19 replies to this topic

[DamnCoffee]

After being accused by Mr Blofeld, yet again, that I hated Quantum of Solace, I decided to throw this on last night. (I've never hated it, he just thinks I do, because I don't like it as much as him. )





I don't really want this to be a review as such. I wouldn't mind it just summing up what I think of the movie. It's easier that way.

I really do think that Quantum of Solace is, in some places, a magnificent Bond film. There's a lot of beautiful and touching scenes present throughout. I absolutely adore the Bond and Yusseff scene, Forster got this spot on. The character building scenes in this movie are brilliant. I love the scenes between Bond and Mathis, especially. They have great chemistry together. I felt that Leiter was underused though. I loved the scenes between him and Bond in Casino Royale, it was such a shame that we didn't get much here.

I love Marc Forsters sense of direction. As much as people go on about how badly edited it is, which in some places is true, there's tons of brilliant shots in here. My only gripe is, is that they last for half a second. I would have no problem if Forster doubled the length of some of them, but that's his vision, and I respect that.

I have no problem at all with the Gunbarrel being at the end of the movie, I've said countless times that it shows how much Bonds story-arc is complete. He's over Vesper, and has his Quantum of Solace.

However, as much as I find the character building scenes more visually stunning that the action set pieces, I really do get the feeling that the movie is incomplete. I don't have a problem with what's there on the screen. I have a problem with what isn't there. After Casino Royale, this movie had SO MUCH potential, and it wasted it. Given a few extra months, this film could've been on par with Casino Royale. If only the film delved deeper, and got more under Bonds skin.

Now, I know that the writers strike played a massive part in this, so that's partly to blame for what we got. I do feel that the film would've benefited if Forster pushed back the release to May 2009, because, quite frankly, it feels rushed.

I don't have any problem with the action, it's the short running time that makes the movie seem like an action fest. I do think that the boat and plane chase could've been cut a bit though, but that's just me. Given the lack of narrative, it just seems pointless.

Daniel Craig puts in a brilliant performance once again as Bond. Totally love this guy. It would've been great to see at least another hour of him on screen though. I love how he moves and asserts himself in the role. He's the perfect Bond for the 21st Century. Cold. Ruthless, and charming.

Olga Kurlylenko is GORGEOUS, but I would've loved to see more of Camille, and more of Agent Fields for that matter. Mathieu Amalric makes a decent enough villain. I really think that he wasn't used to his full potential though. When the trailers were released, I thought he looked so menacing and creepy. It's just a shame that none of this was transferred on film. I love Dench, one of my personal favourite actresses. It just annoyed me that she had more screen time than the main villain. (Just think of that extra hour we should've had)

The only thing I hate about the movie, and I mean truly hate, is that bloody title song. I actually despise it. I would much prefer to hear a slow ballad, instead of that garbage. The Main Title Sequence is rather good though, and quite retro. MK12 did a pretty damn good job. It would've been interesting to see what Kleinmen would bring to the table, though.

Arnold's score is average, I love Time to Get Out, and Field Trip, but that's about it. The rest is generic.

Overall though, I find this a very entertaining film. In my opinion, it's a bad sequel, but a great Bond movie. It had a lot to live up to, but at some points in the movie, I get the feeling that it didn't even try.

[volante]

Great that clears that up then.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Sorry, then, Mharkin; wasn't trying to egg you on, or anything...

[DamnCoffee]

It's okay, Mblof; you weren't.

[Mr. Blofeld]

It's okay, Mblof; you weren't.

I must say, you were fair to the film; I'll give you props for that...

[DamnCoffee]

I really felt like making a Quantum of Solace TV Spot after I watched this, so this is what I came up with.

[sharpshooter]

Nice trailer, makes me want to watch it. The film that is. I did watch your trailer.

[Matt_13]

Wow excellent trailer.

[byline]

Nice! And it's put me in the mood for another "Casino Royale"/"Quantum of Solace" double-bill.

