, controversial opinion, Dalton is better.
Bond working with the mujahideen-- sure I can be "offended", but seriously, like Rambo, this film is the product of its time: the Afghans fought the Russians, the Russians were our enemies.... so... there's no problem, even though the resistance became our "enemy" after; that's the nastiness of geo-politics and religion...
The desert scenes looked great, and so did Dalton in disguise.
Necros fight: I was thirteen when I saw this and was gob-smacked. I still am. Nothing will change my opinion. This was a great fight.
Going after Whitaker: the guy was wearing the "latest body armour", that's why Bond didn't shoot at his body. This is a nice, tense scene I wished would last just a little longer.
Damn, this was one helluva viewing. I still have no idea where I rank it. So, let's get to it:
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/TLD
7/YOLT
8/TSWLM
9/LALD
10/OP
11/FYEO
12/TMWTGG
13/ DAF
14/AVTAK
15/MR
Yes that surprised me as well. I even considered taking out DN-- but there's too many important archetypal images in the first film to dismiss it from its spot.
Barbara's first credit, I believe, was for Octopussy.
And I totally agree on Whitaker being a brilliant, ahead-of-his-time villain. Could have used more screentime, but his unhinged proto-Trump character was great.
And yes, Whitaker could have had a few more scenes.
I've watched this on its own plenty of times and find many things to enjoy about it, namely Sanchez vs Bond.
Unfortunately after watching it one day after TLD, it causes me many heartaches...
PTS: feels cheap and rushed, although a great cameo from MGW-- it's his voice saying "...If they hurry they might just be able to catch the bastard"...
I'm indifferent to Hedison as Leiter.
Sanchez beating Lupe comes off the pages of Fleming's The Hildebrand Rarity (and the antagonist doing this to his wife is one, Milton Krest).
The slo-mo scene never bothered me as passionately as others. However, there was a reason behind this-- as I think @ColonelSun has explained before.
Dalton, ever-present, has a great reaction shot when his hat is shot out of his hands.
A great aerial stunt that influenced Panchito- I mean influenced Christopher Nolan.
A decent PTS-- not on the same level as TLD.
Nor is the rest of the film. Dalton, Davi (truly one of the great baddies in the series), del Toro are all amazing.
There was a writer's strike going on at the time and it shows in the script. The best Bond, arguably since Connery, is reacting rather than doing. He's brought down through most of the film, unlike his first film, where he was much more active (and played to the actor's strengths). It wasn't until the third act that Dalton had meat on the role. So sad.
The sets, costumes, bar fights, hairstyles, actors, were second tier and B-film. How did everything so right two years before, become non-existent in this film?
Amongst the ugly , there was some sexy goodness: Bond infiltrating Sanchez's organization, setting up Krest, and the tanker truck scene.
However, on a production level, this was too close to AVTAK, than TLD; what elevates the messiness comes down to the brilliance of the Sanchez and Bond relationship and the execution from Davi and Dalton.
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/TLD
7/YOLT
8/TSWLM
9/LALD
10/OP
11/FYEO
12/TMWTGG
13/LTK
14/ DAF
15/AVTAK
16/MR
I apologize to all Brosnan fans. I write all of my reviews at the moment with as much as a gut reaction as possible. I go into every film wanting it to wash over me-- it's up to the film to win me over, and, to date, I've had some surprises...
This film, GE, is the graphic-novel Bond. It's not Fleming Bond. Not Connery Bond. Not Moore Bond. It's the superficial imagery of both of these eras, shot wonderfully, and as deep as pages turning on a comic-book.
Unlike LTK, the money is on the screen-- just not the depth. It takes from MR the novel and attempts to have its gravitas, but fails.
Serra's music is fine, and tries to add a layer of depth.
PTS starts fun enough-- although it's clear that that is not Brosnan running onto the bridge.
Sean Bean/Alec/006 is quite fantastic. Unfortunately, he' so strong, and a great killer, he makes Bond look as vicious as a white wall.
