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@royale65, not as easy as it may be for others. I like each for different things, but it all comes down to the human story. I find Bond's quiet grief in QoS to be very compelling and interesting to witness, just as I do the dynamic between Bond, White and Madeleine as the spy gets wrapped up in the affairs of a man he thought fate had claimed, reigniting old memories both good and bad.
But in the end I find QoS to be just that bit more powerful for me. I think it speaks to the side of me that laments the fact that we never got a revenge follow-up to OHMSS, so the chance to see Bond actually deal with the death and betrayal of Vesper in a way we never saw in the Fleming novels, like the lost time of his emotional development, is pretty special to me. I actually think Vesper is one of Fleming's weakest characters, so to see an actress like Eva Green take a very bland and annoying character and make her the mysterious, alluring and tragic figure she should be was great. It was all the more powerful that through QoS we actually get to see what Bond does in the aftermath of Vesper's death as we see in real-time his passage through each stage of grief until he finally is able to reconcile his past to make way for the future. It's like the Fleming story we never got, told very powerfully till that last shot of the necklace in the snow, as if the author himself had scripted the quiet and ambiguous ending.
Dan's performance isn't the ranged one of Casino Royale, because this Bond is hurt and must repress himself, but what the guy is able to do with quiet scenes using just his body language and expressive eyes really sells the spy's varying levels of disgust, revolt, anger and vulnerability as he faces off with White's associates. I recalls to my mind all that Sean was able to do with just a scene of Bond walking around a hotel room looking for surveillance bugs, but Dan is able to give it his own spin and adds a cruelty and rawness to it all from start to finish.
On top of that it's easily one of the most well composed and colored films in the series, the action is extremely visceral and clever with just the opening car sequence and Siena chase being some of the most dynamic bits of action I've seen in these films, Arnold gives a career high contribution to the score, the script is full of sharp and smart dialogue and scenes, Camille is a Bond girl that is a breath of fresh air, and the supporting cast is dotted with greats that support an already strong leading actor.
I love both films but it's given me a real sense of pride to see QoS get reevaluated on the forum and see so many turn from not liking it to seeing what it has to offer, as a lot is there.
24 votes: "SPECTRE"
22 votes: "QUANTUM OF SOLACE"
This is a seriously tense poll :-O!!
If Dan had the kind of character to lie, but we know how bad at it he is. He couldn't bullshit to save his life, despite being a fine actor, because that can of artificiality seems to make his skin crawl. Good on him.
Ufff, I think Daniel Craig was mostly twisted about SP. But happy? Certainly not all the time. He gave such conflicting interviews. But I do think he got frustrated by all these (Sony)leaks and the problematic creation of the story. He even had more disagreements with Mendes on the set of SP than before.
He busted his knee, and this was his best experience? After what they had to deal with in terms of script and what not? Please.
He was just being kind because the director was sitting in front of him. A gent.
On CR Dan had to deal with the immense pressure and backlash he was getting, such that if he didn't do it right out of the gate and show his stuff, he was going to quit and move along. QoS had the widely reported issues and was a production that had to be salvaged when no production was allowed to be done in the major area of scripting, leading Dan to help with the story, so that must've been beyond stressful and disheartening for him as he felt he was being extended beyond his creative limits. In SF Dan and Sam were working together for the first time on a project of this scale after their minor work before, so I imagine a feeling process had to go on, and the shoot itself was very much a grueling one for the actor on top of his return after a hiatus in the era. In SP Dan and Sam seemed to know how they worked off each other much better than before, and Dan's ability to let Sam do the work of director and not put so much on himself would contribute to this feeling he says he had, offsetting the usual big factors that can make Bond productions rough ones. I've no reason not to believe him.
I think those that don't like SP partly think, "How could Dan like making that," and completely rule it out of their heads that he is telling the truth whenever he comments on enjoying the experience. Much like how I could look at Bond films I don't like and wonder how the actor enjoyed themselves, but it's not really my place to speak for them either way, and can only go off what they say.
