8 replies to this topic

[R Thornhill]

This is one of the best. Ranks with FRWL, GF, TB, YOLT, OHMSS, TSWLM, and LTK. Has thoughtful homages to many of the previous films, and many spot on new Bond moments. The gun barrel may not be where it usually is, but it's more thoughtfully used than in any film since, well, FRWL. The title song isn't very good, but the film is good enough to take it (let D Arnold score the title song - it worked last time - just). The opening titles work in the context of the film, though aren't particularly good. Everything else is excellent. Craig is perfect. Best Bond performance to date. Everyone else is either very good or excellent. Dench, Amalric, Gianinni, Wright, Christensen, Kinnear, Kurylenko and Harbour are all pitch perfect. There's no weak link. Forster and his 2nd unit do a stylish and seamless job. Editing is perhaps a little break-neck, but they pull it off. This is perhaps the best-looking Bond film yet. Forster clearly, and strikingly, put his mark on this. Some complain about the lack of exposition and the excess of action. More exposition? The film is properly cinematic. The story - the simple story, this is a Bond movie after all - is told visually, with refreshing fluency and cinematic coherence. And it's literate and witty. Best dialogue for a Bond movie for years. The subtle (and not so subtle) references to past Bond movies are clever and fun. All the (plentiful) new touches are inspired. The music is good. The Bregenz opera house sequence is a sublime synthesis of everything that makes a good Bond film. It's exhilarating. All the other sequences are brought to life with deft touches - the action set pieces may be extremely fast moving, but they are well crafted and each sequence has a unique character. Contrary to some views that there is no character development in this film, this film has the most well-rounded characters of any Bond film - to the extent that a Bond film needs such characters - it still is "just" a Bond movie. And the film itself and its various sequences are characters too. You don't get this too often. It's terrific and fun to see so much care and craft do into a film like this. In this respect it's a return to the collective quality of the pre-GE days. Sure the plot, if you, for some reason, scrutinize it, is really silly and full of holes, but it is entirely coherent in cinematic terms, like all the good Bond movies. Indeed, like all, say, Hitchcock films. And it's fun, with a nasty twist, like all the really good Bond movies. For the record, I like the Conneries (all of them), OHMSS, LALD, TSWLM, the Daltons, and CR. I enjoy the other Roger Moores. I don't rate the Brosnans (though some scenes in those films work). I liked CR, but this is better. ROT

Edited by R Thornhill, 05 November 2008 - 11:27 AM.

[HildebrandRarity]

Welcome to the forums and thanks for the review.

[JohnFerguson]

Thanks for the review, R Thornhill.


(...and I'd like to compliment you on your fine taste in usernames. )

[Simon]

....I like the Conneries.......

Interesting pluralising of his name.

The odd paragraph or two might not go amiss, I am afraid I potentially missed some gems due to swimming eyes sir.

[Marquis]

Excellent review - thanks for sharing Thornhill.

[R Thornhill]

....I like the Conneries.......

Interesting pluralising of his name.

The odd paragraph or two might not go amiss, I am afraid I potentially missed some gems due to swimming eyes sir.

You're quite right. First post - greetings all - and just getting used to this. I haven't enjoyed a bond movie this much since LTK so thought I'd share. Paragraphing, spelling and whatnot from now on.

I tought this was a very stylish film that shows great respect for and knowledge of the details that make the best of the previous films special.

I appreciate some of the points held against the film in other reviews. Different people like these movies for different reasons. I'd wager that anyone who likes the early films and entries like LALD, LTK and OHMSS for certain reasons, will find a new favourite in QOS.

I wouldn't be altogether surprised if we get a TMWTGG of a follow up, but no fear, there'll be another gem along again sometime.

ROT

Edited by R Thornhill, 05 November 2008 - 11:26 AM.

[NATO Sub]

Good review, couldn't agree more

[BoogieBond]

Nice review Roger O.

I agree with you and others on Craig's performance.
Glad you liked the film and rated it so highly.
Interesting you liked the gunbarrell placement, most of the audience were getting up and leaving while the Gunbarrell was going in my showing.
I agree with you that visually, it is superb. I take it the Opera scene is your favourite ? It is probably mine(although the dialogue with Mathis and M and the last scene in the film come mighty close)

[R Thornhill]

Nice review Roger O.

I agree with you and others on Craig's performance.
Glad you liked the film and rated it so highly.
Interesting you liked the gunbarrell placement, most of the audience were getting up and leaving while the Gunbarrell was going in my showing.
I agree with you that visually, it is superb. I take it the Opera scene is your favourite ? It is probably mine(although the dialogue with Mathis and M and the last scene in the film come mighty close)

Thanks BB

Yes, Craig is excellent. I reckon he at least ties with TD as finest actor in the role, and comes very close to SC or GL in terms of presence. Plus he has wit enough to keep what was best about RM's films in the mix.

I did like the gunbarrell. I think it worked. I think it would work better again at the end with a different kind of ending. The ending proper is subdued and thoughtful. The gunbarrell ending would fit better perhaps with a rousing finale n(thus the difficulty with people walking out - if you're not into it, I can see how this would fall flat). Still, I thought it was a worthy new idea. And I also liked the way they incorporated imagery from the gunbarrell sequence into the title sequence. All in all, while it may be best done traditionally, I appreciated the thought that went into to what they did. It was fun visually.

Yes, I agree: the Tosca sequence was, I think, the highlight of the file. For loads of obvious reasons. I liked all the sequences though. And the, relatively, relaxed scenes where we get to overhear the characters are superb. Best such scenes in the franchise. I agree Bond's exchanges with M and Mathis are excellent. The last scene with Bond and Mathis is exceptional and marks a substanial addition to the subtlety of Bond's character.

Though I liked the way the film balanced nuanced characterisation (so deflty done considering this is the kind of film it is) with those 'leitmotif' characters - the dictator, the CIA boss, the henchman - that we love to encounter in these movies.

ROT

Edited by R Thornhill, 05 November 2008 - 11:34 AM.