Ourumov is a great/graphic novel type character that has its seeds in OP and the Golden Era of Connery films. He's good, but something cartoonish that we've seen before.
I won't say anything about being 165 lbs and catching up to a falling plane, other than-- graphic novel "reality"...
A sexy, sultry title song by Tina Tuner (and Bono and the Edge)...
Post Titles: I will always welcome the Aston.
What the hell is with neckerchief and the terrible comic therapist with the wide eyes and stutter (also something very comic-book'ish about this). A great car chase, filmed well, mired with stupidity (that escalates with the bike-riders who fall as dominos).
I have pages and pages and pages of notes as I watched this film. So disappointing. To me, this is truly a great comic-book Bond on film-- and the depth of all of it, especially our leading man, is as paper thin to the point of serious annoyance. To me, RM was far deeper than anything in this film.
However, I understand that visually it was tops and brought James Bond back into the mainstream. Where does it rank? Annoyingly, I have to find a place for it (and yes, I realize I am being quite crotchety; but Christ, this was a comic book to me, and that sucks):
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/TLD
7/YOLT
8/TSWLM
9/LALD
10/OP
11/FYEO
12/TMWTGG
13/GE
14/LTK
15/ DAF
16/AVTAK
17/MR
I write these notes, and then translate them as quickly as possible to capture my gut reaction to these films; the words graphic novel, cartoonish and comic books got vomited onto the screen.
It's been said that re-writing is the best writing-- and I agree. I expect 85% of everything I've put down so far could be better expressed. But I wanted to capture a reaction that was as pure as I could make it-- no re-writes, or re-thinks (and I suppose that will make my future Bondathons and rankings slightly different each time).
However, it was never my intent to be provocative in this fun exercise. This is why I apologized to Brosnan fans-- everyone has their favorite and my dislike was by no means ever meant to put down someone else's opinions. The same can be applied to my use of the words graphic novel, comics and cartoonish. I didn't mean it as a slight to the best of this medium, nor the readers of them. It was meant to transfer a feeling of emptiness that I felt (And admittedly, as I noted, I was crotchety in my assessment with Goldeneye (overall it looked good, sounded good, but ultimately left me feeling cold (although i still understand its importance in the franchise, putting James Bond back on the map again)).
Once again, it was never my intent to be provocative nor controversial or insulting. I do apologize if my words did just this to you, or any other comic-book lover. I used words that to me, in the moment, captured and felt appropriate of my feelings of emptiness for the film I had just seen...
What do the kids say? Emogi-something-or-other?...
This experiment of watching a Bond film, or two, a night, has been incredible and there have been some genuine surprises.
TND is a film I usually rate quite low.
Not tonight.
PTS: Hello and welcome Mr. Arnold. Your music massages the senses.
PB-- he makes a leap from GE to this film. He's not puckering lips and trying to be something he isn't. In this PTS he shows he's now comfortable in his skin. He's gained a significant amount of weight-- but it was needed. Physically he is more imposing, and during the fights, he sells it (I found his fight with Alec over-choreographed that suited Bean, but PB looked like an an "actor" doing a fight scene).
I always like when Bond causes some mayhem.
Did I mention that Arnold's music is not only welcome to this viewer-- but it's on this side of "Kick"/Ass...
The Crow song-- never been a fan until tonight; it has its sleepy charm.
Post Credits and we have a throwback scene that takes place on the Devonshire-- reminds me of TSWLM and FYEO.
We meet Carver in the shadows-- a motif I've always liked.
Bond gets Danish lessons-- and chomps on his teacher's shoulder (seriously, this is a great Bond scene that Connery would be proud of).
PB joins the discussion and receives a 48 hour count-down. He looks amazing in a suit. And I like that his debriefing with M is in the back of a government car.
No. Not a fan of this 'Penny and her double entendres.
PB, however, continues to be consistent in the cool and smooth department (he scolds MP with a glare when it's obvious she told M about his past relationship with Ms. C).
