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 Quantum of Solace in Review

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PostSubject: QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008)   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat May 08, 2010 1:41 am

Quantum of Solace in Review Qos

This is a crash-bang Bond, high on action, low on quips. Under the direction of Marc Forster, the movie ladles out the adrenalin in a string of deafening episodes: car chases, plane wrecks, motor boat collisions. If it's got an engine, and runs on fuel, and can crash into another similarly powered vehicle, with Bond at the wheel, and preferably with a delicious female companion in the passenger seat - well, it goes in the movie.

There is so little dialogue and characterisation in this Bond: Forster and his writers Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade clearly thought this sort of nonsense has to be cut out in favour of explosions. But set against this is the cool, cruel presence of Craig - his lips perpetually semi-pursed, as if savouring some new nastiness his opponents intend to dish out to him, and the nastiness he intends to dish out in return. This film, unlike the last, doesn't show him in his powder-blue swimming trunks (the least heterosexual image in 007 history), but it's a very physical performance. He's made the part his own, every inch the coolly ruthless agent-cum-killer, nursing a broken heart and coldly suppressed rage. If the Saville Row suit with the Beretta shoulder holster fits, wear it. And he's wearing it.

Quantum of Solace isn't as good as Casino Royale: the smart elegance of Craig's Bond debut has been toned down in favour of conventional action. But the man himself powers this movie; he carries the film: it's an indefinably difficult task for an actor. Craig measures up.

(Peter Bradshaw)
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PostSubject: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptyThu May 13, 2010 9:51 am

Bournesque or Bondian? Post your review of the follow up to Casino Royale, here.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptyFri Mar 18, 2011 7:00 pm

One of the few things I managed to find and save from the KTBEU archive was my original review of QOS:

Quote :
Having read so many negative and disappointed reactions to the film for two weeks before being able to go see it myself, my expectations were certainly lowered. I knew that the song would be horrible, that the opening chases in Italy would be nauseating and Bourne-like, that Bond would not bed the main female character, etc. However, in my eyes QOS unfolded as an engaging cinematic experience and a top-5 Bond film, only bettered by Connery’s first two and Lazenby’s and Craig’s first ones. I don’t mind that so many critics and fans wanted to see a more formulaic adventure with the gadgets and babes, but in my view there is a lot of misunderstanding of Quantum of Solace.

I liked how the pre-title sequence starts with a dramatic zoom straight into the action, establishing the tone for the rest of the film – to the point and not wasting any seconds. Considering the difficulties they had in shooting the car chase, the quick editing and finish was tolerable in this case. Now the song and titles… my least favourite part. There’s nothing new to say about the awful Another Way to Die, but the titles were a step below Kleinman’s work on GE and CR. The minimalism of MK12’s work was refreshing at first but got dull quick. Nonetheless, not a serious gripe.

On to the notorious action scenes… Bradley’s hand was obvious in the Bond-Mitchell chase and it screamed not just of Bourne, but also as an unsuccessful attempt to replicate the effect of the Madagascar construction site action in CR. The Bond-Slate fight was a refreshingly shorter rip-off of the Bourne-Desh fight in The Bourne Ultimatum. The Haiti boat chase was again excessively subject to the whim of hyper editing team. As the film progressed, the action got better. Many worthy compliments have been said about the opera sequence, and I found it to be one of the most stunning and memorable scenes in the Bond series. I’m glad that Forster included just the right amount of the actual Tosca performance to make me want to be there. The moment Bond and Greene’s eyes met in the foyer had me on the edge of my seat! Unlike many others, I enjoyed the retro DC-3 sequence, which reminded me more of Octopussy's climax than the aerial action scenes in the last few films. Once Bond and Camille returned to La Paz, Bond’s brilliant escape from the wraths of MI6 was just good old class, demonstrating Bond’s cat-like agility. Perla de las Dunas was a surprisingly traditional climax, with Bond intending to thwart the villain’s plans and destroy his lair. In typical Craig fashion, Bond got his job done quickly (at least on screen), not making QOS drag on like the finales of so many Bond movies.

With all that action aside, the reason I believe QOS is a landmark Bond adventure is because it succeeds in fully developing Bond’s character in a way that Fleming avoided doing after writing CR and Brocolli & Saltzman avoided doing after OHMSS. Bond is not on some personal mission of revenge in QOS, like the critics claim. How can he avenge Vesper if he can’t forgive her? Bond is a torn man who finds solace in his duty. Breaking necks is his output. But he becomes loyal and instinctive enough to now see the big picture (in contrast to his behaviour in CR) and go out of his way to do his job. Bond’s shortlived friendship with Mathis and his bonding with Camille go a long way in clearing his eyes. The Bond that steps out of Yusef’s apartment in Kazan is a freed man – at least that’s how I see it. It was closure that needed to happen after CR – even at the expense of a more developed plot.

