I saw it last night at an IMAX midnight premier. I live on the east coast, out on Long Island in New York, which as you know was ravaged by a hurricane. Yesterday we got a snow storm out of nowhere. Needless to say, James Bond wasn't on the forefront of most people's minds in the area. As a result, I got ot sit in a mostly empty theater and enjoy the film in wonderful seats and without distractions.
I'm going to try to see it again today, and at least once more over the weekend. As the resident Bond fan, everyone I'm friends with is going to want to go see it with me and as I have in the past, I will happily oblige.
But much like the movie did, let's cut to the chase.
I'm not going to sit here and write a full-fledged review - having only seen it once and being an unashamed Bond fan, I can't really form a full realized opinion on it yet. But I will say, that unlike my opinion, this movie is a fully realized creation - more so than any other Bond film I can think of this side of 1970.
It's no doubt that James Bond is sort of the measuring stick for what an action/adventure blockbuster flick should be, even if in the past few years (or decades) they have more or less started following in their own trends and let other big series like STAR WARS and B ATMAN lead the pack. But anyway, Bond films have had a tendency to try to cram into two hours every bit of action, suspense, drama and whatever else you can think of as it can - even if the story doesn't necessitate it.
This film is different. I'm not sure how or why it is different - that I'll attempt to learn in subsequent viewings. But from the very start, this film was able to avoid cramming in place of compartmentalization. It was a fully realized vision from the writing down to the individual performances. I think it did very well everything it set out to do. And in doing so, it set a new bar for Bond films here on out. It's a modern day THUNDERBALL - everything Bond has come to be in the Craig era (and to a degree, the Brosnan era, which these movies share with a lot more than I'm willing to admit) is expanded upon a perfected.
Now for some bulletpointed stray ideas that I hope to expand upon in a more formal review after I watch it a few more times:
- Though Dame Judi Dench's performance will get lots of attention, and justly so, it was Daniel Craig's performance that really made the film to me. Bardem as Silva was probably the best villain we've seen in Bond in a long time, but to me, this film was all Craig's. His performances in CR and QOS I thought were very good at the time and I didn't think there was really much further he could do with the character. But in this movie, we see more of Bond the man than we might ever have. Including CR which was supposed to be biographical. He was stiff, wasn't afraid to be uncool. He was James Bond, through and through. As fractured and jaded as he is heroic and apparently immortal.
-The movie's worst part was Bond's death. A homage to YOLT, I'm assuming and a reason for Bond to be pissed at M thus setting up the film's larger storyline. It's a touch ridiculous, and they never really explain how he was able to survive the shot or the fall. And subsequent fall over a waterfall. Perhaps it's better left unexplained.
- I was slightly disappointed that the film didn't start with a gunbarrel, as I'm sure others are and will be. But I agree with the decision to move it to the film's conclusion. Bond was revealed quite well without it. And, artistically, it allows you to fall into the action a little quicker.
- The music was very good. Very good. Adele's song was everything we'd expect from her and it fit the tone of the film well.
- There were tons of homages, subtle and not so subtle. But none of them got in the way. It'll be fun to watch this movie once it comes out on DVD and pick them out.
I could go on all day, but we'll save that for when I actually can write a real review. All in all, I thought this movie was spectacular. A triumph in every way. The movie had a huge scope; quite an epic, but it never felt bloated and it never dragged. All the performances were perfect, with the right amount of humor to balance out a story that had a lot of weight and long term ramifications for the series.
What do you guys think? Long time no talk.
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