Insurance Damage Scene: awesome scene with Q, Bond and David Arnold.
Wai Lin is beautiful.
"It Had To Be You" is playing as Bond confronts Ms. Carver. That's too much and too cheesy.
However, at this point, PB's simple performance is so much more fun, deeper and edgier than his debut. And continues throughout the entire film.
There is so much to like about TND, that the too-too serious GE failed at. PB's performance for one; his lethal delivery for another:
"Why'd you marry him"
"He said he loved me"
"(through a gritted jaw) Always sounds good."
Terri's not so bad, and in fact is better than I was expecting.
This second PB effort, that I have always rated significantly lower than GE, surprised me in this go around-- this had everything to do with a cool and confident and cheeky performance from Pierce Brosnan; a wicked David Arnold soundtrack and; a simple "media domination" story (hello Rupert, Trump, and fake news), that was, in the end (apart from the slo-mo and double-fisted gun shoot-outs), extremely well executed.
I was floored.
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/TLD
7/YOLT
8/TSWLM
9/LALD
10/TND
11/OP
12/FYEO
13/TMWTGG
14/GE
15/LTK
16/ DAF
17/AVTAK
18/MR
Always nice to see some love for TND.
Believe me @Remington , this genuinely caught me by surprise. However, I unapologetically loved this viewing! It wasn't trying to be anything other than what it was, and what it was whimsical and breezy and looked damned good doing it.
This has been a sincerely fun ride, and I've had quite a number of surprises thus far. To think that a Brosnan film would ever occupy a top ten spot-- no matter how temporary (there are a couple of giant films on the way)-- would have been unthinkable to me when I first started this project. I'm eager to see where his next two fall.
Where to begin?
Starting with the PTS, DA's music, like the film, seems a little "flat", to my tin ear...
A PTS that lasts too long, with two different tones, which makes it seem all that much longer...
I like the title song and credits...
Sophie Marceau's sensual sexuality was born to be in a James Bond film.
By the time we hit Bond "getting a clean bill of health", I'm bored and I find this film in every way, outside of Elektra, is trying oh so hard to keep moving forward and be relevant.
I love John Cleese. He sucks in this.
Q's final speech is poignant (I had a shiver of sadness watching this)...
I can go on about shots of computers and Bond's emotions, and Bond's hands typing into keyboards.... But lets move on...
Renard sounds like a cool villain. Pity...
This film is sooo dour; PB leads this charge with pouty face, or scowly face. He's got none of the charm and whimsical fun from TND, which are his strengths.
Even the Arnold soundtrack lacks the life it had in the previous film.
By the time we meet Renard, he just looks like a "small person" with a shaved head.
I'm losing all attention to this-- at least MR had a coherent 2/3 to a story...
The melodrama: " He knew where to huurt me, knew all about my shooolder"... F*** where is PB from TND?
Again, Marceau= excellence.
M slaps Elektra... uh...
K not happy watching this-- caviar factory: the music hasta remind us it's supposed to be exciting.
Hey, one of Renard's henchmen-- is he the guy DC tossed off the opera's house's roof in QoS?
I can't take this film... "Oil's like blood in the veins". PB's pain face. The lack of tone or theme or direction...
Shooting Elektra would be cool if I cared about either of these two characters.
The sub-fight is best left to forgetting about what happened...
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/TLD
7/YOLT
8/TSWLM
9/LALD
10/TND
11/OP
12/FYEO
13/TMWTGG
14/GE
15/LTK
16/ DAF
17/AVTAK
18/TWINE
19/MR
Well, can't win them all.
Saying that, I am happy to hear that there are Bond fans that get more out of a film than I do! When I read your thoughts, I learn something from it!
I wasn't looking forward to this film. My last Bondathon-- about 18 months ago-- I stopped the Brosnan era half way thru TWINE, and skipped DAD altogether.
I don't remember the last time I saw this film in one sitting. Ages.
GB: CG Bullet-- meh- shrugs- why, but whatever...