Speaking of plot, it’s far from perfect, especially in the first hour. The Camille-Slate-geologist-Greene subplot was confusing at first and handled clumsily. From Bregenz, the story picks up nicely. Greene’s quest to control Bolivia’s water supply is underwhelming of course when compared to almost all the previous villain’s plots. One thing to keep in mind though is that Greene’s plan is just an ounce of what Quantum can be capable of doing. I actually found the shift from bland terrorism to ecology and coup d’etats refreshing. I wouldn’t call QOS an anti-climate change awareness movie, but has a relevant political subtext, in that it’s naïve to trust the intentions of preaching philanthropists. I admired the nod to Chinatown and other 1970s political thrillers that Forster talked about. The scene when Bond and Camille walk through a rural Bolivian town and board the bus alluded to Babel rather than TSWLM, especially with Arnold’s score mimicking Santaollala. Of the Bond films, I agree that QOS resembles LTK the most. The mix of retro and modern was handled excellently by Forster. I’ll throw in here my appreciation of the art direction, set design, and locations – from the medieval Sienna to the uber-cool Bregenz opera to the haunting Bolivian desert… there is style and spirit in these places. It’s a shame countries had to double for others, but that’s typical.

Following Casino Royale, QOS gathers another fine cast. M, Leiter, and Mathis all manage to have expanded roles in a tighter film. Judi Dench gets a lot of screentime, with her M in the midst of a delicate balancing act between Bond and bureaucracy. The Leiter-Beam duo of contrasting CIA agents was an unusually sensible element for the Bond world, presenting the CIA in a way no Bond film has before. Giancarlo Giannini’s Mathis emerged as a true friend of Bond – his absence will be missed. Another character I wish there was more of was Dominic Greene. Mathieu Amalric stole so many scenes with his eyes and had some of the film's best lines. Like in Casino Royale, I didn’t really care for the minor villains/henchmen: Mitchell, Slate, General Medrano, Elvis, Yusef, etc. Mr. White was criminally underused though, and I hope for good reason (a return in Bond 23?). As for the ladies (other than M), Strawberry Fields was nothing more than cute while she lasted. Nor was she as cringe-worthy as I predicted. The beautiful Olga Kurylenko… well, I couldn’t help but care for Camille throughout the film. Bond needed her as much as she needed him to fulfill their goals, but what develops is a bond, not a one-night stand. Their kiss was one of the most poignant moments in the last few films. Camille won’t go down as one of the most memorable Bond girls, but she was one of his better allies.

Finally, Daniel Craig himself is the driving force of QOS. Although his Casino Royale performance was more enjoyable because of the meatier script, he looks more natural as Bond in this one. I already mentioned his cat-like stealth, but in addition Craig captivates with his energy. This is ironic though because Bond is at his most dour and brutal in QOS. In the end, humanity prevails within him. With the respect he treats M with in the last scene, it’s clear that Bond has come full circle. In fact, he "never left."

Quantum of Solace: 8.5/10

The good: The main cast (Craig, Dench, Kurylenko, Giannini, Amalric, Wright), Forster’s style and sensibility, Schaefer’s photography, Tosca, Gassner’s production design, Arnold’s score, Quantum, any humour that there was

The bad: The song, the editing, the use of the “Bourne team” (e.g. Bradley), underdeveloped plot/script in first half, underdeveloped/bland characters (Fields, Medrano, Elvis, Slate, etc.)

That was in November '08. My views haven't changed too much, but after a couple of additional viewings, I now rank it in the 10-11 range rather than in the top 5.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptyFri Mar 18, 2011 7:31 pm

Vile trash. Worse than ANTICHRIST and GIALLO.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 19, 2011 7:03 am

Quantum of Solace in Review Quantum
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 19, 2011 8:54 am

laugh

Bloody hell laugh laugh
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 19, 2011 9:42 am

I've read fans call Die Another Day the worst Bond film ever. They either don't know Bond or have yet to see Quantum Of Boredom.
Easily the worst Bond film of the series. Not only does it have a midget builder running around claiming to be Bond. But the story, the threat to the World. The Bolivian water supply. WOW!
After stopping an atomic bomb exploding in Fort Knox, stopping SPECTRE hold the world to ransom on various occasions, foiling all the villainous plots over nearly fifty years, the best that they can come up with is the bloody Bolivian water supply. What a joke.
Apart from seeing Gemma Arterton covered in liquid (the wrong time I hasten to add), this film is a waste of time.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 19, 2011 9:52 am

I don't agree with the sentiment of DAD being the worst Bond film ever. But I don't think QOS is either. I award that title (or dishonor) to TWINE.

