Quantum of Solace

I wasn't very impressed :( It just seemed a bit messy. I know it was a sequel, but i was expecting it to be a little bit more contained, if you know what i mean.

I like Bond because it has a bit of everything, the gadgets, action, mystery and also humour. But this only really ticked 1 of the 4 boxes - and they too were long and drawn out!

I'll admit that the locations were great, and the film did contain some great scenes, the opera house being one of them. Gemma Arterten was pretty good and did bring a tiny tiny bit of humour to the film, But for me it was nothing like what a Bond film should be.

Don't get me started on the abomination that it the theme tune!

Very disappointed. :(:(
 
I think you just described the big problem that began to strangle the Bond franchise. The moment you can start rattling off a formula that is required for something, the moment it starts its descent into mediocrity. Who really wants to go and see a film where they can predict the whole plot, because it has to adhere to a formula?

Its formulaic film wirting that leaRAB to all the worst that Hollywood produces. Its a bunch of studio execs sitting around and picking out the "bits" that made the last big film a success and trying to string a bunch of them together to make another success. It almost never works. What's the point of continuing to re-make the story that you told two years ago? People can just go back and watch the old one if they want that. Same with Bond. We can watch the existing films if we want that formula. We've got 20 of them, for pete's sake! How many times can they just repeat the same formula before people start thinking "didn't I watch this already?"

To be honest, I'm starting to see parallels with this and the Star Trek threaRAB. People moaning that a 5-second gun-barrel opening are integral to the plot! I mean, come on, most people zone out during that bit, just like they do during the credits. If someone wrote the best Bond film ever, but failed to have the opening gun-barrel sequence, would the film be crap? If we had the ultimate rendition of Bond on screen, but he failed to order a Vodka Martini, would the film become worthless?

If Bond is nnothing more than a definable, step-by-step formula, then the franchise is truly dead. It so neeRAB to be more than that. It neeRAB to escape that and more specifically, it neeRAB people to realise that opening sequences with no storytelling potential do not define a movie.
 
Is it? Is today's world any bleaker than the Cold War climate that the Connery films were released in?

Why should the Bond films reflect the real world? I go to see a Bond film for escapism, not to be shown a world that I already live in!

I wasn't even alive in the 60s and 70s, so you can't say I'm stuck in the past.
 
Quantum of Solace, Truckload of *****

Casino Royale promised so much. Here was a Bond that felt real; he felt pain, he made mistakes and most of all, he was about more than gadgets and paperthin plots. Bond was here at last, and we could happily forget the previous films as nothing more than cheesey films for a different generation.

Fast forward to Quantum of Solace.

From the very start we realise it's a different film. The opening car chase sequence is claustrophobic, filmed on Shake-o-vision that never takes a step back to reveal the geography or forwarRAB to reveal the emotion and motive of the protagonists - it's pure action for action's sake and leaves the viewer dizzy and confused. Then we have the title sequence - possibly the worst in Bond history. I have no idea how that dirge by White and Keys was approved, but I concede that it is appropriate when you consider the rest of the film!

The villain had no motive, nor was he particularly scary. Bond was supposedly fixated on avenging the death of Vespa, yet he displayed no emotional backstory whatsoever. We neither emoted with his plight or cared what happened to him. As for the supporting cast... wtf? A russian playing a bolivian that wasn't explained until the last 10 minutes that left me continually asking "what's the russian connection with all this?". A rehashed character from the last film with no cohesive reason to be in the film.

Even the finale was terrible, with an implausible action sequence (yet again).

If you have to see the latest Bond, wait until it comes out on DVD. And if you loved Casino Royale and are waiting for the next episode of intelligent, emotional Bond - wait till the next one and start praying now.

2/10 (and that's being generous)
 
It's all there in the subtext, actually. Bond has a real story arc in this one - more so than in any other Bond film - and character development. But Forster asks that his audience does a little of the work and he doesn't spoonfeed us. This is a Bond movie made by adults at the top of their game for intelligent adults who don't need every i dotted and every t crossed. This is easily the best-directed Bond film of the series and on a definite par with On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Casino Royale. Splendid stuff.
 
