25 replies to this topic

[DamnCoffee]

I got the DVD this morning, i've just finished watching it and I have to say that Quantum of Solace is FAR from perfect.

I love the PTS, it's my favorite acton sequence... dare I say, the only decent one in the movie, that and the Tosca. The Rooftop chase is meh, the Boat Chase I can only tolerate because of the Bond theme, The Plane Chase...don't get me started and the Eco Hotel... well, very underwhelming. The Bar escape, was OK. The freefall sequence, even though it does look spectacular in places, I do think that it should've been cut.

I don't get the plane chase either, Bond knowing full well people are after him, takes a massive off jet, even though there is a smaller, more compatible plane on the tarmac. Then he looks suprised when he gets shot at!

I prefer the quieter scenes more than the action sequences. The dialogue scenes is something this film does extremely well.
I love the Oil Fields scene and the death of Mathis. I really love the 'What's keeping you awake' scene aswell. I think the best scene though, the most fantastic scene in the entire movie is the Yusseff confrotation and the 'I never left' scene.

I still think that the movie could of done with around 20 - 25 mins of just dialogue scenes. It really would've helped space out the action.

It's not a horrible movie by any means, but definately not the best. I love it because it's entertaining, and it still remains in my Top 10, but it is NO Casino Royale.

An action movie with a brain 6/10

[danielcraigisjamesbond007]

I have the same feeling that you do, Mharkin. I thought that the car chase was, probably, the best chase in the entire movie. I still have NO idea why the plane chase even happened (), the boat chase was yawn inducing. I do like the stuff at the end with the Eco-hotel. But you're right, it's very underwhelming.
I do like the Oil Fields scene and how Bond escapes from the hotel (not counting Judi Dench's quick change of mind) and Tosca.
Yeah. I'd give it a 5/10

[HH007]

Sorry to see the movie hasn't held up as well for you, MHark. You and I seemed to be on opposite trajectories on QoS. The first time I saw it, I sort of liked it, but I was vaguely disappointed by it. The second time I liked it a lot more, and after the third time it broke into my top five. I still maintain that the way the action scenes are edited is problematic, and that they could've paced themselves on the action a little more in the beginning, but those are just minor gripes for me. I shall see how it plays on DVD this Tuesday.

[DamnCoffee]

I still maintain that the way the action scenes are edited is problematic...

It's not the editing that is the problem for me, from the very beginning it hasn't been an issue. The only time I really don't like it is mainly in the Rooftop chase. Sienna is a beautiful place, just a shame we didn't see enough of it. If only the camera zoomed back, just a tad.

But anyway, I just think that Marc Forster can't do action, it's as simple as that. He has no idea, which is why it's all over the place. He's not confident at all with it. If you look at the action in Casino Royale, and compare the stairwell fight, to... let's say, the hotel room fight with Slate. You can see a massive difference in quality. Quantum of Solace's action is basically generic and unexciting.

I believe Craig said in an interview for Quantum of Solace, that he wanted to show the audience that Bond can go down and get hurt. Forster failed to bring this across, even with Craig acting his off. There really isn't any part in Quantum of Solace, where I feared for Bonds safety, where I did in Casino Royale.

[Mr_Wint]

This review beats your first one.

[Vauxhall]

Probably a more even review than your previous Matt, but I think you're now possibly being too harsh on the action sequences. The boat chase will always sit uncomfortably with me, but I find the others are reasonable enough. The freefall doesn't particularly bother me because it's over so quickly (apart from the sheer fortuity of landing in a plot-developing sinkhole) and the Siena footchase is particularly impressive given the stunning surroundings. Perhaps it's simply the case that CASINO ROYALE raised the bar too high to meet pumped-up expectations.

[Vanish]

I still think it's a solid Bond film, but in terms of what they were trying to achieve with Bond's character arc, I think the results were mixed at best.

Which is not a slight against DC by any means - The man did a great job as expected, but the underdeveloped script ultimately held him back.

Edited by Vanish, 22 March 2009 - 12:03 AM.

[blueman]

The stairwell fight is pretty good, but the Slate fight is way better IMO.

Overall the action in QOS is a couple notches above that in CR. Ditto Bond's character arc. JMHO.

[byline]

The stairwell fight is pretty good, but the Slate fight is way better IMO.

It's only better if you can actually understand how Slate died...I noticed a huge pool of blood behind his body while his life was twitching away yet it was never gushing out of his neck so maybe that scene where his head got torn open was lost in the flash-editing...yeah, that's it, Sir Rog told me

I didn't get that one first time around, either. However, on subsequent viewings, I realized that Bond also stabbed Slate in the leg, severing (I assume) the femoral artery. Slate grabbed his neck with one hand to staunch the flow of blood and tried to press his other to the leg wound, but Bond held his hand in an absolutely chilling display of ruthlessness, and Slate quickly bled to death.

That was my take on it, anyway.

[DamnCoffee]

Do you know, the audio descriptive commentary REALLY helps you understand what the hell is going on.

[DamnCoffee]

haha, it's really good actually, except in the main titles...

"Bond retrieves his gun and aims it... with Jeffery Wright, and Judi Dench as M"

[marktmurphy]

It's a disappointing film. I bought it and haven't managed to pull together the effort to actually watch it again.
It's badly directed, the action scenes are weak to nonsensical, and I have an overriding sense that they just didn't know what they wanted to achieve with it. Bond's character journey is non-existent.
Licence to Kill is better.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

It's a disappointing film. I bought it and haven't managed to pull together the effort to actually watch it again.
It's badly directed, the action scenes are weak to nonsensical, and I have an overriding sense that they just didn't know what they wanted to achieve with it. Bond's character journey is non-existent.
Licence to Kill is better.