PTS: The surfing scene: I like the look of it, the sound of the crashing waves, and Arnold's music (which, unlike TWINE, is anything but flat).
PB: noticeably older, but more engaged.
I love the punching bag, and Colonel Moon is a charismatic little shit (too bad things changed...)...
PB's reaction to being the target of the firing squad-- full of tension (including DA's music).
The opening credits are very imaginative, dark and make the song tolerable. In fact, this credit sequence is one of the best in the franchise-- showing James Bond's torture...
Great line: Tell it to the concierge...
Ugh-- love Madsen in a low-budget film or a Tarantino appearance. Hate him in a Bond film. Terrible. He also worked on a film one of my colleagues made (low budget thriller), and the guy didn't make things easy (so perhaps I am biased, just as I am with another Tarantino actor who terrorized the director of the Good Samaritan).
Instead of the stupid cardiac arrest scene, I'd have liked a "getting Bond in shape again" that was then done ten years later...
Hotel scene, I get the irony. I'm still not laughing.
But PB James Bond in his hotel room shaving seems introspective. Weary. Jaded. I like this Bond. So far he's different than the poseur in GE, or the great, whimsical character in TND; he's far more interesting than the dull blade in TWINE. This guy doesn't have time for quips-- at least not at this moment. He's ill tempered and short with Chang-- "Do it; now, get out."
Raoul could have been a great ally. He's just not given the screen time.
Halle Berry's intro: she doesn't need a cheap Andress knock-off scene. Her walking into the beach bar, with the sway of those hips and thighs... that's the best intro. This woman is pure sex, and to rip her off with that slo-mo-commercial-for-a-porno was stupid.
Double entendre nonsense between Bond and Jinx-- my eyes are starting to roll backwards...
The Health Clinic, aka: OHMSS rip-off... Bond's an unbelievable fighter in the Brosnan era-- there is a science behind proper combat/punching. He doesn't have it. But David Arnold's music is great. And jinx chasing after a helicopter, barefoot and in a summer dress.... Dog, she's amazingly sensual... But why would an NSA Agent kill that doctor???
London Calling... Roger Moore's daughter!
Blades: always hated a scene that starts off well enough (outside of Madge). Toby's a b***** and a caricature. But so is the snarling and bleeding protagonist! It's terrible. Goldfinger's golf sequence, as I mentioned in a previous post, has more tension and danger in its little finger...
Blades started a consistent awfulness that continued into the "Vanquish" scene... and right through to the Ice Palace: Mr Kil, lasers, invisible cars, tsunamis and CG that looked like vomit on a screen
I am despising all of this. The one thing I like is Bond slips a gun under his pillow. The rest is of a sub-par B genre straight-to-video movie. Terrible and idiotic; what started out promising (with a few minor gripes), fell off the rails in Blades and never recovered-- for this viewer...
Rankings:
1/OHMSS
2/TB
3/GF
4/FRWL
5/DN
6/TLD
7/YOLT
8/TSWLM
9/LALD
10/TND
11/OP
12/FYEO
13/TMWTGG
14/GE
15/LTK
16/ DAF
17/AVTAK
18/DAD
18/TWINE
19/MR
More surprises: DAD was always my bottom til tonight.
Apologies for the lengthy post.
I. LOVE. THIS. FILM.
It's all business, right from the get-go. No gun barrel because James Bond, at the beginning, is not yet 007-- smart choice.
A great exchange between Bond in the shadows and the slithering Dryden.
That bathroom fight- a sloppy and desperate battle. It's wild, two animals fighting for survival...
"The second is"... damn. This Bond is cold.
Great song by Cornell and Arnold. In my top four or five, for sure. The credits are bloody brilliant.
Mr. White. Love him. I've said many times, he should have been Blofeld in Spectre. It's so obvious. He conniving and deadly. Always one step ahead... Oh well...
Mads is nothing short of brilliant as Le Chiffre. Gambling with other peoples money without a second thought. Too bad he's about to run into a force of nature...
