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Was he ?
That's not the impression I got.
For me,the jury is very definitely out on that one.
He's taking the piss.
I hope so !!
My third viewing of Quantum of Solace made me see the light.
"Shocking. Positively shocking."
Seeing QoS for the first time is a shock, a big shock, especially when you have seen some 20 Bond films before including Casino Royale.
It's not a very pleasant shock, mind you.
What is forced upon you from the get-go is blinding and numbing, if not mind-numbing when you see it first.
So does this film warrant a second, closer look? - Yes, absolutely it does.
"If it's a gun-barrel, you were expecting me."
Not to get a gun-barrel is a doubtful pleasure. It's like someone has stolen the cherry on the cream on a delicious cake. It's still nice to get the cake though.
The DoP of QoS surely is one of the more talented people that had his hands on this film. A wonderful shot of the sea and soon the mayhem begins.
The PTS is quite a slaughterhouse. Butchered to cinematic death. That of course lies in the eye of the beholder. My eye bleeds though looking at it, I'm afraid to say.
It ends with a signature moment for Daniel Craig: "It's time to get out."
That almost could be misunderstood to push the stop button on the player, but we know better don't we.
"Another Way To Die"
A sure way to die is to listen to the titles, interestingly not by Daniel Kleinman, they are visually interesting and not overloaded like later ones. But where your life gets into danger is the theme song which is barely tolerable and as soon as White and especially Keys force their vocal cords upon us it's simply torturous.
"Dench. Only Dench."
I realized this already when watching Skyfall for a second time.
Judi Dench is the heart and soul of the Craig films.
The interrogation scene is brilliant. Judi Dench has a lot of screen time in QoS. She elevates QoS and SF to greatness.
After another questionable attempt to show action we get to London which is shot and edited totally differently. As if two directors had made QoS, one for the action, one for the rest.
"Now that's better. You look the part now."
As we finally get to see Daniel without bad editing or shaky camera work it occurs to me that Daniel Craig never looked better than in QoS.
At 40 he is in his prime it seems, what a lucky man and a lucky audience.
The fight with Slate is a mere 30 seconds but shot in wide angles. Brutal, fierce and quick. Craig makes short work of Slate.
The car/bike sequence proves that the film can be properly edited.
Judi Dench again in between everything...."we have Judi everywhere" I almost here Mr. White say.
The boat chase is the usual visual mess but at this point "Do I look like I give a damn?"
Because the introduction of Dominic Greene works. You immediately get him. A slimy, despicable pathetic worm. Elvis meanwhile, speaks Swiss German twice, which is hilarious if you know what he says, but the jokes on the world except for the Swiss.
But now we are at M's office again and things begin to seriously get better from the 30 minutes mark.
When the lightning of greatness strikes twice.
Tosca is for everyone, most definitely. The Austrian sequence is solid from start to finish and again Judi Dench at the end with some wonderful lines and scenes.
Mathis saves the day: Giancarlo Giannini, what a catch for EoN.
It's a shame he dies in QoS, but of course his death makes this character arch even more dramatic and great.
The Italy scenes are most delightful and the time with Bond on the airplane is where the real depth of QoS lies. Character development at its best, even indirectly, through what Mathis has to say.
We just witnessed the flawless 25 minutes of Craigbond.
This is not only Craigbond at its best but Bond at its best. Period.
"You dirty, double-crossin' limey fink! This goddamn sequence is a phony!"
The airplane sequence interrupts things in an uncomfortable way.
Camille and Bond, miraculously survived a certain death by uncontrolled plummeting from a plane with a parachute opening 1 second before impact.
I should laugh if it wasn't so sad...but...light at the end of the tunnel. Camille and Bond having some quality time downstairs. Olga Kurylenko is proof that EoN knows how to cast.
"Does it look like we need the money?"
When Felix is on screen, the screen's on fire. Jeffrey Wright in QoS almost brings the cherry back to the cream.
But let's stay on track.
After having a chat with Camille, Bond returns to the hotel where he finds out that Fields serves as a throwback to Goldfinger. The scene is quite shocking nonetheless if not very original.
But as usual Judi Dench saves it all. M and Bond in the hotel sequence is pure Gold. Craig at his best acting this sequence is again Bond at its best.
Fields doesn't get a lot to do in the film, but what she does is adorable, funny and very sexy!
The hotel scenes are followed by my favorite bit of Felix Leiter, in all of Bond probably, or at least in the top 3.
From Bolivia with Love
Bond and Camille in the desert. The cinematography and atmosphere is brilliant.
The hotel is a nice set up for the finale. The sets are put to good use and never mind the CGI fires. For once I can forgive it.
Even the editor has a heart and doesn't pester us again with his frantic insane editing style.
12 minutes of bliss. The action is fast, the fights are brutal, every shot counts. A hotel going down in flames and explosions. Just bloody wonderful.
"Bond. I need you back."
"I never left."
Indeed, the last 3 minutes and 30 seconds are Bond at its best, again. When a film ends on such a high note, only rivaled by OHMSS really, it makes you want to watch again, immediately. "Yes. Considerably."
"If I watched QoS again, sir, that might change the situation."
"Dramatically, wouldn't you say?"
This is one of the films that needs to be seen several times. Once you're past the very few hideous rather short sequences, you see the beauty of the rest.
My view of QoS has changed dramatically with this third viewing.
"Et voilà! Quiche de cabinet."
Make no mistake, the flaws are still there. It's like a jar of the most delicious cookies ever. But there are a few between them, that are tasting rather nasty.
But it won't stop you from reaching into the jar and take one cookie after another.
"If at first you don't succeed, Mr Brady... Try, try again, Mr Ruegg."
This is all the appreciation you'll get from me at this point. Considering where I stood re QoS this is "taking a giant step for mankind." or this forum...
"Very... moving. Heart-warming. A glowing tribute." - hopefully.
Celebrating ten years of Quantum of Solace, one of the most, if not the most, underrated Bond films.
This.
I'd say it probably is the most underrated Bond movie.
And its sitting happy at #4 in my rankings atm.
Great minds and all that...... ;)
Still a positive position,nice one.
For the record, I do think it has its fair share of flaws and shortcoming. It's often messy. But it's nowhere near as bad, or even mediocre, as people sometimes say it is.
Of course; no film is perfect, but the pros far, far outweigh the cons with this one for me.
100% bang on @Creasy47
Also we needed a Bond movie then and there. Otherwise not only Craig's tenure but the whole franchise would have suffered. What they did under such pressure and time constraint is amazing.