ITA. If Quantum of Solace is not the worst film in the series then it's certainly the most disappointing consider how high expectations were raised after Casino Royale. I prefer a Bond film(or a non-Bond film for that matter) where the viewer can actually discern what's going on in the action scenes. I've only seen it once in the cinema on opening day. I don't know if I will actually buy it

[00Twelve]

Do you know, the audio descriptive commentary REALLY helps you understand what the hell is going on.

Um, Matt, you've got a DVD with a commentary??

I've not seen that as a listed feature on any of the editions, unless I missed something on the Blu-ray.

[DamnCoffee]

Yup, three audio options. Regular, 5.1 and Audio Descriptive, with some annoying guy. Who I think his blind himself...

"Circles of light move across the screen, Bond, dressed in a tuxedo, walks violently across, turns and shoots down the gunbarrel.."

It's a bloody suit!

[Pierce - Daniel]

After watching it again, I felt that up to Tosca Bond was just killing after killing, he killed Mitchell then Slate and so on and so on. It felt like he was a bit of thug. But Tosca is the turning point of the film. The goes from being 'ok' to 'pretty fantastic' quite quickly. I hated the plane chase in the cinema, but it made perefect sence, and i really like it today, it was great.

All the acting is fantastic, Craig is actually brilliant in the film, I thought he was a little sub-standard compared to Cr when in saw it in October. But damn that guy is good at acting. Amalric is amazing, and Kurylenko is brilliant.

[darthbond]

I'll have to agree. My favorite two scenes in the entire movie are the whole Austria part and Camille's story.

darthbond

[DaveBond21]

A good and more realistic review, MHarkin. I agree with you that this isn't as good as Casino Royale.

I actually do have an issue with the action scenes. They are all filmed in exactly the same way, with too many quick edits - chopped up. There is no time to see what is going on, especially in Siena, where a beautiful location is wasted.

The boat chase and free fall sequences are similar.

However, I do love the following scenes:-

Haiti - "Well, I missed" and the bike jump.

The entire Tosca scene, and David Arnold's wonderful music mixed in with the Opera

Lunch with Mathis

Meeting Fields and upgrading her (pun intended)

The party

The way that Bond disposes of Greene (excellent villain demise) and also the final scene with M in the snow.

[JimmyBond]

I don't get the plane chase either, Bond knowing full well people are after him, takes a massive off jet, even though there is a smaller, more compatible plane on the tarmac. Then he looks suprised when he gets shot at!

I had this in mind when I watched the film again yesterday. Since Bond had to barter with the man (who originally wanted Camille as collateral). The man probably figured Bond didnt have enough to warrant giving him the smaller faster plane.

A good and more realistic review,

I take issue with that. I know you're a good poster and I respect many of your opinions. But are you suggesting that anyone who praises QoS is not writing a realistic review?

[Mr. Blofeld]

A good and more realistic review, MHarkin. I agree with you that this isn't as good as Casino Royale.

Sheer bias.

[Loomis]

It's a disappointing film. I bought it and haven't managed to pull together the effort to actually watch it again.
It's badly directed, the action scenes are weak to nonsensical, and I have an overriding sense that they just didn't know what they wanted to achieve with it. Bond's character journey is non-existent.
Licence to Kill is better.

Indeed it is, and so are most of the Bond films. I don't dislike QUANTUM OF SOLACE (I don't dislike any Bond film apart from THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, and even then I can derive a few slight crumbs of something vaguely related to pleasure from TWINE if I'm in a relaxed enough mood), but the more I watch it the more disappointing I find it. And it isn't even fit to lick CASINO ROYALE's boots.

[DaveBond21]

I don't get the plane chase either, Bond knowing full well people are after him, takes a massive off jet, even though there is a smaller, more compatible plane on the tarmac. Then he looks suprised when he gets shot at!

I had this in mind when I watched the film again yesterday. Since Bond had to barter with the man (who originally wanted Camille as collateral). The man probably figured Bond didnt have enough to warrant giving him the smaller faster plane.

A good and more realistic review,

I take issue with that. I know you're a good poster and I respect many of your opinions. But are you suggesting that anyone who praises QoS is not writing a realistic review?

No, I meant more realistic in that it has been written after the euphoria has died down. He initially said it was the best Bond movie, and 10/10.

I really like QOS and give it a higher mark than 6 myself.

[sharpshooter]

I stand by my first gushing response to Quantum of Solace as seen in my review. First impressions are lasting impressions. Despite the flaws, it's a first rate modern Bond film and one of the best. The more I see it, the more I like it.

[JimmyBond]

No, I meant more realistic in that it has been written after the euphoria has died down. He initially said it was the best Bond movie, and 10/10.

I really like QOS and give it a higher mark than 6 myself.

Fair enough, I take back what I said, no hard feelings I hope

I stand by my initial reactions as well. I loved it then and I love it now, maybe even moreso.

[DamnCoffee]

I stand by my first gushing response to Quantum of Solace as seen in my review. First impressions are lasting impressions. Despite the flaws, it's a first rate modern Bond film and one of the best. The more I see it, the more I like it.

I can understand where you're coming from Sharpshooter. Quantum is a grower, and I can say that it's gone from 6/10 to 7/10.

It still has some major flaws, and I stand by pretty much I say in my review, BUT it is bloody entertaining.

[blueman]

I stand by my initial reactions as well. I loved it then and I love it now, maybe even moreso.

Yup, same page.