Quantum of Solace Quick Reviews - No Spoilers

SiCo

Please post your spoiler free (quick) reviews here, these can be anything from a sentence to a paragraph.

If you wish to discuss elements of the film please post a new topic (or post in an existing one), this is for actual reviews & comments.

Moonraker 5

Woah. Can't believe I'm the first to post in here, so it's with a degree of disappointment that I have to open up with this.

I walked out of there extremely underwhelmed.

Jason Bourne goes on a global terminator-style killing fest using his British alias James Bond, apparently on a character building quest for vengeance. Sadly, neither that nor much of a plot exist. As the shortest Bond film of all time, it's too long.

** - Wait for the DVD

delon64

i agree with you...i have seen it twice and it wasnt any better on its second viewing...not only is bond a relentless killing machine but he keeps stopping to spout this ridiculous psychobabble about his motivations and feelings...maybe deepak chopra has replaced sir james molony at mi6...it is not the worst bond film but it is the least entertaining...bring back some fun and stop ripping off your history with the silly homages...three in this movie that i spotted...

double0seven7

Oh God. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Now us guys and gals in the States have 2 more weeks to worry.

I honestly think we'll look back on Craig's era and remember so fondly CR because it was so good, the reboot of the series and whatnot. I'm hoping they don't nose dive like Brosnan after a great start with Goldeneye.

John Drake

delon64 wrote:

i agree with you...i have seen it twice and it wasnt any better on its second viewing...not only is bond a relentless killing machine but he keeps stopping to spout this ridiculous psychobabble about his motivations and feelings...maybe deepak chopra has replaced sir james molony at mi6...it is not the worst bond film but it is the least entertaining...bring back some fun and stop ripping off your history with the silly homages...three in this movie that i spotted...

How have you managed to see it twice when it just had its world premiere on Wednesday and only opens in the UK today? Even the pirates aren't that fast in getting a copy out.

maddyhind

something of a letdown I'm afraid.
Poor villain, competent females, looks good, plenty of action but feels like a very generic action movie.Theme sucks but Arnold's score is OK most of the time- although, as with the score to LTK it sometimes make the action seem overwraught.Major step down from CR..sorry.
Will probably end up seeing it again with family

Loeffelholz

Okay...looks like I can be assured of four things, going forward...

1) Critical---and fan---response to QoS is officially very "mixed," from raves to a '1 out of 10' at the extreme ends. We're going to be talking about this one for a long time.

2) There will be a number of reviews that are completely predictable, in a Bonditical^TM 'party line vote' kind of way, and others (such as M5's) which I take as significantly more credible. Tossing out the predictable slaggers, it remains clear that the new film will both please and disappoint in large percentages...but disappointments appear to have the early edge...

3) By the time we Yanks finally get to view the film, it ought to be fairly clear, based on the U.K. market, whether the mixed reviews add up to a financially depressed box office return...which leads me to

4) This is going to be a very long two weeks

I'm withdrawing from active participation in the 'QoS Review' threads until I'm able to render a verdict of my own...

Thundernuts

Well I've just got home from the cinema and I loved it.

A worthy entry into the Bond canon and one that sets us up nicely for part three.

I think that if you look on this as the darker, middle act of a trilogy, then the newly re-booted Bond is now ready to be unleashed in the 'classic' Bond style that many of you seem far more comfortable with.

It's not as beautifully shot as CR,and there's a little too much 'Saving Private Ryan' type handheld camera work for my liking, but there are some wonderful moments of diaglogue and the laconic sense of humour is there.

Oh, and Daniel Craig is utterly superb. I'm hoping for four our five classic Bond films out of him now.

Like Craig said himself, I think they can do anything with him now, submarine bases, villains with white cats - the lot.

7/10 from me. I'm going for another look tonight.


(Oh - I noticed that the Universal Exports business card that Bond used at the quayside had the name 'R.Sterling' on it - I know Bond's used the name Sterling as a cover before but I can't recall the film - Anyone care to help me out?)

