27 replies to this topic

[Royal Dalton]

... it's rubbish.

The first forty minutes are an erratically-edited mess, and the rest of the film has a plot that it would be generous to call wafer-thin.

The Tosca scene, the Foreign Office scene, and Bond and Camille's sink hole conversation are amongst the film's few bright spots. But that's a poor rate of return for a near two-hour film.

The production design, cinematography, and Mathieu Amalric's performance are the only good things about this one.

Better luck next time.

On the plus side, the DVD has burned-in subtitles.

[byline]

I understand that you feel it's rubbish, but please keep in mind that it's not rubbish for everyone, and so "it's rubbish" -- while being your opinion, and one shared by others -- isn't a universal truth.

Are there problems with the film? Yes. And those problems kept me from loving it on first viewing, the way I did "Casino Royale." However, on second and subsequent viewings, I picked up on many things I hadn't before and found a lot to love in "Quantum of Solace." For me, on balance, it's a wonderful film and a great experience, especially in the cinema. I'm looking forward to the DVD release.

[HH007]

... it's rubbish.

The first forty minutes are an erratically-edited mess, and the rest of the film has a plot that it would be generous to call wafer-thin.

The Tosca scene, the Foreign Office scene, and Bond and Camille's sink hole conversation are amongst the film's few bright spots. But that's a poor rate of return for a near two-hour film.

The production design, cinematography, and Mathieu Amalric's performance are the only good things about this one.

Better luck next time.

On the plus side, the DVD has burned-in subtitles.

Thanks for sharing.

[00Twelve]

Sorry you feel that way, RD, but thanks for the post, anyway. I agree, the Tosca scene is the high point (though the rest is much more appealing to me than you you, it would seem).

[ACE]

Have you only seen it now, Royal Dalton?

Don't you think Craig validates Dalton? Don't you think Craig has the Dalton DNA, performance-wise?

I guess you don't. Sorry you're not a fan of Quantum of Solace.

[DamnCoffee]

Don't take it personally, he missed Casino Royale, too.

[dinovelvet]

LOL, well despite my own hang-ups, I have secured a blu-ray and dvd and there are some good enough chapters to watch. What was initially a C grade has now moved to a B...

But I seriously hope the flash-cutting never returns.

OK where is everyone getting their DVDs/Blus from this early?

[DamnCoffee]

I should be getting mine tomorrow, since it was dispatched on wednesday. If you pre-order it, you are bound to get it a few days early.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

LOL, well despite my own hang-ups, I have secured a blu-ray and dvd and there are some good enough chapters to watch. What was initially a C grade has now moved to a B...

But I seriously hope the flash-cutting never returns.

OK where is everyone getting their DVDs/Blus from this early?

no, I sadly have to wait A LOT of months untill it gets released for retail (maybe in June). Damn South America! They never tell you exactly when a DVD is gonna be released

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Official retail might be March 24 in the USA but it's been out on Blu-Ray and DVD since March 10. HD rips from these formats began appaearing within 24 hours.

So you feel the need to steal a film you've protested against for months?

[sharpshooter]

Well, you can’t win them all. If this is the first time you have seen it, Royal Dalton, I implore you to give it at least another chance. I wasn’t totally won over the first viewing, either. It all came together during the second and subsequent viewings.

[00Twelve]

Indeed. I agree with sharpshooter-- the movie does improve with each viewing.

[Mr Teddy Bear]

Official retail might be March 24 in the USA but it's been out on Blu-Ray and DVD since March 10. HD rips from these formats began appaearing within 24 hours.

So you feel the need to steal a film you've protested against for months?

What rubbish are you talking? In another post I said I ACQUIRED THE DVD AND BLU-RAY. But rips have also been available for 2 weeks now.

Please get your facts straight before you post nonsense. Thank you.

Apologies if I was mistaken . I got the impression you pirated the movie since you started mentioning rips which seems odd to mention unless you were investigating them. And 'aquired' is a word I see thrown around on the net a lot for people who can't say 'bought' and don't want to blatantly say 'pirated'. Now I've explaned how the confusion arose, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

Edited by Mr Teddy Bear, 21 March 2009 - 05:28 AM.

[Mr. Arlington Beech]

LOL, well despite my own hang-ups, I have secured a blu-ray and dvd and there are some good enough chapters to watch. What was initially a C grade has now moved to a B...

But I seriously hope the flash-cutting never returns.

OK where is everyone getting their DVDs/Blus from this early?

I just bought it today (03/20) in my local store, and they not only have it the the Zone 1 version- alongside with BD Region A- but the Zone 4 in the chilean edition, which included, besides the regular single DVD, the 2 DVD set with the same artcover as the former.

[9007]

I bought it on bd on wednesday here in aus and i gotta say i was really impressed!

The colors are so vivid and bright, especially in the desert and i noticed heaps more stuff during the action this time like bond picking up the sisscors in the fight with slate and the guy at the end of the car chase missing bond with his machine gun from about 2 metres away haha! i have seen this movie about 6 times before but bluray is the way to go!

[DamnCoffee]

Well, you can’t win them all. If this is the first time you have seen it, Royal Dalton, I implore you to give it at least another chance. I wasn’t totally won over the first viewing, either. It all came together during the second and subsequent viewings.

I didn't have to improve for me, I loved it the moment I saw it.
I do take your point though, and I agree, give it another chance RoyalDalton.

[Mr_Wint]

... it's rubbish.

The first forty minutes are an erratically-edited mess, and the rest of the film has a plot that it would be generous to call wafer-thin.

The Tosca scene, the Foreign Office scene, and Bond and Camille's sink hole conversation are amongst the film's few bright spots. But that's a poor rate of return for a near two-hour film.

The production design, cinematography, and Mathieu Amalric's performance are the only good things about this one.

