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Bond vs Hinx - Where does it rank among other fight scenes in the series?
Seeing as the other action set pieces have got their own threads, I thought this deserved one too.
For me it was my favourite action scene in the film, and that says quite a bit! I would immediately put it in the same tier as the series' most iconic fights, from FRWL, GF, CR and alike. So what do you think?
For me it was my favourite action scene in the film, and that says quite a bit! I would immediately put it in the same tier as the series' most iconic fights, from FRWL, GF, CR and alike. So what do you think?
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Comments
For me, it sits below the following (in no order):
FRWL train, CR stairwell, QoS Slate, GE 006, YOLT Osato office, OHMSS beach, OHMSS hotel, & DAF elevator.
Good though it was, it could have done with better editing and more distance filming (like the CR stairwell fight) to allow the viewer to better take in the action, imho.
This fight is edited more like the Slate/QoS encounter.....which I also liked, but more for the sheer brutality/bloodletting of it.
With this one, it seemed to me that it required a few more interspersed wide angle shots to give better perspective/contextual setting (since there were really 3 people in the fight and not the more usual 2). Having said that, I'm sure my view will change on repeated viewing and when I see it on blu ray on a smaller screen.
I saw the film on laser IMAX and unfortunately was sitting a little too close to the screen, which may have affected my perception.
The whole sequence is bloody perfect from every point of view.
As @bondjames said, it has to be seen more than once because it is highly edited in some places. Something I usually don't like, but here it doesn't work against the scene (as in many scenes in QOS) but in favour of the whole sequence.
Right now I would have to rank it almost on top. I still love the gritty fight between Bond and Trevelyan in and on the satellite dish construction the most. That showed nicely, that Brosnan was absolutely able to convincingly have brutal fights.
The train fight in FRWL is so iconic it has to be in any Top 5 or even Top 3 list.
As of now: 1. SP, 2. GE, 3. FRWL
As an aside, it's egregious to fault the romance of Bond and Swann when it's asked what they do next and get full on passionate after a near death experience. The entire sequence had me on the edge of my seat and that rarely happens to me, even for an action flick.
2. vs Grant
3. vs Hinx
4. vs Jaws in TSWLM
5. vs Oddjob in GF
6. vs Franks in DAF
7. stairwell in CR
8. vs Patrice in SF pts
Loved the lack of music (initially), it really amped up the intensity, then when the music did kick in it was near the end and was used to great effect, emphasising Bond was in serious trouble.
Bond saves Swann's life and vice versa, great teamwork to despatch him and it was the first in your face nod to how compatible they are.
Agreed. In Russia the entire story builds up to that very moment. You can't really compete with that kind of suspense. But this one comes damn close if you ask me! You have this incredibly dramatic introduction of Hinx which sets it up so well. And with all the nostalgic FRWL references, at least all Bond fans anticipated what was gonna happen, building up some great anticipation. And the fight itself from a technical perspective is practically impeccable. I can't really fault it. Its gritty and brutal yet stylish, its familiar yet original.
Yes, the only thing missing from the scene if you ask me was Hinx casually joining them for dinner ordering red Chianti with fish. Would have been a challenge making sense of that in the script though. ;)
Absolutely right. It needs time to settle and having only seen it once it's difficult to make a judgement however why would I let any of that stop me?
My guy instinct is that it doesn't quite match FRWL or the brutality of CR stairwell and comes in third.
However that could easily change upon my next viewing as I was in a shit mood on my first viewing of the film which rather soured the whole experience (hence up till now I have probably been too critical of the film as a whole - although not about Newman's lazy score!).
There are some things I really like though:
There's a moment when Bond ducks and Hinx punches a piece of wood straight down the camera lense where you really feel the power of the guy.
About half way through Bond manages to extricate himself from grappling and goes toe to toe, boxing with him and is clearly the better boxer. He manages to land a few good blows but just can't stop the man mountain coming at him.
Towards the end Hinx beats Bond to the floor and you really think he is actually in serious trouble here.
A few things I'm not so keen on:
The empty train carriage; at least have the waiter cowering somewhere.
The end is a tad unsatisfying. Felt a bit too convenient for the rope, hook and barrels just lying there.
I wouldn't have had Hinx say 'shit' as he went. Better to say nothing. I get the whole gag is that's his only word but a little shrug of defeat and a wry grin as he knows his fate is sealed would've been a bit more classy I think.
Not sure how I feel about Madeline saving the day. While I appreciate @Trigger's point that it strengthens the romance I can't help feeling that it would have been more dramatic if, when Bond is finally down and looking beaten, we had cut away to Madeline and she is still unconscious. We would seriously fear for Bond at this point as he would be completely on his own and would have to resolve it himself. But maybe that's the point - he isn't on his own anymore and it helps to sell the romance?
Anyway the best action sequence in the film and certainly one of the top 5 fights of the series.
As regards the fight itself, it has to be up there with the best as far as performance, direction and choreography go, but as I mentioned above, there's just no suspense leading up to it. In FRWL, the audience is aware of who Grant is, but Bond is unaware, and this is a suspenseful build up to the eventual physical conflict that we pretty much know is going to happen eventually. We are constantly wondering how or when Bond is going to rumble Nash/Grant, or maybe Grant will simply kill Bond -- we're kept guessing until the last moment when Grant dupes Bond and renders him powerless. In SP, it's a matter of:
1. Bond and Swann are exchanging small talk on the train.
2 Hinx materialises out of nowhere.
3. Bond and Hinx fight.
4. Swann saves Bond.
5. Bond and Swann jump each other's bones.
There's just no suspense and frankly, if you took out this fight scene it would make no difference to the plot.
Good point.
I'm calling it right now--Hinx is the best henchman in Bond history.
Hopefully we will see him again?!!!!
I think Hinx is definitely the toughest and easily the biggest and provides a more dynamic altercation over the likes of Odd job and Jaws but Grant is in a league of his own. Grant really delivered the whole cat and mouse dynamic, gradually building the tension throughout the movie so it made the fight with Bond all the more poignant.
Did hear that a scene from the fight had to be cut by the censors!
Whoah!! (That's English for stop a horse!)
That's quite a bold claim Sir!
A very good entrance and fight but I feel the writing stopped him from being great.
What exactly is his motivation? Just to kill Bond it seems in the car chase and the train - which is fair enough. Except Blofeld sends the car to pick Bond up so he doesn't want him dead then? Buggered if I know.
Similarly why does he kidnap Madeline rather than kill her? White is nothing to SPECTRE and, indeed dead, so what is their interest in Madeline at all? Where is Hinx taking her in the car?
Or is it just to lure Bond because C is helping them track him via the smart blood (that's a seriously wank name for it by the way - just call it a chip like in CR)?
We just need a little scene where Hinx's motivations are made clear. From his introduction it seems like he is applying for membership to SPECTRE so is he just doing all this to impress Blofeld? Or is he actually under orders?
It's really not enough for him just to keep popping up all over the place without knowing why. Jaws similarly kept popping up trying to kill Bond but that was fine because he was told to 'eliminate anyone who comes into contact with that microfilm' so hence Fekkesh and Kalba bought it and Bond and Anya are next.
But Hinx for reasons known only to himself wants to kill Bond and kidnap Madeline. That's not good enough I'm afraid.
And certainly not good enough to make him best henchman of all time.