Napoleon Plural

Sounds like Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me, while posing as a marine biologist for a short chat with Stromberg.

Thundernuts

Thanks. My early thoughts were that it may have been Dalton pretending to want to buy a Great White Shark in LTK but for the rest of the movie I convinced myself it was a Moore film, but couldn't recall which.

TOOTS

Don’t think you’ll know about Bond XXII from what you have gleaned so far. Experiencing is exhilarating: you really have to judge for yourself so polarising is the film. Some fans are leaning right while the film turns left. The film is stunningly original - a bravely idiosyncratic entry in the series along with Dr No, FRWL, Goldfinger, OHMSS and CR. The action is intense, layered and cross-cut: Hitchcock + Coppola = Forster. There are lovely visual flourishes: this is a dense, rich 007 film (much more mealy than its 106 minutes). The story (Chinatown meets Total Recall meets Graham Greene meets Ian Fleming meets real-life sexed-up CIA/MI6 shenanigans) unfolds like a mystery but is well told if one pays attention. Not enough humour or panache but what there is works very well. Title sequence is good but not to the superb Kleinman standards. I'm amongst the few who actually liked the song but mix and synch on the titles does not do it justice. Camille, Greene and Medrano are underdeveloped. Daniel Craig is superb as Bond in either what could be his FRWL or LTK. Mathis steals the soul of the film.

clintos

I've just come back from the cinema and i'll give it a 3.5 out of five. Daniel Craig in my view is emerging as the best bond out of lot. watch the film and you'll see why. he is just a great actor. as for the film, it's just too fast, and I hate to admit it, but it has TOO much action and not enough plot. it's not a bad film and i'd rather watch this more than any of brosnans, but for me it was missing just a little bit of depth. But on the plus side the movie is worth watching just to see the progree of craigs bond.

avekev

What an amazing piece of film making. Ok the Bond purists will hate (maybe too strong a word - lets say dislike.)it but I can honestly say it blew me away.
If you look at it as the second part of the journey that Casino Royale started us on, then it all fits in place.
I don't want to write too much as I don't want to spoil it for the people that haven't seen it, but I just thought it was amazing and the gun battle scene at the Opera house was just inspired.

pickles007

Is it me or has daniel craig slipped you a fiver to give good reviews ??

Daniel as a Actor is good but he has been let down in my opinion by what must be Mark Fosters Direction.

Plus the action scenes are horrendous I stuggled to figure out what was going on .

On a positive note I love the scene at the opera stage in Austria it was reminsant to the spy who loved me scene at the pyramids.

Dmoinic Greene is put simply a lame bad guy very poor he looks to be a small fish in the big picture so I do suspect that the third film will be much more back to the old school bond structure.

Bring it back please bring it back !!!

Sorry guys but I am being honest I have nothing against Craig personally he is great as Bond but this will go down in the bottom 5 films IMO.

Where they spent the budget I will never know.

What a blooming shame !

Christmas Tounes

(If you haven't watched then Don't bother reading any reviews!! Just wait to make your own judgement, but be prepared for a shock even if you thought Casino Royale was different.)

+
Daniel Craig - great Bond
Car chase (best ever)
Lots of action
Theme tune and titles were great
M's character & her control room
Proper Fighting
Good looking girls
Opera sequence - mostly brilliant
Sets up nicely for the next film which...
..no doubt I will really look forward to.

-
Marc Forster X-(
Plot (If someone can explain everything to me I'll eat my laptop)
No gadgets
No Q
No moneypenny
No gunbarrrel at start
No 'Bond, James Bond'
All other characters completely undeveloped
Rapid speed/Poor editing ala Die Another Day - suddenly in another continent
Moments of cringe worthy unrealism - out of place
Gruesome pictures/thoughts/ideas not necessary
Location titles


ONE WORD REVIEW: POOR
RATING: 5/10 (generous)

pickles007

I was sat close to the front of the cinema would this have been why ??