Madagascar. Nice cell phone, Bomb-Maker.
DC is commanding, whether it's snapping at Carter and his incompetence, or smashing through walls.
Great stunt work on the construction site. Bond's like a dog chasing a bone. Nothing's going to stop him. Fearless.
The first time I saw CR my heart was racing during the Madagascar sequence and, by the time it ended with the shoot-out at the Embassy, I was seduced and mesmerized by Craig and knew right then that if he never made another James Bond film again, this performance was an heir apparent to Connery...
M's a spitfire in this film. Biting and ferocious herself!
Breaking into M's home to receive quite the scolding. Dench and Craig are magnificent together. Absolutely electric.
And who says Craig can't do humour? It's sprinkled all through this film. Like when he creates havoc as a "valet" (and later sees the owner of the vehicle he smashed-up), or when he destroys snivelling Dimitrios at the table (and rubs his nose in it): Oh, and the valet ticket...
Solange and Bond-- Christ she takes the breath away. Bond leaving her is the female version of blue balls (I wonder what she thought when Bond disappeared like that??); it also shows this Bond's got ice in his veins.
Bond's caught by Dimitrios. Reversal of fortune for the baddie, especially when he takes a knife to the ribs and a sarcastic double-tap to the cheek.
The chase is on with a terrorist... Poor Martin Campbell really gets it in the neck, literally.
DC sells the violence, and his battle in the gas truck's front seat is brilliant. These two both have motives, and they'll fight to the death to win. I love how this Bond gets hurt, bleeds, but keeps coming. Blind instinct pushes and drives him. He's a hard-wired warrior.
I have no problem at all with the Miami sequence; it all beautifully escalated to quite the explosive conclusion.
Le Chiffre's just lost over one hundred million dollars. That's gotta hurt.
Poor Solange-- we barely got to know each other. And man-up Villiers!
Vesper... A lovely, playful sparring match between her and Bond. He's not the only one wearing armour. By the end of this first meeting it is Vesper 1 Bond 0. Skewered indeed.
Arriving at their hotel (with Ms. Stephanie Broadchest...), Bond's sarcastic arrogance and ego gets him locked out of the elevator that Vesper rides in.
An Aston Martin and a gun arrives, special delivery.
Mathis... Giancarlo is amazing. And gets MGW arrested.
Vesper without make-up. My heart beats. She's luscious.
James Bond in a tux: he knows it, Vesper knows it, and we know it-- he looks damn good.
Let The Games Begin!! and it starts with Le Chiffre being a little confused. Bond's reply is all class (who says DC can't do humour?).
There are some interesting characters sitting around that table...
The "Tell"...
Vesper certainly is distracting... to Bond (and us... Wow!!!)...
The Vodka Martini and Vesper both taste nice.
"You want to do what to me?" (DC can't be playful and funny?? He's carrying this film on his shoulders. Yes we have a great script and characters and actors, but if the leading man failed to do anything other than impress, CR would not be the classic film it is twelve years later, IMHO)...
Le Chiffre does nothing to help Valenka-- and she doesn't take Obanno's advice!
Stairwell fight: once again, visceral and brutal. Another violent kill for Bond...
Shower scene: wonderfully played. Vesper's just witnessed murder. She's traumatized, and DC shows yet another, more tender side (continuing to show off his acting chops; he's a heavyweight).
Mathis and James Bond have a giggle about the dead can still be useful-- love it!
Oops, Bond loses everything.
Round Two goes to Vesper-- she's not going to give James any more money. So Bond resorts to his animal instincts: he decides he's going to assassinate Le Chiffre. What a great scene.
Felix calmly diffuses the situation with a gruff manliness. A deal is agreed upon between these two. Yes, Wright needs to come back and I hope we see him in 25.
Just as Bond's getting his mojo back, he goes and gets poisoned! And this is the point for me where I wonder if CR is now rivalling OHMSS for the top spot of my Bondathon...
Screw it-- 40 million, 500 thousand and James Bond is all in. A smart gamble that pays off, but he now corners a rat...
