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First of all, I don't think all that happens in the last 20 minutes. I feel what you described lasts 30mins at least, making it easier for there to be tonal shifts because you're taking about many more scenes...
But let's say that it all does happen in the last 20mins; it's pretty much Bond and Vesper making love and going on about their shared future. That continues until he receives a call from M, but afterwards he's still acting out of love, if you think about it. Also, how are action sequences and tragedy not in the same box? The two go hand in hand and the very fact that it's 'tragedy' only proves that the film is still holding on to Bond's affection for her and projecting it back towards the audience. Furthermore, once you've seen the film, the last scenes evoke suspense because you know she's going to her death. There's also a refreshing amount of suspense when Bond is following her and during the action scene, in case you missed it. Even when we witness Mr. White answering his phone we can feel it. So the ending certainly doesn't shift as much as you say it does.
So you'd put Vesper drowning herself under "exciting"? To me, you aren't supposed to feel excited at that point.
That's a rhetorical question because it goes without saying that the whole sequence -
from "I'll kill her" until White walks off - is exciting (even as far back as M's sms). Just because the music drops the BPM and we get an emotional/quiet last moment between them, doesn't mean that it isn't exciting. My heart is still exploding out of my chest at this point.
You do realize that one scene in a movie can be directed to give you two different feelings, right? Just because I laugh and smile as Bond and Tracy swap banter and am moved to tears when she dies moments later doesn't mean the scene is a tonal mess. It's telling a story, as CR balances pulse-pounding visuals with tragedy. From Vesper's death on, we know we're seeing a tragedy unfold. I'd happily debate these points about tonality if I understood what you are going on about.
I more or less agree not tonal shift but there's a shift in pacing. We've just had an hour of the tautest, most thrilling bondian cinema, then its slow, quick, slow, quick for the remainder.
However, as other have said the thrill of hearing that line at the end was great.
What did you all enjoy more - that or the end of skyfall ?
Indeed.
I'm certainly not going to complain about the Madagascar chase. It's the thing that makes CR the best opening of the series for me and the first time I watched it I knew something special was coming. It's also amazing how an action set piece was used to build up Bond's character without any dialogue, simply by showing how he reacted to Mollaka and gave chase. The crew knew what they were doing.
Quite.
As for the so-called tonal shifts, isn't going from one feeling to another part of good cinema? Beats the predictability of Bond defeating bad guy and clinch with the girl at the end of so many of its predecessors.
Also the obvious cringe worthy snatches of dialogue after that I've no problem with it.
The sinking house sequence is utterly thrilling and something like what was in the book would never have been used in the film that is supposed to be re-launching the series.
Also you get that delicious sign off with Craig finally saying the line, Bond getting his man and finally his JB theme.
As much as I love the ending of SF, CR is king, I also enjoy the end of QOS, it's only the terrible ending of SPECTRE that lets that era's climaxes down.
I'm presuming it's just the way it was shot rather than a reshoot? Or I'm just going blind!
Post merged with this thread.