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Bond film endings, particularly third acts..
Mooresflares
Manchester
Was watching Spectre today, and yep I still struggle with really warming to it, but mainly the ending and got to thinking about quite a few bond films that let themselves down towards the end, for your eyes only (even though I love it) quantum of solace, live and let die, diamonds are forever, the man with the golden gun some examples in my opinion, after the discussion about the dissatisfaction over the Spectre third act is there a theme here that's certainly not new over let down endings, that really needs work? Would love to hear your thoughts..
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Comments
Casino Royale has probably the most overrated third act of any movie in the franchise. The storytelling goes out the window, random villains are introduced out of thin air and some of the dialogue is so corny.
Ironically, one of the worst Bond moments (let me through, I'm more than a clown) is nestled within it.
The "thin air" is Fleming.
Some of my favourite Bonds still fall away in that area.
I think the FRWL ending is just about perfect. After the Grant fight, the helicopter chase, the boat chase and the ultimate conclusion with Rosa Klebb come one after another in quick succession. The action is also a clear step-up from DN and is an excellent pay-off to the suspense built up over two acts.
I would agree that CR's third act is pretty overrated... the sinking house is the worst part of the film, without doubt and the sequence suffers from an egregious lack of focus.
Agree about FRWL, but not about CR. I'm curious as to what your definition of "third act" is? Seems to me like you're including the recovery scenes with Vesper as part of the 3rd act, which in my opinion, isn't the third act at all. That starts the second we see Venice. And what a finale it is!
Final acts tended to be weak in the early Bond films. Lazenby's was probably the exception, and funnily enough, arguably TMWTGG as well (which I otherwise consider one of the worst Bond flicks). LTK and GE turned that around.
Yes, I realise storywise they are essential, I just don't know why they choose to show it the way they did. The eye patch guy is introduced like we should know who that is, or understand that he means trouble. He just looks like a guy wearing an eye patch. I think it was lazily executed. we should see Vesper's paranoia from Bonds point of view (like Fleming did it).
Perhaps corny isn't the right word - more contrived. It's contrived how Bond is suddenly head over heels in love at the end of the film, it's contrived how M calls to see if he has deposited the money AFTER Bond has already resigned from the service (Via an email?!), and finale is the most contrived and corny setpeice in the whole of Bond.
Okay, but you didn't answer my question.
Re CR: Yes, Bond's email is rather unceremonious.
M calls afterwards because the man from the treasury just told her that the money hadn't been deposited yet. If the guy showed up 1h before/after, then there'd be a different ending of course. Also, M acknowledges Bond's resignation: "I got your note... we'll talk about that later."
I think OP is fantastic, but like @Birdleson said, the circus group assault on Kamal's fortress is cringe worthy. I like the plane sequence but agree that it's not in MR's league. I enjoy the last section of TSWLM as well, but knock it down a few points because the Liparus sequence drags on a bit.
I don't like the last act of CR at all. It's the main reason I don't revisit the film often. I realize it's necessary, but it's the sort of thing I don't really enjoy viewing.
As you say what constitutes the third act? I would say it should be the climax and vanquishing of the villains scheme hence the third act of OP is the bomb defusing (and what a third act it is) the stuff in Octopussy's palace is just a final coda like the fights with Goldfinger or Wint and Kidd.
CR a bit of an exception because it (and this goes for the novel too) is a strangely structured beast. The climax is the casino and the death of Le Chiffre. The rest with Vesper is a bit of a post script. The film tries to spice it up a bit but it's stil just an add on to the main story.
I agree there is a tendency for the third acts in Bond to run out of steam a bit, more often than not to be honest.
Poor ones:
FRWL - If the third act is Grant its perfect, if it's everything after Grant it's pretty superfluous apart from the Klebb scene.
DAF - The weakest part of a weak film. The threat is very underwhelming (not helped by so woeful FX) and the action dull. Apart from Bond bantering with Charles Gray there's not much to recommend it.
LALD - Ridiculously small scale for a Bond film. Bond, the girl and two villains inside a room the size of a village hall. I like the voodoo stuff in the graveyard, the Rolex and Bond's arm being cut but it's pretty meh and Kanaga's death as embarrassing as the double take pigeon but always to fly under the radar for some reason.
TMWTGG- When your climax hinges on the premise of 'What will Goodnight's (admittedly fine) arse bump into next?' you know you've reached a low ebb and it's time to take stock and think about the direction of the series.
FYEO - The climbing stuff is decent but the whole thing just peters out very insipidly.
TND - A by the numbers, but enjoyable, action romp jumps the shark here with Bond just walking round like Arnie mowing people down with machine guns.
QOS - A bit low key and although it has the requisite explosions you expect Bond fighting the villain in a hotel corridor as the main showdown and with nothing much really at stake is a bit weak.
SP - Has the ambition to not be poor but is let down by woeful execution and script (MI6 funhouse with EON publicity shots of everyone Bond has ever met, Madeline tied up like Penelope Pitstop, Bond's laser sighted anti helicopter PPK).
Good ones:
GF - An atomic bomb counting down while Bond battles a hulking henchman in a preposterous location. You really can't argue with that.
TB - To quote Felix 'and the kitchen sink'! Yes the previous 90 mins might be dull as ditchwater but you can't fault the technical brilliance (appalling continuity errors excepted).
YOLT - Epic pitched battle with Armageddon looming on another extravagant Ken Adam set.
OHMSS - Nothing to say here. Perfection.
OP - Fabulous train stunts followed by the best bomb countdown of the series and the clown outfit the icing on the cake of Bond's desperation in getting people to believe him, brilliantly sold by Rog. If even Roger Moore is panicking this shit just got serious.
LTK - A barnstorming finale with the spectacular tanker chase and Sanchez going up on smoke.
SF - It's largely down to the cinematography but there's a fabulous atmosphere of foreboding once we shift to Scotland.
The average ones:
DN - Does nothing wrong but at the same time hardly blows you away.
TSWLM - Great set and a solid battle but somehow a bit underwhelming despite the stakes.
MR - You can't deny its spectacular and technically accomplished but is this James Bond?
AVTAK - The stuff in the mine average. The Golden Gate Bridge fantastic.
TLD - The stuff in the airbase average. The stuff in the plane exceptional.
GE - Solid more than anything else. Very good fight though.
TWINE - I like the originality of the submarine stuff. Doesn't mean it couldn't be a lot better. Final showdown with Renard is poor.
DAD - Again I like the concept of the crashing plane. But too much CGI, the Robocop suit and too much Jinx means it has no chance. Not the thing I hate most about DAD though by a long chalk.
CR - Does what it has to I suppose. The public wouldn't wear a Bond film with no action for the last 30 mins. I can live with it although it could've been better.
Based on this I'd say the majority are average to poor (albeit with some great moments sprinkled here and there) with only about 1/3 being properly satisfying.
I prefer OHMSS and CR as far as that goes. SP was something of a new low, sadly.
Just watched Octopussy again recently, I found the circus group assault entertaining and very funny.
Agreed. I love that joke "I trust you can handle this contraption, Q?" "It goes by hot air" "alright then"