So...how was it. Well I really enjoyed myself. The opening of the film is so well done, and the shots used are inspired, I think the Aston chase may in face be the best pre title sequence, from the moment you see the mountain and the sea and the music starting to rise up you know your on to a winner.
Jack White's song has aged well imo, and fits really well. One thing I really noticed is the energy around those opening minutes, what with pretitles and the main titles playing, I couldnt keep the grin ff my face and then things went a little wrong.
The probelms with the film seem to come out in the first half. This is mostly down to poor editting choices. The film moves too quickly, and the story suffers for it. The film totally forgets t give us a plot till around half an hour into the film and due to this bad story telling device, we end up with a prolonged scene with Green, Camille and Medrano. It runs too long adn the whole plot is crammed in, so essential the film dosent need to worry about dealing with any more plot points untill another half hour in. This is a major flaw as Bond spends so little time on screen in Haiti.
The action is brilliant though and I really love it, but you need something for it all to hinge of and Solace dosent have it in the opening half, theres nothing too engaging about it. Though there are great scenes, I love the Mr White interrogation, it plays so well and anything with Judi Dench is stellar.
The films second half is very good mind, bascially from the moment Bond gets to Tosca and meets Mathis. Forster shows his genius in the Tosca scenes, it carrys such great energy to it, and is relentless. I loved it, the music throughout it really set you on the edge of your seat. It is possibly one of the best segments in any Bond film, and is so artfully done.
One thing Forster does so well is capture the locations, yu really get a sense of the travelling as you go from one country to another. He really gets to the nitty gritty of each location, almost like hes shooting an enirely new film when we find ourselves in a new locale. What adds to each location is David Arnold's score, to often before Arnold spent his days trying to copy John Barry, and failing. Here he seems to tear up he rule book and go for a completely new sound which is really fitting for the movie and very different, in particular the night at the opera music and the music that plays for the latter part of the Haiti segment when Bond is alone on the boat and rides back to port with Camille passed out ext to him.
Forster is a great director, and some of his angles are really well done, there are some odds shots int he film like when Mitchell runs through the square or the aston first pulls to the safe house, I really loved them, it all felt very Hitchcockian and abstract. One thing he does so well is rip such a great performances from his actors. Craig is on fire, there is something about him when he looks at the camera, he has such a presence. Olga is amazing, a real talent and brings so much to the role. Giannia and Dench are brilliant and the chemistry the pair share with Craig is evident on screen. Amalric is such a great villian, and I think it a sin Greene can't be considered to have a place in the villain hall of fame, I love his intense creepy aura, it reminds me of Peter Lorre. There's this great creepy little man syndrome ging on.
Craig though is the heartbeat of the film and carrys it entirely. He is bloody good. I love the reckless nature of his Bond, you never quite know what he will do next, hes never calculated, he just goes ina nd sees what happens. Its such a bold step to take Bond, casue hes typical seen as being the one man you can rely on to have a plan. Craig though brings this great feral energy. His Bond is like a wild animal that had been allowed to run amok with a gun. He is truly inspired in the part. Not only though can he do the physical side of things, but his acting is top notch. Mathis's death is so well handled and truly is handbreaking as is Bond holding Camille in the burning building. All the scenes with Dench sizzle and his moments with he has such a great relaxed nature with Giancarlo.
All in all the film has aged well in the last 2 years and makes for a good re-watch, if for nothing else then to simply seen Daniel Craig firing on all cylinders.
Edited by Pierce - Daniel, 13 February 2011 - 11:51 AM.