From what I've heard from the man himself, the smaller degree of pressure and work, the amazing location shooting, his work with big cast members that he's wanted to act with for a long time and his continued feeling of familiarity with the team at EON and his role as Bond contributed to the final experience he said he has. Which doesn't feel like a cop-out to me or that he's trying to protect other people by lying about everything regarding the production.
There are certainly legitimate reasons why he would say what he said when he said it (one is definitely to be courteous). Rose didn't seem convinced and neither am I. Others can take it the way they want.
I was about to post something along these lines myself, though it's a bit more nuanced than that. He made the remark during a joint Charlie Rose interview with Sam Mendes the week of Spectre's release in the US. And the reason he gives why SP was the most fun film for him was because it allowed him to "zone out" and not worry about controlling the production (despite being a co-producer?). His trust in Sam Mendes let him "just be an actor" for the first time in a long time.
But more importantly, this question is plainly an attempt to publically dispel notions that Craig was miserable about Bond because of his recent negative comments to the press. This is in fact what Mendes works his way toward answering, following on from Craig's "fidgety" response (as @bondjames put it), addressing what a gruelling shoot it was with the injuries and talking about Daniel's two word answers to the press and how he understands Craig not wanting to jump into another Bond right away. This was November 5th, 2015. It was damage control to improve the film's image. They had already talked to the press about the injuries and the grueling shoot and Craig wanting to kill himself rather than doing more Bond. This interview appearance was the response to all of that—the "oh crap, Bond is supposed to be fun and we sound like a bunch of Debbie Downers right now." Damage control.
I'm not saying SP wasn't in fact the most fun film Daniel Craig and Sam Mendes have ever made—how often do you get to blow up somebody's millions of dollars, knowing you're receiving a World Record for doing so?—but...context.
EDIT: Or, in brief, this:
I hope Logan Lucky has revitalised his desire and he'll break the run of actors ending on a bad note.
Would love to see him just blow us all away with his swansong.
His performance in QOS to me is night and day but that film had such a better screenplay, for all it's faults there are real gems in there, considering it was written on the hoof.
Also the sense of danger that you got with CR & also SF is completely devoid in SP.
SP's tone is all over the shop, lets do something like SF, no lets do a Moore tribute but then turn out something like something Brosnan would have been much better in.
I know some Brozzer fans might try and argue PB would have been better in the previous 3 but anyone wants to suggest Pierce would have fared better in SP I can't argue with that.
Craig can do dangerous, charming and human but he certainly can't do a Moore impression and cheesy one liners that dear old Rog pulled off effortless are not his forte.
Craig needs to be given something he can get his teeth into not just switch on the autopilot. I'll say one thing about Pierce despite he being my least liked actor in the role you never got the feeling he wasn't trying to give his best. Craig just looks like he can't be arsed in SP whether that was the case it's the vibe I've gotten since my 2nd viewing and more recent 3rd, I certainly won't be subjecting myself to multiple viewings to see if I can see any merit in it, I'm a Bond fan not a sadist.
Probably a reigned in gent. Very well reasoned. That's how one applies logic, and not wishfully loving thinking.
From the score,acting,screenplay,plot,script..but it might have got away with things if the 3rd act didn't expose it for what it is.
We should obliterate that movie from existence! Destroy it! Bond franchise unworthy! Sam Mendes and Thomas Newman should be hunt down! And all other Bond films, like DAF, TMWTGG, DAD and AVTAK.......those, THOSE are just wonderful Bond material! ;-).
Diamonds actually has a lot of artful stuff to it, not just in cinematography, but also in how the story is told. But I'm not going to turn this into a, "Well, the Bond film you like sucks too!" thing. We're all better than that.
Yeah, well...you're also quite partial to having no taste! Ha!
I walked into that one didn't I ?
Stumbled more like, but yeah. Just admit that Kara is the best Bond girl ever and all will be forgiven.
Never !!
Not even if you drill my head as Blofeld did,you swine !!
Exactly, cannot believe that even qualifies for a finale
That just about nails it.