I like QOS overall, flaws and all. I rank it in the middle.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 19, 2011 10:46 am

Makeshift Python wrote:
Quantum of Solace in Review Quantum

To paraphrase Mr Brown:

Bab's films; serious shit

Well, shit anyway.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 12:34 am

The plot makes no sense. Jumps from A to F. The stakes are low. The villains are bland. The twists are pointless and melodramatic. The films thematic message is a complete rehash of what we were supposed to be done with in Casino Royale.

Throw in the pretentious direction, the godawful title song, the crappy editing, MK12s work on this in general - it's a pompous film impressed with its own mediocrity.

Two scenes almost directly rip off The Bourne Supremacy (confronting Vesper's boyfriend and the Canadian agent; Bond fighting Slate in Haiti) - and I'm sure there are more that I'm not familiar with (I haven't seen Ultimatum).

I think it says something that the people who support this film point out Bond's characterisation as "feral" - a wild animal given a gun and permission to kill - something that is completely at odds with the character as written by Fleming and every screenwriter even up to the Brosnan era.

It's also preposterous for Bond to be staring at a picture of Vesper all drunk and teary eyed (let alone carrying arond an oversized photo of her to begin with...). It also doesn't help that the romance was unconvincing to begin with.

And then you get the added preposterousness of this 40 year old military vet being a subordinate cry baby with no sense of self-control, order or hierarchy. That'd still be a stretch with a 28 year old.

The only part where the film really works for a sustained period is from the arrival in Bolivia to the end of Greene's party, and even then it's nothing to write home about.

The cinematography is nice to look at when it stays away from the actors faces, though. And Arnold is his least obnoxious.

I'd rate it as the worst before The World Is Not Enough, but Giancarlo Giannini is single handedly better than anything in that piece of trash.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 12:53 am

I enjoyed Quantum of Solace for the sheer rawness and brutality of it. The fast pace meant things were said once and left. None of the "now this cord is only weight-tested for one person" which means you can bet the farm the plot will require two people to use it for some death-defying escape. The female lead wasn't anywhere near as annoying as in Casino Royale, which made a refreshing change.

The song sucked, but still managed to not be quite as bad as Madonna - which wins Worst Bond Theme Ever award hands down in my opinion.

Actually, I probably prefer this to Casino Royale.

It's not my favourite Bond film, but it's up there in the top 5, I suppose.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 12:57 am

Ravenstone wrote:
I enjoyed Quantum of Solace for the sheer rawness and brutality of it.

If some reviews are answers on a Rorschach inkblot test, then this is a great big 'FUCK ME HARD' sign.

I like you.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 1:04 am

Sharky wrote:

If some reviews are answers on a Rorschach inkblot test, then this is a great big 'FUCK ME HARD' sign.

I like you.

Now, now - you promised you wouldn't tell.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 9:51 am

Sloppy seconds for me. 😢
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 9:57 am

For me, this is what FYEO could have. It's got two interconnecting stories that are very relevant and engaging and shot well. Maybe I can commiserate more than most because of the drought that Victoria (Australia) has finally emerged from. I've read comments on the internet though saying that Bond is going out for revenge, and that what does Bolivia's water supply have to do with England? Firstly the main plot of Quantum of Solace is for James Bond to find, just that - his quantum of solace. During this, he uncovers the plot that threatens the Bolivian water supply, which gives him a reason to try and destabilise Quantum. Secondly, Bond doesn't opt for revenge - he just wants answers. He is framed constantly, throughout the film. He is made to appear, rogue, but he isn't.

Which leads me to my next point. I find that Marc Forster understood the character of OO7 more than anybody else since John Glen, and if not him, Hunt and Young. Campbell's characterisation of Bond in CR was a reckless thug, and that's not who he is. The are many Flemingesque moments in this film which is always welcome. The scene where Bond contemplates murder-suicide at Perla De Las Dunas is taken almost directly from Fleming's Moonraker, and one could deduce that Camille is loosely based on Gala. There is an attraction between the two (as depicted when Bond initally meets Camille - "over drinks?"; "I didn't know geologists were so... so..."), but essentially, she's there for her own reason, and once her job's done, that's it. And I find that Camille plays it well. Other Flemingesque moments include Bond's indulgence of the martinis on the plane and his chauvinism is revisted (treatment of Fields).

