12 replies to this topic

[FredJB007]

I feel very fortunate to have grown up in the 60's and experienced the James Bond phenomenon at the beginning. Now here it is 40+ years later and the triumph of Casino Royale(finally)and the backlash against Quantum of Solace.
Let me first say that Quantum is not a perfect Bond film, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Being a Fleming fan, there never was a direct sequel to Casino Royale in the literary form. In the following novel, Live and Let Die, Bond was way past the grieving over Vesper and was the 007 we know and love today.
I think Fleming would be happy about QoS and definitely pleased about Daniel Craig.
You need to put QoS as part two of a two part play. If you think of it that way, it stands very well with Casino Royale.
Bond in QoS is not the same agent he was in Casino- he is stricken with anger, grief and self-pity that Fleming would relate to. The personal journey with Camille, the deaths of Mathis and Fields, and the final confrontation with Yusef and Corinne made him realize and finally gave him the maturity and closure needed to get on with his life and his career.
I am one of the few that loved the gunbarrel at the end of the film. It is symbolic that James Bond has finally become the 007 we know now- he had to earn it.
I think anyone that is a fan of the Fleming novels would agree, Daniel Craig IS Fleming's Bond. When you read the novels, you get a real sense of what Bond should be. Not how he looks, but how he acts. Craig is the closest to Fleming's Bond. Sean Connery will always be my favorite Bond, but being honest- he was not Fleming's Bond.
I am sure that in Craig's 3rd film, he will be free of the aftermath of Vesper and be the Bond we, for the most part, expect him to be.
In closing, QoS is a very good film, one that Fleming would be proud of and the sequel to Casino that he wished he would have written.

[TheREAL008]

Expertly well written and very well done.

[MkB]

Well put, FredJB007!

I share you thoughts. QoS does feel to me as one of the most Fleming films of the franchise, even if the plot is nothing from Fleming per se. But the spirit is there!

[001carus]

Well put, FredJB007!

I share you thoughts. QoS does feel to me as one of the most Fleming films of the franchise, even if the plot is nothing from Fleming per se. But the spirit is there!

Absolutely. I think only the early Connery films, Casino Royale, and QOS have the Fleming touch.

[ImTheMoneypenny]

I am one of the few that loved the gunbarrel at the end of the film. It is symbolic that James Bond has finally become the 007 we know now- he had to earn it.

Too right. I think many who complain about this aspect don't or won't see it this way.

Great review. well done. I'm among good company, as when I saw QOS for the first time, (and every other time since.) I've felt like I'd just watched an intensely Fleming Bond adventure put to screen. As MkB said the spirit is very much there!

[level007]

very well said !

i couldn't agree more. I would ask also the QOS hater and the movie critic to re-read again (or maybe for the first time) some of the fleming books.

Can't wait for BOnd 23...

[Zorin Industries]

Well said that man!

A Bond film doesn't have to be a direct recreation of the printed page to echo Fleming. You've nailed why SOLACE is actually a VERY Fleming film and for those that hate it on the grounds it's not Fleming-ish at all are seriously unable to think outside the box-set.

[dogmanstar]

Great review! Spot on!

[byline]

Superb review, FredJB007. Thank you!

[Judo chop]

It’s refreshing to see someone new – ie. someone coming in from that nebulous, but so often cited ‘general public’ - defending QOS as a true character film, and a true-to-Fleming character film at that.

There you have it. The People™ have spoken.

As someone once said: THE BEST REVIEW OF QOS YET. THE REVIEWER NAILS IT.

[FlemingIanFleming]

Good post. I've been saying for some time that QoS, like CR, reminds me far more of Ian Fleming's literary Bond than the vast majority of the film franchise. And that's one of the reasons I really liked the movie, despite some of its shortcomings.

I understand that plenty of people wanted the sci-fi gadgets, comedy bits and babes of the traditional EON Bond formula. But as fun as those elements were in some of the films, they were never part of Fleming's novels (Bond was a particularly humorless character, and it's impossible to imagine him throwing off one-liners like Moore and Brosnan did every other scene.) So it's a real treat to see two films (QoS and CR) that are more in the mold of Fleming's creation.

[HH007]

I feel very fortunate to have grown up in the 60's and experienced the James Bond phenomenon at the beginning. Now here it is 40+ years later and the triumph of Casino Royale(finally)and the backlash against Quantum of Solace.
Let me first say that Quantum is not a perfect Bond film, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.

That pretty much sums up my feelings on the film.

I understand that plenty of people wanted the sci-fi gadgets, comedy bits and babes of the traditional EON Bond formula. But as fun as those elements were in some of the films, they were never part of Fleming's novels (Bond was a particularly humorless character, and it's impossible to imagine him throwing off one-liners like Moore and Brosnan did every other scene.) So it's a real treat to see two films (QoS and CR) that are more in the mold of Fleming's creation.

Yeah, except now that EON has made Bond more like Fleming's character, everyone's accusing them of ripping off Bourne. Ugh...

[byline]

I feel very fortunate to have grown up in the 60's and experienced the James Bond phenomenon at the beginning. Now here it is 40+ years later and the triumph of Casino Royale(finally)and the backlash against Quantum of Solace.
Let me first say that Quantum is not a perfect Bond film, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.

That pretty much sums up my feelings on the film.

I understand that plenty of people wanted the sci-fi gadgets, comedy bits and babes of the traditional EON Bond formula. But as fun as those elements were in some of the films, they were never part of Fleming's novels (Bond was a particularly humorless character, and it's impossible to imagine him throwing off one-liners like Moore and Brosnan did every other scene.) So it's a real treat to see two films (QoS and CR) that are more in the mold of Fleming's creation.

Yeah, except now that EON has made Bond more like Fleming's character, everyone's accusing them of ripping off Bourne. Ugh...

Sad, but true. And, to bring that full circle, the Bourne books are derivative of Bond. So who's really ripping off whom?