Max E

TO Start my review:
Daniel Craig is a real good actor. He does Bond better than anyone before, and that is my opinion.

The story could be good. The movie is to short with lots of much things that happends. "It is like to much butter on a very little slice of bread."

MY problem is the director, it is his fault in my opinion, Daniel Craig acts exactly the same like Casino Royale, if just the film was longer it would more room of a good story.

A long and a good film as the third part of Bond hunting of Quantum would be perfectly.

I wanted answers in this FILM, but it just gave me more qeustions.

Christmas Tounes

Max E wrote:

I wanted answers in this FILM, but it just gave me more qeustions.

Same here!

Sir Miles

I caught the first showing around these parts..and I enjoyed it. It's Bond...but not as we know him.
Greene is under-developed as a character, I'd have liked much more from him...the action sequences are good and Craig delivers again..he's in serious danger of becoming my favourite Bond...
The film can be a bit too 'fast paced' at times...I'd have like a few more seconds to see what was actually happening...rather than being thrown all over the place...Bourne, huh ?
It's not CR, but then it was never going to be that good..still a good entry into the Bond cannon....although the title sequence left me underwhelmed...and they used a different version of the theme song too...Dench is on top form as well...plus I liked the very end shot..it reminds me of a paperback cover for OHMSS...

Overall - 8 out of 10.

I look forward to watching it again.

Max E

I really think that Craigs performance is 9/10 but the film just 8/10, but when I leaved the cinema, I just thought it was a good movie.

Thunderbird 2

I saw the film tonight, and am seeing it with friends on Sunday. After that I will be putting my media quals to good use and writing a review (spoilers and all!) which will NOT be posted here.

If you want to read it once it is completed, please feel free to send me an email, my address is on my profile. I will then reply with the review and a Hello!

UPDATE: Watch the film a second time! It makes much more sense!

delon64

to the rather doubting thomas john drake...a very good dvd copy was on sale in my local songtan dvd market on tuesday...it seems to be of russian origin...my pal in malaysia watched it on sunday...even earlier...please dont doubt my honesty again...and yes i will still watch it in the cinemas on wednesday

Lexi

Well I went into the cinema ready to be dissapointed....(not from DC, but from what I've read on here...and people's reviews so far.)

Well I WASN'T at all. It was IMHO a masterpiece. Absolutley brilliant. Craig was fantastic, as was Mathis and M. The fast paced action was quick and brutal, but it had to be. We had a very broken Bond and if the action scenes wern't as violent as they were, then it wouldn't be in line with Bond's emotions.

I do agree that Green's character was not developed enough, but the story telling, which was very subtle in places, managed to convey enough.

...and can I just point out...that people keep saying there is no humour. I must have been watching a different version of QoS to everyone else, as there were plenty of one liners, just all delivered in Bond Style....Dry.

Can't wait to see it again. (And I might even go and see it in the cinema as well.....the cimetography deserves it)

4.5 stars out of 5.

Golrush007

Yay! Some positive reviews. . . {[]

That's reassuring!

diamond

Much the same as others on here.

The gun barrel at the end was a let down. I am all for change but it has worked for 21 bonds so why change.

I think the new director has gone alittle off the mark with this new encounter. Casino royal i feel was a master piece. But this film although trying to show the dark side of bond which i have no problem with didnt do it for me.

The start killed it, the sound track was awful, i cant even remember how it went. The stunts although many didnt actually last that long.

Its true that how did M escape and i am sure she was shot.

Going from oil to water is acceptable because Bond was trying to find out what they were doing and hearing pipes to be laid presumed this.

But holding back water so he can charge higher rates is a little weak as a final story line.

I have to say i was let dwon by about half way through.

However people it cant really be compared to Bourne as bond came first.

There were alot of cynical people walking out last noght and although it was ok it was not Bond.