The characters are diverse and interesting. Dominic Greene is fantastically slimey and villainous. His unnatural eyes harkens back to the more subtle disabilities such as Stromberg's webbed hands and Largo's eye patch. He also utters my favourite line in the film ("how much do you know about Bond, Camille, because he is rather a tragic case. He's MI6, they say he's difficult to control. Nice way of saying that: everything he touches seems to, wither and die!"). His agitated stillness (at Tosca; meeting with Medrano at Perla De Las Dunas) aids in stabilising his very fervently ambitious nature. Medrano is also an interesting villain. He likes to think of himself as a stronger person, but is actually a very weak one, with his targets mainly women.

I've been known to point out the 60s/retro which adds to my liking of the film:
Sets - very Ken Adam-ish (i know you don't agree Largo)
Cinematography - I find it to be an extention of what was established in Thunderball and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, with the quick cuts and shaky cam. It's also very vibrant; similar to DN and TB beach/docks scenes
Costumes/Hair - Both Fields and Camille look like they've been taken directly from so the 60s films. Arterton also said she modelled her look on Tracy and Pussy - her two favourite Bond girls. Camille's orange top/beige skirt harkens back to Helga Brandt's outfit in YOLT.
Arnold's score adds more distinctiveness than before, with a more culturally flavoured soundtrack.

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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 4:34 pm

I admire your outlook on the film, FM, and agree with a lot of what you say.

But looking back at the plot of QOS, I increasingly feel that the whole Bolivian-water-supply-monopolization story was harshly underdeveloped and misused by the varying scriptwriters. Of all the plots in the Bond canon, this one is the most low-key and the least important to Britain's interests (in the traditional Bond world context). Obviously, the Vesper-Quantum narrative is the heart of the film, but it feels like the writers just didn't have enough time to flesh out a full-fledged adventure that didn't feel like an epilogue to Casino Royale. The Greene Planet/water supply twist was apparently Wilson's idea and I feel that the writers struggled with integrating it to the rest of the story. Yes, Bond saves the day, makes a few detours to help Camille, but he's got no business with Greene other than getting information about Yusef. Remember the "we're both using Greene to get to somebody" line? The Bolivian plot thus only serves as hasty filler. Haggis tried to spin it in a certain political direction (although the result is stylistic at best), then you had Forster and the Zetumer fellow making on-set rewrites.

It's known that all the second films for each Bond (FRWL, TMWTGG, LTK, TND) were especially problematic productions. QOS was no exception.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 20, 2011 5:15 pm

As flawed as that film is, I still somehow manage to find it incredibly appealing, and one of my favorites in the series. I really can't put my finger on it, but it just has something that makes it stand out for me. I love that it's so atmospheric, making great use of the sound design to help convey that. I think cinematography is some of the best in the series, and I like that the production design compliments it so well. As a whole, I can understand why some may consider it to be a little flat, but at the same time, there are so many great little "moments" within the film that really help define the film as something more than just an all-out action fest.

The worst thing about QoS is Greene. He has no backstory, no motivations really, and he's just dull and uninteresting. I understand what Forster was trying to do with him, but for me, Greene was the biggest aspect of the film that just didn't work for me at all.

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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 26, 2011 2:50 am

Quantum of Solace (2008) - 8/10
If there is any one thing Quantum of Solace owes everything to, it is Daniel Craig. He is not necessarily the film’s “saving grace”, but he does for sure help Solace in being a very good Bond picture. The fact is that Craig is simply great in the role. A special mention, I think, needs to go to the scene featuring Bond and Mathis on a plane to Bolivia. (A scene I think is criminally underrated.) This scene features James Bond who, for the first time in the entire series, is visibly inebriated. The scene is quick and Craig says little, but the exchange between Mathis and Bond is so pure and meaningful. Just looking at Bond in this scene gives you a sense of the pain that he has bottled up, and it makes for a powerful moment. The cast of Solace is above average; Camille is a fine girl, she isn’t really all too memorable, but she gets the job done, regardless. But I found that the character of Fields to be more of a worthy Bond girl. Had the roles been switched (with Fields being the main Bond girl and Camille having only 10 minutes of screen time), I feel that Solace’s leading ladies might have been stronger. Villain Dominic Greene goes the same way; he isn’t all menacing, but he does a good job portraying the man he is supposed to: a slimy, bent business man. The action scenes, when you are able to pay full attention to them, are strong too. Though none of them live up to the brilliant opening car chase that finishes four minutes into the film. Quantum of Solace suffers mainly for the overly subtle (is that an oxymoron?) plot. There just isn’t enough there for a Bond picture. The theft of Bolivia’s water is too down to Earth and too pedestrian for me. It hurts the film a good deal, but the rest of Quantum of Solace is very good, and too good to put any lower.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 26, 2011 9:50 am

In which Bond becomes an agent of Oxfam and fights to save the peasants of Bolivia.

