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Now that's true.
Re. Coherent plots -
Re. The ring - I had assumed it had been passed around between the top brass, or they'd at least come into contact.There was a fingerprint and DNA scanner he was using. Stretching it, sure, same as the nano-blood, but in the world of the film it makes sense.
sorry, forgot we weren't in the spoiler thread
Hi, you need to edit your post quoting me
I do think in the UK we are warm and fuzzy about Bond, because it's one of only a handful of global film exports. Bank holiday Monday's in the 80s-90s. Jumpers for goalposts...etc
Maybe the critics here are kinder because he's one of us.
While this is possible, I don't know if it's necessarily true. There is certainly a high level of pride in the UK regarding Bond post-SF's success (the success of the film sort of mirrored the narrative within the film......Bond was certainly not irrelevant, as demonstrated by the box office.......the British Bulldog could still show them a thing or two). In the throes of a recession (at the time), SF was a welcome morale boost.
So inevitably, fan forums (like ours) and the British fans and media have a high degree of pride and expectations for Bond.......the excellent UK SF reviews set the stage for SF's stateside success last time around and perhaps there was a subconscious desire to repeat that this time which could have led into bias (not saying it did mind you).
Having said that, one cannot glean an opinion on this from our sample size on this forum. It's way too small. I have seen negative reviews on this film from this forum as well. Additionally, it is possible that some members here may not be as open with their criticism at this moment (for fear of being shat on).
That's why I've always said - you have to give it six months or so before you can know what people really think. People will be more forthcoming then, and will have had time to process fully. After the blu ray release.
YES. As an expat here in Belgium I notice that many of my fellow Brits, particularly those at the national newspapers, get all soft and cuddly around release time of a new Bond, wheras the mainland European media are more levelheaded and less influenced by the fuzzy warm afterglow of a long-gone tea guzzling empire...
Belgian media has, by and large, called it a load of very entertaining tosh B-)
What I liked
- Straight-forward story, plenty of fun and plenty of suspense as well.
- Amazing, incredible performance by Craig. His quality as an actor never ceases to amaze me. He handles humour as well as he handles drama, he is effortlessly cool, he's badass, he walks as if he were a god amongst mortals.
- MI6 regulars are amazing, all of them.
- I kind of like the soundtrack, I think it works. Better than that I love the use of silence in some of the scenes because it adds extra creepiness.
- PTS is awesome!
- Car chase is great.
- Morocco is great.
- Waltz is oh so creepy.
- Did I mention Craig is so cool it hurts?
What I disliked
- I know I'm in the minority but just like I didn't like the title sequence of SF I also didn't like the title sequence of SP. I really like how Kleinman likes giving hints to the story but that's not all, I really can't fully explain what it is. I eventually warmed to the SF sequence, perhaps that will also happen with this one. I defended WoTW but I also didn't think it worked with the sequence. I was a bit bored and couldn't wait for it to finish.
- Léa Seydoux is a bit of a hit and miss, she's great in some scenes but in others her acting is very poor. What a shame.
- Andrew Scott is a bit flat, not his usual great.
- The eventual "demise" of the villains are all a bit rushed after a great build up. Can't explain without giving away spoilers.
- Q pulls a trick with the ring (amongst others) that makes no sense at all. When will they hire a scientific advisor for these films? I could do it!
- Bond and Madeleine's relatioship is doomed... ok, maybe this belongs in the like list.
Final verdict: great, not perfect Bond film. I can see myself watching this one at all because it's such a great, fun film! It's a completely different beast from SF but it is not inferior to it. Even with all its problems I'm saying it, I LOVED SP and can't wait to watch it again!
I miss those days of speculating which Bond you'd get at the next Bank Holiday. Of course Christmas Day TV premieres in the 70s too!
Although it feels like it should be TSWLM I think MWTGG is the most played Bond film on Christmas say. First Connery I ever saw was DAF on Christmas Day 1978.
The UK press could be kinder on Bond but equally the US press could be less tolerant as they
have their own successful spy franchises in Mission Impossible and Bourne.
I think Bond did fine when it saw off the other competitors but ever since Raiders Of The Lost Ark we've had other successful action\thriller\comedy film franchise or another to be praised over Bond.
My point is that is that running back to the formula feels like it defeats the purpose of CR/QOS. I feel like Mendes and EON are essentially saying "Screw that cold, tough, emotional, grounded Bond we saw in CR/QOS, people want gadgets and one-liners!". Sure, I understand that is EXACTLY what many people want, but all that at the cost of a jarring shift in the characterization and tone of the films.
The amount of complaints about this era and it's plot holes when the whole series has been riddled with them. Yet SF is the most plot hole riddled film of the series according to some and it seems now SP which to me was pretty straight forward to follow is now riddled with holes. The praise for his era has made his detractors go in for the kill, very much like those who don't like Nolan's Bat films.
I didn't see a film that says screw the previous films I saw a natural progression, it's not like Daniel Craig was grafted onto a Roger Moore film. We are still very much in his world and I don't see any other Bond in this film, even Dalton, yes probably the previous 3 but not SPECTRE no way.
I agree with @RC7 when he says SP has elevated the DC era. Never have we had 4 so differing entries and if DC does return I imagine Bond 25 will be different as well.
I also don't get this CR is a masterpiece and everything else pales notion. I've heard it said that Bond and Swann's conversation lacks the class of CR's, now don't get me wrong I like it allot it's a great intro to Vesper and the chemistry is great but at least SP's isn't got some ham fisted product placement like Royale.
Also we have the little finger line, Sorry neither QOS, SF or SP have anything that bad. CR is flawed and the Miami segment is quite a generic sequence that rips off ROTLA, I think it's a great film but I prefer SF & SP.
My ranking is
1. SP
2. SF
3. CR
4. QOS
If you do that kind of movie, the script has to be air tight, and the script of Skyfall is a Swiss cheese.
I admit the potholes in SF were a bit jarring.
But Bond films usually have at least some potholes. For example I never understood the fake bullets in TLD. Was Kara that stupid? And how can you fake a defection with blanks and not get caught? And why fake he really was defecting. Why shoot him? All he had to do was run across the street apparently.
Ok off topic but I had to get that off my chest.
Georgj faked his defection and to make it look real he made Kara pose as an assassin and make it look like she was hired by the KGB. Of course he couldn't risk being shot, so therefore he/she used blanks.
I think that is very logical.
Film was very good..............best action sequence was the Train fight, which was really brutal. Best actor/actress in the film..............the mouse. :))
The mouse was stealing the scene, wait...no...the whole movie :))
If someone asked to use blanks and risk getting shot I wouldn't do it. :P
Anyway maybe not a good example but the point was many a Bond film is guilty.
Mouse in SPECTRE
Are you sure about the category? (Not supporting actress?) I couldn't tell.
Also on a random note, The theater I visited recently opened and reminded me of something Sir Ken Adam would design. A classy place with a classy film. Five stars, Best Spy film of 2015. Bond is back and going strong as ever.
:-bd