[Loomis]

I really felt like making a Quantum of Solace TV Spot after I watched this, so this is what I came up with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AEDfvyGPaU

Wow, talk about false advertising. You make QUANTUM OF SOLACE look like a terrific film. Great trailer, Harkmeister.

Now if only you could use your not inconsiderable editing skills for good instead of evil.

[Guy Haines]

I really felt like making a Quantum of Solace TV Spot after I watched this, so this is what I came up with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AEDfvyGPaU

I've just this minute watched it. Good work. I liked how it reminds the viewer of what Bond is really after, despite what he tells M - not so much revenge as answers and closure.

[volante]

I really felt like making a Quantum of Solace TV Spot after I watched this, so this is what I came up with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AEDfvyGPaU

I've just this minute watched it. Good work. I liked how it reminds the viewer of what Bond is really after, despite what he tells M - not so much revenge as answers and closure.

Well done Matt; I'm always impressed by your work; and yes the message comes over loud and clear

[DamnCoffee]

Thanks guys! I'm really glad you liked it, as you can see from my review above, Quantum has grown on me considerably the last few months.

[Matt_13]

On the subject of Quantum, I find it hard to judge the film negatively at all considering that there was essentially no shooting script and scenes were made up on location. The boat chase, Tosca, Siena, all of that stuff was made up by Forster on the fly. Sure the dialogue is a little spotty at times but when you take into account that rewrites were taking place on set every day, largely by Forster and Craig, the fact that a Bond film of this caliber was crafted at all is a testament to the filmmakers. Writing a new Bond movie is hard enough, but creating a new one out of a rough outline and "inspiration" alone is a remarkable feat. The editing...say what you will. Other than that, kudos to Marc, because it really does take a genius to create what he has.

[volante]

Now we all know what to expect with the film; its much easie to sit back and enjoy it.

Just cause it didnt hit the right note with fans the first time out of the box, doesnt make it a bad film.
It was just a great gift that we were given that we didnt apreciate at the time.
Now we are 18 months older; and Bond 23 is on hold; it gives us all the opportunity to re-visit QOS.

So pour yourselves another Martini and sit back and enjoy

[bond 16.05.72]

Nice Trailer Harkin, I intend to give QOS another watch soon, I got my Sony 1080P Telly having had a HD Ready set for the last few years a week or so ago and demoed it with Royale, it looked stunning so I'll be giving a Quantum a viewing. I don't hate the film myself just find it rather frustrating to be honest, the PTS is one of the best of the series, funnily I found it rushed at the cinema but when I caught it on Blu ray for the first time I appreciated it much more, the openiing shot across the lake and even Arnold delvers a great cue although it score isn't consistent, I have to disagree about the theme although I'm biased being a Jack White fan, it's certainly not one his best tunes but Bond has seen much worse.

I think the running time should have been longer and both the boat and plane followed by the sink hole sequences are naff but I love the Opera, the closing confrontation between Bond & Greene. Your right Alamric is underused but he has his moments his line to Medrano after he signs over the land is pure class and at least it didn't have any stinkers in the script like " That's because you know what I can do with my little finger" Bonds scenes with Yusef and Bond evading all those agent in the hotel put a smile on my face.

Yeah QOS iscertainly better than most Bond films, (I really haven't the time for GF, YOLT, DAF, most of Moore's and all of Brozzers). It's just QOS was following up CR which was not perfect no Bond films is and is likely to be but CR set the bar in my view and Solace didn't reach it.

[Messervy]

I've just re-watched QoS yesterday. The more I see it, the more I find it brilliant.

I guess the core of it is that Forster did a splendid job in bringing a bit of art into the Bond franchise, which is a very welcome move. I love the way that the surrounding sounds slowly die to give way to the music (e.g, after the boat chase, during the gun fight at the Opera, etc.), I love the way some touches of director's inventiveness are introduced (e.g, the characters walking in the bolivian desert after seeing the water dam, where you can first see them from a distance and then an image of them closer is gradually fitted in), etc. The cinematography is trully breathtaking.