Better luck next time.

On the plus side, the DVD has burned-in subtitles.

I would say that the films few bright spots are: 1) Bond's trip to Talamone 2) Pigott-Smith 3) Action scene with the DC-3.
But the quotient between memorable scenes and running time has never been this low.

Maybe you are even a little bit too generous. I fail to see anything particularly interesting with the production design or Mathieu Amalric's performance.

[Royal Dalton]

Have you only seen it now, Royal Dalton?

Yeah. I was planning to see it in the cinema. But in the end I decided to sit it out and wait for the DVD.

Patience is a virtue, as they say...

Don't you think Craig validates Dalton? Don't you think Craig has the Dalton DNA, performance-wise?

I guess you don't.

I don't know, really. I suppose so, up to a point. To my mind, he's not as good as Dalton was. But I acknowledge that I'm in the (probably vast) minority on that. And that's fine. I'm not here to change anybody's opinions.

Sorry you're not a fan of Quantum of Solace.

Well, even though I started this thread off with the Marvin the Paranoid Android line, and have made some rather negative comments about the film, I don't consider it to be a total write-off, or anything. I actually think it's far more watchable than any of the previous five films. And it's easily the most cinematic Bond film since Moonraker.

My problem with it really boils down to the lack of a decent plot, and the schizophrenic editing.

Don't take it personally, he missed Casino Royale, too.

That's right. And I didn't think much of that one when I eventually saw it, either, sadly. But I've never been a Martin Campbell fan. So, I didn't really expect to.

Ironically enough, I've ended up buying four copies of the bloody thing!

Well, you can’t win them all. If this is the first time you have seen it, Royal Dalton, I implore you to give it at least another chance. I wasn’t totally won over the first viewing, either. It all came together during the second and subsequent viewings.

Indeed. I agree with sharpshooter-- the movie does improve with each viewing.

Thanks, chaps. I've watched it a few more times now, and I agree with you that it improves with subsequent viewings. I still think it's a flawed film. But I'm willing to be won over by it.

[ACE]

Oh, phew! Some enjoyment at least.

I don't think QoS's most ardent fan would not concede that the film has technical and stylistic and script flaws. Erm, just like the rest of the films in the series. It's just a question of how much credit of goodwill one is willing to give the movie from the outset.

And yes, while Daniel has Dalton DNA, he will never be as good at playing James Bond as Timothy Dalton.

Nobody will...

[Major Tallon]

Oh, phew! Some enjoyment at least.

And yes, while Daniel has Dalton DNA, he will never be as good at playing James Bond as Timothy Dalton.

Nobody will...

I'm inclined to agree, but I like Craig a lot.

[tim partridge]

Knew you'd love the Foreign office scene, Dalton. Glad you liked the prod design too.

Not sure I agree with the "it gets better with repeat viewings" comments. I am sure if you forced yourself to french kiss a fish the experience would become more bearable the more you did it too.

[Royal Dalton]

Knew you'd love the Foreign office scene, Dalton. Glad you liked the prod design too.

Proper office, wasn't it. None of this 'Designed by IKEA' nonsense we've been treated to in recent films.

Not sure I agree with the "it gets better with repeat viewings" comments. I am sure if you forced yourself to french kiss a fish the experience would become more bearable the more you did it too.

I suppose it's just a bit less disorientating once you know what's coming next, really. Either that, or the old brain's been deadened to the point of not caring anymore.

[jaguar007]

And yes, while Daniel has Dalton DNA, he will never be as good at playing James Bond as Timothy Dalton.

Nobody will...

Although Connery was always the favorite, I used to agree with that statement...until I saw Casino Royale!

[byline]

Well, you can’t win them all. If this is the first time you have seen it, Royal Dalton, I implore you to give it at least another chance. I wasn’t totally won over the first viewing, either. It all came together during the second and subsequent viewings.

This was true for me, too. I went from a sort of "meh" reaction on first viewing to being blown away on the second and subsequent viewings.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Well, you can’t win them all. If this is the first time you have seen it, Royal Dalton, I implore you to give it at least another chance. I wasn’t totally won over the first viewing, either. It all came together during the second and subsequent viewings.

While it's true that a great movie offer aspects that improve for the viewer who sees it multiple times, isn't the sign of a truly good movie is that it is enjoyable for the viewer who only sees it one time?

[byline]

Well, you can’t win them all. If this is the first time you have seen it, Royal Dalton, I implore you to give it at least another chance. I wasn’t totally won over the first viewing, either. It all came together during the second and subsequent viewings.

While it's true that a great movie offer aspects that improve for the viewer who sees it multiple times, isn't the sign of a truly good movie is that it is enjoyable for the viewer who only sees it one time?

If that were true, then "The Sweet Hereafter" would not be a truly good movie. Given the back and forth in time, it took me several viewings to finally put it all together. IMO, it's one of the all-time great films.

[00Twelve]

Knew you'd love the Foreign office scene, Dalton. Glad you liked the prod design too.

Not sure I agree with the "it gets better with repeat viewings" comments. I am sure if you forced yourself to french kiss a fish the experience would become more bearable the more you did it too.

Many of the Bond films have held to that standard for me, tim. It's not just that they become "more bearable," that would imply that they weren't bearable at all the first time. I used to be unable to get past Moonraker's lack of seriousness. Over time and more viewings I learned to chill out and enjoy it for what it was and now I definitely like it quite a bit. Same goes for DAF. In QOS' case, I enjoyed it to begin with, but have gotten more and more out of it with more viewings. You certainly don't have to agree, but that's earnestly been my experience. No wishful thinking necessary.

It doesn't hold true for me with all Bond films, though, sadly. TWINE decidedly weakens further with each viewing IMO.

[TraceyBond007]

I agree with RoyalDalton, horrible film.