And of course you've become bored of the character...you are willing to credit an appallingly average film as the best Bond ever.
Are you speaking to me or tdalton? Because as far as I'm concerned, QUANTUM OF SOLACE isn't the "best Bond ever." I like it, and think it's better than most of the pack of Bond films (which isn't saying much, honestly), but I'm not praising it to the skies.
Just to ask the question to make sure I'm understanding what everyone's saying: I'm bored with James Bond simply because I thought that QUANTUM OF SOLACE was the best of the Bond films?
For me, it's a far superior film to anything that EON has ever produced, rivaled only by CASINO ROYALE, the Dalton films, and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. The films other than those I just listed are what I find to be "appallingly average"
Yes thats exactly what i'm saying.
If QoS is your standard for a quality Bond film...the series would not have lasted if you were producer. As for me, I'd like my Bond movies to be without flashy camera tricks that represent the territory of first year film students, especially taking into account Forster's execution. You know, tricks that shout 'Look at me! I'm arty!'. I'm here to watch 007, not the director. The director should always make a stylistic choice if it enhances the movie or adds something to the story (see CR poison bathroom scene). Not just because 'it would be neat'.
I understand it's just your opinion, and your entitled to it, but films like OHMSS, DN, GF, TB are not "appallingly average". DN is the father of all action adventure films, OHMSS was the first Bond that took a risk, and had a director that incorporated flash editing, only this time he used it in moderation and sparingly. The other two speak for themselves, especially TB. TB has so much going on with the characters that you could write an essay. Bond/Domino/Largo/Volpe all interact very well. M's unshakeable belief in Bond is expressed here than in any other film. Connery's beach scene with Domino is my favourite scene in the whole series. You see all facets of the character and the putting on of the sunglasses is so subtle that one generally doesn't take any note of it.
QoS is 'appallingly average' because nothing happens in it. How does Bond get M's trust? What was introduced in QoS that people are still talking about? If anything, this movie was so bad it has made the directors uncertain of what direction to go in next exactly, and to what extent. The confidence from fans and critics that existed after CR, a confidence that made them make a movie as bad as QoS, is gone. The next one will be lighter so they say, but I don't want a light Bond film, never have. What's really scary is that Eon seem to think it was the whole mood of the movie that rubbed people up the wrong way. No, it was crap creative decisions, no script, terrible clueless director, and all round poor execution. This movie just gives me the sense that it thinks it's really clever and stylish, when really it just has an arty director with a huge budget.
HARMSWAY
True. And Bond is clearly different - if only in minor ways - at the end of QUANTUM OF SOLACE than he was at the beginning. Hence, QUANTUM OF SOLACE does give Bond a character arc of some kind.But he 'never left'. Meaning he was acting in the same capacity as he was at the beginning of the movie. Yes he feels different because he's had closure now, but an arc like that didn't merit a whole movie. And it shows. Yusef is pretty much forgotten after 20min. And no one really cares about Bond's journey because of all the action, camera tricks of the director (Forster is terrible, absolutely terrible) that were put there to pad a non-story.
I now understand full well why Cubby never wanted overbearing directors with not so subtle styles. It drew attention to them and not Bond. Bond is the star here and will always be the star. Forster, for some reason thought he was the star of the show. Even Craig can't rise above all the turd Forster throws up on screen.
Eon have been very quiet in regards to QoS. Anyone remember how Barbara was everywhere after the success of CR? You couldn't shut her up. And the pride she felt was there for all to see. I don't think the feeling is the same this time around. I'm willing to bet anything QoS did not quite turn out as Eon expected it should, and it was too late to make any changes. They definitely think it was inferior to CR, I can tell that much. If they did adore the film, they would be everywhere defending or talking it up. But there's only so many times one can be asked about the editing before one blows his/her fuse. So....I understand.
Edited by Eddie Burns, 09 April 2009 - 05:23 AM.