On the whole, I think it is a splendid way of subtly moving away from the old "Bond codes" and actually getting a movie that is highly enjoyable per se and not only to Bond fans expecting their Qs and Bond girls. I like the older Bonds, of coourse, but I sometimes have the feeling that I more or less know exactly what is going to be shown to me: speech with M, visit to Q branch, casino in Tux', dating the girl, facing the villain's henchman than the villain, last scene with the girl in some awkward situation. Here, the Bondian elements are blurred; the movie has its own logic and its own flow. We do get Bondian elements, of course, but they are more cleverly introduced throughout the film, and hence appear much more coherent than the checklist of "Bond has to do this and wear this".

And Bond means business. He's thrown into this series of events to uncover what lies behind. He's raw and mean, and sometimes angry at himself. Unlike some have said, I think this makes for a very human Bond. Nothing to do with Broz' Bond, for instance, in which Bond drives his BMW with a remote control from the back sit and laughes out loud like some featherbrained teenager.

And the thing is, I watched it with my wife who'd not seen it yet. I didn't tell her anything before, since I wanted to get her un-influenced reaction. And she loved it. Contrary to what some in here say, she didn't find the editing too fast-paced; she thought it clearly served the purpose of the movie. And she didn't find that Bond's charcter was misplaced; she again thought it was very fitting.

QoS really delivers a new way of looking at Bond. Maybe that is what upsets some CBNers. It's a clever subtle move away from strict Bondian Tux-Martini-Gadget-Girl formula. In recent Bond movies (Broz' ones), I got the feeling that Bond was becoming a caricature of himself, a cartoon character for amusing kids. TND being the best example of the worst Bond movie ever released: no plot, no witty dialogue, only gadgets and explosions. With QoS (and CR before, obviously), I finally get Bond back. And I get him back in style.

Edited by Messervy, 04 October 2010 - 08:23 AM.

[Mr Teddy Bear]

I really felt like making a Quantum of Solace TV Spot after I watched this, so this is what I came up with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AEDfvyGPaU

You nearly made it the entire way through without using the CR trailer Bond theme!

[Zorin Industries]

On the subject of Quantum, I find it hard to judge the film negatively at all considering that there was essentially no shooting script and scenes were made up on location. The boat chase, Tosca, Siena, all of that stuff was made up by Forster on the fly. Sure the dialogue is a little spotty at times but when you take into account that rewrites were taking place on set every day, largely by Forster and Craig, the fact that a Bond film of this caliber was crafted at all is a testament to the filmmakers. Writing a new Bond movie is hard enough, but creating a new one out of a rough outline and "inspiration" alone is a remarkable feat. The editing...say what you will. Other than that, kudos to Marc, because it really does take a genius to create what he has.

Whilst I think you are supporting the film, I would suggest some of your statements about the lack of script and shooting scripts to be a tad off the mark.

[DaveBond21]

Harkers, I agree with you wholeheartedly about Leiter or the lack of scenes including him in QOS. In fact, the scenes that Felix has are all excellent and the hints about his friendship with Bond are subtle. They're actually too subtle for most of the movie-going public though. There are always newcomers to Bond and they would be trying to work out who the character is.

It's the same with a lot of the action scenes and dialogue scenes - they are all to swift, too quickly edited. There are excellent lines delivered in a rush, or with too much background noise that you only pick them up after the 2nd and 3rd viewings - but that is something the average cinema-goer doesn't get - a second look.

In addition, I'll say it again, I feel sorry for the stuntmen on this movie who did a fantastic job in wonderful locations only for their efforts to be chopped up on the cutting room floor. A dangerous jump onto a bus - a great stunt - but edited so quickly that it could have been done with CGI. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if someone asked me "There's a scene where Bond jumps onto a bus?". You'd think a scene like that would linger in the memory.

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