Bond's famished (and a little gloating, it's like he's trying to make an effort to be humble-- I love it). He gives his drink an appropriate moniker. Jesus, does this get any better (I'm in James Bond heaven)?
Of course it does. Vesper gets kidnapped. Bond gives chase. Bond gets caught. Then we enter Hell....
The torture: Daniel Craig is absolutely brilliant. Off the charts. Brave. Vulnerable. Crazed. Funny (who says he can't do humour?). He does it all.
I've never had a problem with what I call Casino Royal'e Fourth Act. In fact I found it to be a brave choice by the filmmakers. Like the novel, the film needed a conclusion with Bond and Vesper. We need to resolve their story.
Like a good book, I actually didn't want this Act to end. I love these two actors, but especially after they both dropped the armour. They're so believable in every second as a couple madly in love. Every look. Every kiss. Every embrace is beautiful. They can't keep their hands off of each other. That's what makes Vesper's betrayal so sickening and a punch to the gut.
The sinking house and the action that leads to it: I love watching Bond unleash his anger and ferociousness on Vesper's co-conspirators.
Vesper's death is beautiful. Bond is desperately trying to save her and fails. Damn...
Bond's last embrace. Amazing image. He did love her.
And now... Capturing White. The music. The clothes. The gun. The delivery of the most iconic name. Daniel Craig kills it.
This film is the perfect blend of Fleming Bond and film Bond.
Ranking:
1/CR
2/OHMSS
3/TB
4/GF
5/FRWL
6/DN
7/TLD
8/YOLT
9/TSWLM
10/LALD
11/TND
12/OP
13/FYEO
14/TMWTGG
15/GE
16/LTK
17/ DAF
18/AVTAK
19/DAD
20/TWINE
21/MR
Unlike CR, the gun barrel should have been at the beginning. No reason for it not to be.
Arnold's best soundtrack (followed closely by CR).
I love this PTS. Gets my adrenalin up. There's some seriously violent vehicular carnage!
DC looks sooo bad ass machine gunning the baddies off the road.
Mr. White locked in the boot.
Interesting credits matched by an interesting title song. Never been a "hater"; quite the opposite: I think both are extremely unique and matches the tone of this film.
James Bond does look like hell-- he wears his journey all over his face.
Mr. White is one creepy dude, openly mocking M and Company with that cackle of his. A great character played by the perfect actor.
We have people everywhere... A little chaotic at first with who shot whom and who got hit, but once Mitchell and Bond are on the rooftops I find the chase intriguing and exciting. It also culminates appropriately, with a fight hanging from ropes in mid air, and a race to get a gun...
The HQ: I've said this before: I like this style the best. The design, and the Q-type character, seem more "real" to this world. Much more real than the Q who makes "a radio" and exploding watches...
Bond vs Slate: short, violent and brutal. And awesome. DC looks terrific in the polo shirt and slacks.
Camille: gorgeous and a woman on edge-- she tries to shoot Bond in the head!... That wasn't very nice, indeed.
Elvis is one strange and quirky companion (he's no henchman; he's a lackey, someone Greene gets to hold his gun for him, lol).
Dominic is brilliantly played. He's a slimy bug with a short man's complex. He's jealous and untrustworthy.
The look of this film is certainly edgy.
General Medrano-- strong arm dictator (with one helluva great voice). Thirty minutes into this film, the action's slowed and the film's focusing on all these characters and some terrific backstories... Certainly gives it a different tone than CR.
Uh-oh, Green gives Camille away to the General... But, Bond to the rescue in a boat chase (that I've always liked (boat-flipping controversy aside (but, on that topic, I don't think DC said anchor. I think he grunted))).
Bond snaps at Tanner on the phone-- music to my ears.
Gregg Beam-- Dog, what a great character. Courting Greene, and Felix looking sufficiently disgusted.