Beyond parody.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 26, 2011 11:10 am

ambler wrote:
In which Bond becomes an agent of Oxfam and fights to save the peasants of Bolivia.

Beyond parody.

And even if you reject that assertion (I don't) it still makes no f*cking sense, is full of flat characters, tonal inconsistencies and plot holes galore.

Not to mention that arse end of a title song.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 26, 2011 1:25 pm

It tried to copy Bourne but failed to identify what made Bourne good.

It felt more like a loosely connected series of action sequences - some of which made no sense at all - than a real Bond movie.

It featured one of the worst sacrificial lamb Bond girls in the entire series, with the concept, portrayal and her eventual demise - damn them for the self-reference - all equally terrible.

It featured M as a surrogate mom who followed Bond around the world to wipe his nose and tell him to wash his hands before dinner.

It featured a South-American military dictator so stereotypical it was as if they had modeled him after Tintin's general Alcazar.

It wasted one of the few mildly interested characters the reboot gave us, and for no apparent reason (Mathis death).

It featured a mediocre actress playing a cardboard figure character as the main Bond girl and that wasn't even in the top ten of this movie's faults.

It's stole the epilogue of the second Bourne movie, only they failed to recreate even a smidgen of the emotional impact of the scene they were ripping off.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 26, 2011 11:28 pm

Haggis just obviously had no fucking clue. I remember it coming up how he wanted to give Vesper a child that Bond would run into... which, yeah. God. And the scab who wound up re-writing on the fly is even worse. This movie makes me actually appreciate the two monkeys who got credit even though their script was scrapped.

Thank god WIlson wised up and ditched him.

The Mathis scene is probably the worst non-Bourne rip off one. If only for the stupidity, the pace was just picking up, then they drag it back down with a scene that makes no sense and is ripe with melodrama. Throw in the fact that Giancarlo Giannini added credibility to his scenes merely by appearing in them, more than can be said for the overbilled and bland Jeffrey Wright, and they just wrote out one of the best assets their "reboot" had going for it.

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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySat Mar 26, 2011 11:54 pm

Vesper wrote:

The Mathis scene is probably the worst
a scene that makes no sense and is ripe with melodrama. Throw in the fact that Giancarlo Giannini added credibility to his scenes merely by appearing in them
they just wrote out one of the best assets their "reboot" had going for it.

Agreed 100%.


I just watched the film again tonight on TV. I think I can finally nail down some kind of opinion on it:

1st watch, cinema: Meh, didn't find it up to much.
2nd watch, cinema (with intermission halfway through): Thought it was quite good.
3rd watch, DVD, no breaks: Meh, not up to much, got bored and tired of it very quickly.
4th watch, TV tonight, with ad breaks: Quite good.

Summary: The film obviously needs breaks for me to like it. It's either just too action-heavy or badly-paced/structured without breaks. That's my opinion anyway. Shame those "breaks" weren't provided by the filmmakers through a few more good character scenes to break up the ballast. So, in ranking terms; With breaks, it's top half Bond. Without breaks, it's knocking on the door of the Hamiltons. Though, with or without breaks, it still sure as hell beats the s*** out of the Brosnans IMO.

I hope EON wrap up the Quantum thing with the next film, but in a "Let's go get 'em" fashion, now that the whole "trust" thing is hopefully behind us. Have M simply send Bond out on the mission, nothing more, and have Bond take 'em down in a full-on final battle to end all battles. No gadgets or any of that s***, just entertain us through intelligent plotting and believably thrilling action, no CGI if that's possible. I'd also love someone else to score the next film, as those annoying-as-hell five or six note "flourishes" of Arnold's during every action scene are really doing my head in and reminding me of Brosnan.


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Quantum of Solace in Review Empty
PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 27, 2011 12:11 am

QOS is basically an exercise in hypotheticals.

What if Hugo Chavez made a Bourne film?
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review EmptySun Mar 27, 2011 2:48 am

FieldsMan wrote:
Bournesque or Bondian? Post your review of the follow up to Casino Royale, here.

You missed Boredesque. Quantum Of Boredom is easily the worst Bond film of the EON series. If you took the words James Bond or double o seven out of the script, then you would never know this was a Bond film. The Bond film that is a cure for insomnia. Utter crap.
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PostSubject: Re: Quantum of Solace in Review   Quantum of Solace in Review Empty

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