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What upsets me about this conceit is that it makes a mockery out of OHMSS, for those of us who like that film. I realize many of the general population likely haven't seen it however. If they really wanted to do this concept and approach justice they should have aced the script, performances and set-up, which I think most would agree they didn't here. So really, what was the point?
Ultimately, I'm of the opinion that Blofeld must be laid to rest as soon as possible and permanently. John Logan was wrong.
I love that scene on the plane. Would love to see Greg Beam character return. He was great.
QOS has two brilliant sequences on planes.
The second one with Bond and Mathis heart to heart is one of my favourites from the entire series!
Yes the Bond/Mathis chat on the plane is very very good,and its interesting to see Bond being drunk and vulnerable just for that 1 night.
It shows the inner turmoil he is still going through so soon after Vesper's suicide.
Me too.
I love the natural flow of the dialogue in the plane between Bond and Mathis. It's the sort of scene Spectre was sadly lacking.
Lovely scene on the plane showing a glimpse of DC Bond as vulnerable; the very next scene is jarring where he looks super cool, his armour back on, no time to dwell in self misery!
A ridiculous film and sometimes awful film but entertaining nevertheless. I've always taken the stance that this movie should be viewed as anniversary film and not your standard entry. It exists in its own plane. A celebration of the good, the bad and the ridiculous.
I rather enjoy most of this one (especially the first half) but things get shaky as the film progresses. Many people cite the Ice palace forward but I still think it to be campy fun (minus the AWFUL "Yo momma line") up until Bond's escape in the land speeder. It does come back around though once Bond finds his way back to the palace where he confronts Zao. Hard to believe it took 20 films to finally have Bond and a villain battle it out in gadget laden vehicles.
I take issue with some of the stuff featured in the Antonov plane sequence as well as anything featuring Michael Madsen or Jinx speaking and those laughable goggles that Graves wears. That reveal when he spins to camera with his Icarus suit makes me cringe and laugh every time.
Madonna's theme song is terrible but catchy at the very least and sort of fits the film it's featured I guess.
I don't mind the Gene Therapy angle with Colonel Moon/Gustav Graves and I find it a neat angle to have his henchman mid transformation with Zao (who I kind of like) but what I like most is the angle they took with North Korea feels more relevant than ever.
Call it a guilty pleasure but I'd say that I don't feel all that guilty about it.
At times I've thought of it as the 'failed' DN of the modern era. That is, where DN successfully laid the groundwork for the films that followed it, I think EON had a real opportunity with QOS to lay the groundwork for a new era.
Now, there were some cracks in that work (the editing, mostly, so overt that you can't see past it initially), and ultimately I suppose those flaws are why they re-tooled for SF, but I'd have loved to see them embrace QOS as a foundation for building on going forward.
Three or four years ago I would've thought this idea was bilge, but I've really come around to it. And White wouldn't have even necessarily have needed to be Blofeld. I think it would've worked if he were just the head of Quantum, whatever his real name turned out to be.
He also could've been, until the ultimate film in the arc, merely pretending to be a regular operative — i.e. both Bond, the other Quantum members, and we the viewer think White's a regular Quantum member until it's revealed he's actually in charge. Specifically I'm imagining at some point a traditional meeting of the criminal masterminds, ala TB, where White's at the table, not behind the screen. Although there is someone behind the screen, pretending to be the head, but that person's just a dummy head, etc. Would've made for a labyrinthine, paranoid atmosphere that I would've enjoyed.
Yes, it was a shame, and turning him into a family man rang hollow.
White had crossed paths with Bond before and we saw that happen onscreen, so I agree he would have made perfect sense as a "from Bond's past" version of Blofeld (unlike Oberhauser, who did not exist in the audience's mind before Spectre). They could have revealed that White/Blofeld worked his way up the ladder in Quantum and transformed it into SPECTRE. Pretty simple. Would have been a good use of Jesper Christensen too, who is a far better villain than Waltz's Blofeld.
From the first time he's on camera until the last frame, Connery is Bond. The dialogue is cracking, and the direction and editing feels tight and crisp - something I cannot say about the other three Hamilton efforts. Goldfinger and Oddjob make excellent villains. I love how in comparison to the fast and frentic fight inside the train carriage in FRWL, Bond's fight with Oddjob inside the vault is slower paced. One of my favorite moments in the film is when Bond punches him in the face while holding that piece of wood...and Oddjob smiles back at him, prompting Bond to punch him in the face again.
1. From Russia With Love
2. Casino Royale '06
3. Goldfinger
4. Skyfall
5. Dr. No
6. GoldenEye
7. Octopussy
8. The Spy Who Loved Me
9. Quantum Of Solace
10. For Your Eyes Only
11. Live And Let Die
12. You Only Live Twice
13. SPECTRE
14. The World Is Not Enough
15. The Man With The Golden Gun
16. A View To A Kill
17. Moonraker
18. Die Another Day
19. Tomorrow Never Dies
20. Never Say Never Again
The sound of Kisch hitting the bars after being thrown off the gantry by Oddjob is truly memorable!
Without a doubt Brosnan's most brutal film as Bond. Maybe that's why I like his 'performance' so much. In the caviar factory he's shooting people left and right. (No unnecessary quips either.) Earlier Bond fires his gun twice into Davidov's chest... Didn't give him a chance. Then of course there is his blunt execution of Elektra, which makes other Bond portrayals appear soft in comparison. Would Lazenby or Moore consider doing that? Never.
I think the last time I watched this was just before going to see SPECTRE for the first time so close to 2 years.
As usual I really enjoyed this, the PTS is great fun, it's pretty ludicrous but then as far as I'm concerned Bond always should be that way, it's escapist entertainment. If I want mundane, realistic spy stories I'll watch Tinker Tailor.