The opera where Greene slimes his way through the crowds, and Bond sleuths, steals a tuxedo, tails a suspect, kicking his ass and stealing his ear piece. Finally, advantage goes to Mr. Bond.
Tosca isn't for everyone, but it is for me. Love catching Quantum in the middle of their meeting.
Why doesn't Bond let M know he didn't kill the guard? Unless he thought he could have killed him by dropping him off the roof?
Fleeing to Mathis and Bond looks really great in his get-up. Love this meeting between these two. They become "partners".
On the plane: Bond drinks his pain away. And DC and Giancarlo work magic.
Fields... (gulps and clears throat)... DC is playful in all of their scenes-- especially when he dares her to shoot him, he'd rather sleep in a morgue than the hotel she chose... And the scene that follows (teachers on sabbatical who won the lottery).
Bond rightly seduces the younger, naive Fields.
Bond has scars on his chest and right arm-- nice to see!
Hey, this Bond kisses shoulders, he doesn't bite them!!
Greene's Party: Camille plays a dangerous game mucking up a business deal for Dominic. She promises to continue doing this if he doesn't give her more info on Medrano. And Green attempts to throw her off the balcony-- until Bond arrives.
The introduction between these two men is priceless ("My friends call me Dominic"; through a smile, "I'm sure they do"... DC does DC humour and it's perfect).
Mathis is still alive when Bond's pulled over: The cops tell Bond to get him out of the back. Bond grabs Mathis, there's an audible grunt. Bond spins, uses Mathis as a body-shield!
Great scene, again, with Giancarlo and DC... Two edgy men that for the second time have showed a very tender empathy towards the other...
The plane ride: we see a humorous relationship building up "Does that bother you?", Bond grins "Not in the slightest" (this while discussing Camille's way of getting to greene was of a sexual method).
I've always loved the dog-fight. Probably even more now.
In the caves, Camille's story justifies everything she's done.
I just realized that Camille is the first leading lady that James Bond does not sleep with (a trend that continues into the next film, thankfully!). Call me Johnny-come-lately.
M waits in the hotel room so she can punish her boy Bond. Fields is dead and M destroys him with a verbal thrashing concerning his charm and how it kills the women who come in contact with him ("how many is that now?" that was coooooold, M. Very cold).
Escape from M's goons on the elevator. DC has a physical lethalness that I liked best.
Meeting Felix: Heard a rumour you'd gone native. It's obvious Felix likes Bond. But Bond's being a dick to Felix.
James moves his ass. Felix drinks a beer.
Final Showdown in the desert-- love everything about this simple climax.
Bond gives Camille a lesson in murder 101 (make the shot count!)... This is a kick-ass conclusion that Bond gets started by falling onto the crooked chief of police's car and shoots him in the face!
Elvis burns.
Green scurries away-- and then goes nuts. First with a metal bar, then an axe. He's an amazing psychotic.
The fight Camille has with Medrano is for keeps. It's vicious and violent and uncomfortable.
An axe to the foot makes me want to puke.
The final few scenes are haunting. Medrano's dead. Camille's trapped in a nightmare. And when Bond finds her, he's ready to put a bullet in her brain and his. Just like Live and Let Die the novel: Bond plans to drown Solitaire and then kill himself if Mr. Big's torture gets too much.......
Bond gives Greene a refreshment in the middle of the desert. How nice of him!
Bond and Camille's poignant conclusion and a tender kiss.
Bond's in the shadows to nail Yusef and his honey-trapping ways. I wouldn't want unfinished business with this James Bond.
He may leave Vesper's ex alive, I just wonder how badly he kicked his ass?
The GB at the end. Wrong. I do like DC's turn and fire, though. It was all business.
Ranking:
1/CR
2/OHMSS
3/TB
4/GF
5/FRWL
6/DN
7/QoS
8/TLD
9/YOLT
10/TSWLM
11/LALD
12/TND
13/OP
14/FYEO
15/TMWTGG
16/GE
17/LTK
18/ DAF
19/AVTAK
20/DAD
21/TWINE
22/MR