***
The point of this topic is to be spoiler free, you have discussed various plot points that people will not be aware of. Therefore the spoiler tags have been added.
***

Napoleon Plural

OY!!! SPOILERS DIAMOND! CHANGE THIS! :v :v

Pud2002

Saw the film yesterday morning so heres my quick review, Please bare in mind im no film reviewer but anyway here goes:

I like it



The end

Danny-Boy

ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!

A God-awful, Art House film, peppered with unexciting, herky-jerky action,
that has the AUDACITY to call itself a "Bond-Film"!! X-(

(An incredibly generous!) * out of 5

Lt A

Having read most of the broadsheet reviews this week, which were on the whole not very inspiring I was expecting, a rather dull, mixed up art house "jason bourne-istic" experience. I can happily say this was not my experience. Bond is back, he is dark, cruel, focused and unlike his predecessors eminently human. What the “professional” reviewers (yes I am being tongue in cheek) seem to forget is that this is a sequel to an unfolding story of Bond’s quest to find a level in his life, his slice of comfort in his time of grief. Street would say he’ trying to find “where he’s at” Fleming much more elegantly called it his “Quantum of Solace”. Bond’s way of achieving his level is by the only way he can, cold emotionless killing driven not by vengeance but the quest to find out why and by whom. Marc Forster I think understands this point in Bond’s life and how he would deal with it all and gives us his vision of what it would be like for Bond on his journey. The action starts from the first frame with a velocity and pace that never stops. Daniel Craig has made Bond believable, what would an educated, ex special-forces government assassin who has had his heart ripped out by a female be like? He would be like Craig’s characterisation of Bond, cold callous and determined. A man who has seized the initiative and will not stop until the mission is done. But underneath all that armour he is still just a man. Craig’s polished acting lets us see this humanity in the brief moments when Bond pauses to think about the cost of life before closing his heart and moving on. The film is fast hard hitting, relentless, only pausing briefly until the job is done. Mirroring Bond’s life during this time. Even the theme music by Jack White and Alicia Keys is probably what Bond might have listened to at this time of his life, angry dark and menacing. Only to be quickly replaced by something more to his taste once the mission is complete. I can see why Bond aficionado’s, have not warmed up to this period of his life, but like us all life has intense angry fast periods where we find it hard to keep up before it changes once again. If you understand Bond as he is now you will understand this film, take it for what it is and enjoy as I did.

i expect u2 die

I'm quite willing to use the word masterpiece.


Incredibly intense, yet fantastically stylish, this film packed such a punch. It was like no Bond film I've ever seen before - my breath was held for the entire running-time.

Full review coming up very soon

John Drake

Woah, three positive reviews in a row. :007)

I thought I would be sitting here writing a negative review, but no, I'm delighted to say that QoS delivers. Everybody on this site has their own idea of what a Bond film should be, and this one is mine. I'm aware that some people have already expressed their dislike and they're entitled to their opinion. If you have no time for OHMSS, or the Dalton films, or CR, then you're not going to be fond of QoS.

However, I haven't enjoyed a new Bond film this much since LTK, Craig is excellent and I'm baffled by the claims in some press reviews that he is just a killing machine. There's a lot going on behind those blue eyes and he brings real depth to scenes such as

Mathis dying

. As for the moment when he tells a distraught Camille

to close her eyes,

I swear every woman in the place swooned and probably shut their eyes as well. Both Bond girls are stunning. Arterton's prim Agent Fields has a naughty side, which is quickly unlocked by 007, very quickly, a pleasant surprise in these PC times. As for Olga, her Camille is wounded, but defiant, and a superb addition to the canon. I'm mystified by claims that there is no humour in QoS. I found it to be quite witty, And it takes its themes of loss and vengeance seriously, but not so much that it distracts from the action, which is intense, although enough with the over-editing already.

As for the gun-barrel, well there's two of them.

the first appears at the end of the PTS and morphs into the opening credits, and the traditional gun-barrel appears at the end

and it so good to see Craig finally making that walk. Some of you are going to hate this film. Others, Loeff, HH, your film of the year will be arriving soon. It's worth waiting for.