41 replies to this topic

[DR76]

As far-fetched the idea that she's a nuclear scientist . . .

Why? Because she looked like a PLAYBOY centerfold in a T-shirt and shorts? Are female nuclear scientists supposed to be 30 or 40 something women with plain features and a boyish figure? Denise Richards was at the right age to portray a young scientist. And she handled the technobabble rather well. She is not in Sophie Marceau's class, as an actress. Then again, she didn't resort to hammy acting, the way Marceau did in the movie's last half hour.

I had no problems with her.

[Achille Aubergine]

Are female nuclear scientists supposed to be 30 or 40 something women. Denise Richards was at the right age to portray a young scientist.

Excuse me, but it's obvious that she was the right age to portray a young scientist, she was 28.
Not so far from the "female scientist supposed to be 30 something" isn't it ?

A doctor had logically a Doctorate. In most countries, that refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field.
The middle ages for a Doctorate it's 28 (link below excuse me it's in French)...Dr Jones could have been 35 it would be more realistic for a Doctor in nuclear physic who operates on these class of weapons.
And by the way, 35, in a tiny short, it's always possible you know...

http://www.cereq.fr/...qsup/Tab11.html

Edited by Achille Aubergine, 04 December 2010 - 09:19 PM.

[JimmyBond]

I can't agree with the premise of this thread. The problems with this film lie with the script and directing. The film starts off strong, and tries for some interesting ideas, but it all falls apart in the second half (though I think I may be one of the few people who actually enjoys the finale on the sub).

[Achille Aubergine]

The film starts off strong, and tries for some interesting ideas, but it all falls apart in the second half

That's the main idea indeed. TWINE is good but seems badly achieve. This young actress is not the major problem of it, just a miscast.

[Messervy]

If TWINE did not have denise richards...........?

Well, hopefully they would have found another attractive starlet with minimal resume to replace her.

Ta dum!

As the long-time defender of TWINE that I am, even I'm not oblivious to the faults that it has. And as much as I'm not Ms Richards hugest fan when it comes to the acting-stakes, I think it's only fair that she gets some exoneration from the baying mob! Is she really the weakest character in the film? As far-fetched the idea that she's a nuclear scientist, as ham-handed the "Christmas" puns are, TWINE's failure to reach the heights it aspired to aren't centred in the character of Christmas Jones - she is completely in-line with far too many of the female characters that EON have come up with. Worse than Ekland's Goodnight? No. Roberts' Stacey Sutton? No. Worse than even Arterton's Fields (sorry, IMHO she adds nothing to QoS - I find the other female lead far more interesting and whose potential as a character is never tapped as much as it could have been). No!

TWINE is about Bond-Elecktra, and despite Brozza's best efforts, I'm never convinced by the dynamics of that relationship, buried as it in its bizarre battle of shape-shifting accents and hyper-obvious emoting by the two leads.

Replacing Richards wouldn't have changed the finished product. Replacing Marceau and TWINE might really have been onto something.

I do agree with you; I also enjoy pretty much TWINE. If TWINE has many defects, it's obviously not only Denise Richards' fault. But she does have a part in this: her acting is quite poor and she never really tries to be anything else than a featherbrained Bond "bimbo" girl.
The movie could have been much better, and part of this is due to her. Only part, but part nonetheless.

[Messervy]

As far-fetched the idea that she's a nuclear scientist . . .

Why? Because she looked like a PLAYBOY centerfold in a T-shirt and shorts?

Well, actually, yes.
I know Bond movies are everything but realistic, but then again you still need some conection with reality to make the plot and adventures at least a trifle credible. And, yes, she does look completely out of range. I'm not saying scientists should look ugly, but I've never met one (and I did meet many) who could qualify for Playboy centerfold. It's ok to have a nice-looking Elektra, but a Playmate nuclear scientist is just too far fetched.

[ChristopherZ22]

..... almost clueless direction from Michael Apted;

Agreed on all points, but especially on the above.

I believe he has probably done stirling work on the 7 Up TV series, but I feel has shown himself to be consistently out of his depth in film and massively out of synch on Bond.

Thanks for mentioning the 7 Up TV series. I could barely make it past 28 UP. The series bored me to death. The concept doesn't work because when a filmmaker randomly selects a group of average every day people, they are likely going to be uninteresting. The subjects were somewhat interesting when they were 14, but grew to be quite boring when they reached 28. I also got bored with the constant flashbacks from the first film, 7 Up.

[SamuelKevlar]

I've only seen the 49Up version (I think it helps to see it as one film with layers added every seven years) but I thought it was fascinating. It was never intended as a series, merely a cross-section of British children of the time, which has now grown into a cross-section of adults. It's surprising how some people fit the mould they were born into, just as others broke out of it. The man who started out at university, then became a labourer, then a homeless man, then got into local politics is one who comes to mind especially. I love freeform character studies like this.

As for Denise Richards, she's the weakest of Brosnan's leading ladies but she's far from the worst in the canon, and TWINE is wildly underrated even with her contribution. Apted's a capable director (check out the TV series Rome) but I'll agree he's not the most visually inventive.

[SecretAgentFan]

I wonder where the "Caroline Munro is not believable as a helicopter pilot"-thread is...

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

If Crishtmas Jones wouldn't have existed in The World is not Enough...

Bond would have shot Elektra down...
He'd stopped and killed Renard alone...
He'd go to a disco in Turkey and met a blonde gal...
He'd have kissed her, but without having sex (spur of the moment thing)...
He'd have ended alone, sad because of Elektra's betrayal, but solace-filled for that blonde gal he met at the disco.

Mmmm hey... that sounds familiar... Isn't that right Aris?

[Jim]

I wonder where the "Caroline Munro is not believable as a helicopter pilot"-thread is...

Quite; albeit made by a documentary maker, a documentary TWINE is not. Unless, instead of 7 Up or 28 Up, he thought he was making Up, in which case it's a remarkable success.

Denise Richards is substantially the least worst aspect of the tragic mess as far as I'm concerned. Terrible, true, but less terrible than the others.

[Dekard77]

Poor scripting, terrible direction, Brosnan performance is flat and the others join in when they appear and finally meaningless action scenes. At least during the John Glen era the plot twists were fun to watch and made sense. The movie ranks with AVTAK(the acting was decent). Nothing good ever happened.
I don't understand why Bond must be humanised when clearly he does the exact opposite in the next scene. Purvis and Wade must be exited allowing more seasoned and witty screenwriters to make a Bond movie.