Anyway I digress, this seems to zip by despite it's running time, still Craig's second best for me and Judy really knocks it out the park on her final go around.
Great cast, Javier Bardem is a throwback to the old school Bond villain, recalling Goldfinger, Blofeld etc more than Bond's previous adversaries in this era.
Although Mads is still my favourite of the Craig films, Javier's larger than life villain is a delight and his entry into the film is up there with the some of the most memorable big bads of the series. Both Bardem and Craig handle the scene brilliantly.
Harris Eve is a mixed bag, sometimes her chemistry is fine and there is real electricity with Craig but she also gets some rather ripe lines to deliver which make me shudder, "it's some sadistic game" is never going to get better with subsequent viewings.
I like Wishaw's first stab at Q, his opening scene with Craig is great and so is the dialogue between them, don't mind the spins on old lines and the fact this Bond is the elder and the quartermaster is now the upstart. Although the script doesn't help Ben when he implies that Silva has been planning it all along, a serious plot hole and his Q betrays is supposed technical wizardry and shows him up with a real school boy error.
Like Casino Royale Skyfall's script has some clunkers despite me prefering both films over QOS I think actually Quantum has the most consistent writing of this era and possibly the stationary line is the only one that might be questionable.
Also Craig's deep water quip almost robs the following scene of it's impact, fortunately both Daniel and Judy really step up to the plate for this poignant and series shocker.
Sam Mendes I think on his Bond debut delivers mostly although him, P&W and Logan skate a little too close towards the Christopher Nolan influence. As much as I find the Scotland climax and like the CR sinking house set piece very inventive, Kincaid telling M about how Bond became a man after his parents death sounds like something from Nolan's Bat trilogy rather than Bond.
Mendes made no secret of his admiration for Nolan and possibly a little too much cribbing goes on here. Silva's plan is also more than a little similar to the Joker's in TDK. Raul's personality also shows echoes of Heath Ledger's game changing villain.
Though it all mostly works but I would caution not to be attempted again, this is far as it should go and no more dipping into Bond's past or tying it into the plot. Surely they wouldn't dig any further would they?
The 50th element is played up with not too much subtlety, the appearance of the DB5 either will make you cheer or groan, it all depends on your feeling s of Mendes wanting to use these throwbacks. It's the first Craig entry that doesn't seem to be worried with wearing it's Bond credential on it's sleeve, the gadgets, some familiar friends making an appearance.
Still top 5 for me but not perfect but I don't regard any of the entries to be free of flaws.
In the PTS, when Bond holds Lachaise at gunpoint and counts to three, he gives him a look that is just fierce and ruthless. Some of Brosnan's best work in my humble opinion.
Bond's quips in the Scotland scenes I like because they sound a bit less like displays of confidence and a bit more like ways for Bond to relieve tension, given the insurmountable odds against him and the rather unconventional situation he finds himself in. He sounds like he's spouting one-liners not so much out of cockiness, but out of stress, such as when he asks Kincade if "you dropped something?"
I don't buy Bond crying for M. It might make sense thematically, but... I don't buy Bond crying for M.
Probably the ultimate Bond movie in the way Moore would've wanted to play it. Pure escapism.
I owe Brosnan's tenure a rewatch in its entirety quite soon.
That's fair. After you rewatch TWINE I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on it. You might find that it's not even half as bad as you had remembered.
Apted: "ok Pierce, let's see your best angry face"
For e.g "He did you too" "That's a mouth full" etc Terrible stuff.
But i love the Vanquish, fantastic looking car with some nice gadgets and weapons.
Really, really nice! Would love to watch the old VHS-collection again. Will need to find a functional VHS-player somewhere, though..
I still have mine and I think it still works. Don't have that many videos left though.
First viewing in some time. Right from the start it hooks you in and doesn't let up, with the late Chris Cornell's punchy rock tune sounding as fresh as ever, even 11 years later. How we went from this to that wretched suicide inducing trash we got in the last outing, I'll never know.
Anyway, a few personal observations: Firstly, this film is really all about the performances. They are all top notch. Not only from Craig in his explosive debut, but also from all the supporting cast. Mads, Eva, Gincarlo & Jesper all nail their parts. They were perfectly selected for their respective roles & they all deliver too. Secondly, it's all about the script and dialogue. It's snappy and intriguing, particularly in the pivotal sequences between Craig and Green. I noticed tonight that Dench's lines felt a tad forced with a bit too much on the trust issues which was already broached during the Brosnan era, so it seemed like somewhat of a retread. Still, that's a minor quibble. Overall the conversations are quite a step up from the 90s (particularly DAD).
There is an energy and spark to this film as well. Much of that comes from Craig's relative youth, strength and vigour. He's very good when playing rough around the edges rookie Bond, as he does here. It's a pity that the narrative has moved on over the past 11 years towards a more standard cinematic Bond template, which I personally find him far less well suited for.
Having just seen The Foreigner last week, I'm recently familiar with Campbell's approach, and it's quite evident here. There is a simplicity to the way he handles the direction in comparison to Craig's later more artsy outings. It's refreshing to see. Down to earth. Unpretentious. I like it. I'd love to see him back for the new man's turn in the saddle in a few years if he's up for it. I doubt it will happen, but one can hope. The film is beautifully lit as well, and the colours really pop (they're almost oversaturated at times).
Final thought: in my personal view, the arc is complete. What they started in CR, they completed with SP. I noticed all the callbacks tonight. I realize they've decided to go back to the well one last time, but it's really quite unnecessary as far as I'm concerned. Still, they own the rights and they'll do whatever they want to.