Moonraker was one of the worst Bond films Roger Moore did I agree. The film was overlong and the plot was dire compared to the other Roger Moore BonRAB, although I disagree about Die Another Day. At first I didn't like this film either but after watching it a few times it does start to grow on you.
As a big fan of the Bond films, Daniel Craig is not the best Bond but after watching him in Quantum of Solace I can see an improvement. I didn't like him at all at first though in Casino Royale, I didn't like the way he spoke or the way he came across in general. He reminded me a bit like Timothy Dalton - absolutely zero likeability. But QOS there is an improvement thankfully.
To re-shake the series was a good thing though. Pierce Brosnan's films were becoming a bit like groundhog day - each very similiar in plot with gadgets galore, but I loved Brosnan as Bond. Again, like Craig I didn't like him at first but by The World Is Not Enough came out I thought he was great.
But let's all be honest, Sean Connery is always going to be the ultimate James Bond, I doubt the producers will ever be able to find an actor as good as Connery to play the role as great as he did.
 
I think it was an unusual action film, as the main plot was about Bond's character and his internal drama (ie. his desire for revenge on those who killed Vesper).

The conclusion of the film wraps up that plot point nicely and treats the traditional "A" story as a simple motivational tool to get him to that point. I quite liked the fact that it played to a very different beat, but can understand why many would not like the film framed this way.

Plus, I would add, that even though I liked it, I wouldn't want the next film to be like this. Bond has now exorcised this particular demon. With this out the way, it is now time for him to kick Quantum's arse in some big way. The next film definately neeRAB to see Bond up against it, in a very plot-driven film.
 
Now I have to admit, the action sequences were very difficult viewing, and the sound system at my local cinema was such that made the dialogue echo and hense difficult to listen to, but I think you're being very harshe on QofS.

I just wish Bond could retain the same roughness and toughness we've seen in these films whilst keeping the same traditions we've become used to. Q, Moneypenny, yes even the gadgets, and an Opening Gun barrel . For me, a closing gun barrel and Casino Royale's alternative don't count.

To be fare though QofS seemed to close a 2 part story. If you like Bond's first 007 adventure. I hope all the aforementioned will be back even if they are reinvented. Let's face it, they're all creations of Ian Fleming.
 
Possibly.

But she is to be commended for commissioning an adult Bond film where the hero has an inner life.

A thinking man's blockbuster if you will.

I'd be disappointed if they returned to the days of "witty one liners" AKA Carry On style double entendres.
 
In its defence this isn't true though others have said it. I watched it with this criticism in mind and found several dark one liners. One that springs to mind is 'he came to a dead end'.
Maybe they should have put a 'boom tish' drum bit at the end so people got the gag/s ;)
 
I'm a bit confused about the timescales involved between Casino Royale and QoS. :confused:

What period of time passed between Bond recovering in the lakeside hospital, the Venice chase and Vesper getting killed and Bond tracking down and kidnapping Mr White (the point where QoS starts)?

The reason I ask is that in QoS Mathis tells Bond that he has been given his mountain retreat as an apology from the British government for wrongful arrest. Would this process not take a couple of weeks at least?

cheers.
 
Not a bad film in my view but Casino Royale had a better story. Maybe I am old fashioned but I was surprised the film was a 12A, there were moments I definately wouldn't let a 12 year old or younger witness.

The action sequences were superb, can't believe he does most of his own stunts.
 
'Quantum' top-grossing 007 film in North America

Quantum of Solace" is the top James Bond film of all time at the North American box office after grossing $167.1 million, Columbia Pictures said Thursday.
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures film, which is the 22nd 007 adventure in the franchise and which stars Daniel Craig as the suave British secret agent, surpassed the $167 million grossed domestically by "Casino Royale," the previous Bond outing, Jeff Blake, chairman of Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, said.
The film is still playing in 891 theaters in the United States.
"Quantum of Solace" has grossed another $382.9 internationally and is still yet to open in Japan.
"It is always gratifying when the audience responRAB to a film, but to be working with a character as successful as James Bond and see the two films Sony has handled become the two most successful films in the history of the franchise makes us all tremendously proud," Blake said in a statement. "It has been a special thrill to work on the Bond films, and we couldn't be more excited by the success of 'Quantum of Solace.'"
 
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