Six months on and QoS still s*cks
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SydneyPosts: 371MI6 Agent
I re-watched it recently:
Main criticisms:
1. The action is too fast to follow
2. The finale of the boat chase scene doesn't make sense
3. The interspersed footage of ordinary events during the action scenes adds no value at all
4. The villain is boring
5. The villain's ultimate goal is not big enough for a Bond film
6. The rape scene is offensive
7. Fields is silly and gratuitous in amongst such serious gritty drama
8. I never got that yummy Peter Stuyvestant commercial feeling that I get from older Bond films - being an arm chair visitor to the high life
Main criticisms:
1. The action is too fast to follow
2. The finale of the boat chase scene doesn't make sense
3. The interspersed footage of ordinary events during the action scenes adds no value at all
4. The villain is boring
5. The villain's ultimate goal is not big enough for a Bond film
6. The rape scene is offensive
7. Fields is silly and gratuitous in amongst such serious gritty drama
8. I never got that yummy Peter Stuyvestant commercial feeling that I get from older Bond films - being an arm chair visitor to the high life
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I agree with all your points delicious QOS is IMHO a very poor Bond film, bad editing and a very weak villian's plot. But over the months My hatred of it has ebbed,It wouldn't be in my top 15 or so Bond Films.and I hope it's a one off and not the shape of the direction the rest of the series will follow.
Then again as with all things Bond some will Hate it others will Love it.Like blueman my favorite Bond is OHMSS with CR second yet QOS just dosen't do it for me.
Hopefully for Bond 23 they'll of invested in a steadycam so we'll be able to follow the action.
I agree with you. QOS is for me still a dissapointment, but after the third viewing not the complete disaster I first saw. I think that although the 'numbers' were good Eon will not have failed to notice the at best very mixed critical and fan reaction. I hope that now it's out of the way that 23 will be superb. Small comments from Eon/Craig are fueling a lot of hope. If the next one is anywhere near OHMSS or CR I'll be delighted.
I fear that the strong Box Office for QOS was driven by how good CR was and the 'new Bond effect' rather than the quality of the film itself (reminds me of Thunderball in that respect) If this is the case it could make it a tough environment for 23 to succeed in
I think QOS has some brilliant bits in it, and I'll agree that the villian is weak, and that his plan is even weaker, but there's some great classic Bond scenes, a great car and car chase, plenty of action and a great running thread with Quantum. In my opinion the good far out-weighs the bad and I think the tone is now set for a new line of more familiar Bond films.
Wouldn't it be great if we could all get together and write the perfect Bond film - imagine the differences in opinion there!
http://apbateman.com
So I try to be an optomist and hope that on some future viewing I'll get it and see the movie the fans of QOS see. and I'd love to see the movie made by a commitee of Bond fans,as they say a camel is a horse designed by a committee.
Some films do, you can get a different take on it if it's an acquired taste.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I liked QoS. But the song was just awful.
However the plot was mundane, the villian was servicable but unremarkable, and the actions sequences were shoddy. "Being in the action" is the worst P.O.V you can ever have for a film, you can't register much. Anyone who has even been in a fight knows what I mean. You have to show audience because people are watching, everything has to be coherent.
The performances were all good, in my own humble opinion, and Craig was brilliant in his restraint, during the film's few quiet moments; it's worth noting that even the most virulent reviews were largely complimentary of Craig himself, who utterly owns the part at this point (actually, I believe he assumed full ownership during the torture sequence in CR).
I miss the 'Favourite Films' feature...QoS is ranked sixth overall for me. But I can completely understand its detractors' complaints. It's unapologetic in its intent---which, according to Marc Forster, was to be "Like a bullet fired from a gun"---and that appeals to me as well...but I'm hoping they trend a bit more traditional (not too much!) with the next one.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I disagree. It took me three viewings, but eventually I could at least see some of what was evident and compelling to others. My determination was driven by the fact that a number of people here who clearly 'know their Bond' liked it meant that it had to have some value ( I now would rank it about 8 or nine overall )
I planned to write a defence of QoS, but this is better than what I could have written. "CR's angry and misunderstood brother" is what it is.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
ohh and by the way the finale of the boat occured because bond took the hook from the tow/ realer boat he had, swung it ontop of the other boat and pressesd the lever to real in the cord which forced the enemy boat to travel straight down into the water on a parabolic path.............obviously.
~ Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
The plan was relatively mundane, but Quantum were still going to ruin the lives of millions of people and hollow out Bolivia to make a profit. However Quantum is now more dangerous than was anticipated in CR, with agents in the highest levels of business and government (including Britain's).
The film isn't perfect: it could use some more humor, a gadget or two, some more well choreographed action sequences, and a more ambitious scheme (in other words, a few more ingredients of the classic formula). Some of Forster's scenes also go a wee bit too artsy for my taste at times. But I'll give him props for trying some different stuff and being a little daring. Overall it does work for me.
Given that the producers are either unwilling or unable to give us the spectacles like TB, YOLT, OHMSS or TSWLM anymore, I'll take the terse, focused action of QoS over the long-winded, exposition heavy style of CR.
Was that the case ? Just asking because I never heard about any troble during production.
Yes that was another of the film's accomplishments. They made Quantum a very smart operation.
I admit that is true of certain films and certain genres. I remember not having a clue what was going on in Pulp Fiction, but in a later (much later) viewing I thought it was brilliant. However, the type of film QOS is, with the type of audience on this site, I don't see it suddenly leaping out at them. If you don't like it after two or three viewings, I don't think you ever will.
http://apbateman.com
Well to begin with a stunt driver died and Craig suffered minor injuries.
There still seemed a lot of mystery to them and they must be more to them than just planning military coups to bilk the water utilities.
Yeah I forgot about that unfortunate death. Craig getting injured dosen't surpise me though, it's inevitable in an action film.
I loved the intricate planning and the meeting at the opera house. Hopefully their next appearance will provide a more interesting scheme.
All movies could be better in some way or other. Even classics such as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are by no means perfect. CR has way too long poker scene, and DC taking his jacket of at a casino is just a tad too "laddish" to portray a "secret-agent-man-portraying-a-highstakes-gambler".
The so called "classic formula" version of the arial duel in QoS would have without a doubt had DC wearing bell bottoms and fighting a giant henchman with strange dental implants on a wing of an aeroplane while quipping to Camille (who is holding two glasses of champagne and is helplessly screaming "OH JAMES LOOK OUT!!!!!) "Hi's trying to give head, but I'm not that interested in him" I just don't think it would have made too many people happy.
IMHO, QoS is better than anything that has RM in it (except maybe LALD), and way better than TD's run as Bond. Yet, QoS is confusing in it's camerawork, that is true. I mean, on the first viewing, who could figure out what killed Mr. Slate? Furthermore I am still not quite satisfied with a stumpy and blond as a Bond. If we are not holding on to the specs specified by Ian, why not have Samuel L. Jackson as Bond the next time?
-Mr Arlington Beech
In order for oo7 to remain relevant, the films have to change with the times. QOS is the best action film I have seen in ages - yes the editing is quick and you have to pay attention - but there are with sufficent pauses to develop charecters and have a laugh.
No, you don't find "jaws", "largo with eyepatch", "laserbeams" etc... doesn't need them. Villians are not always supposed to be leering one eyed maniacs. Evil can be an attitude, or a business conference, or a brutal rape - an action I too find "offensive" - which sadly occurrs far too often in the real world.
I think the film succeeds in flying like a bullet, and hits the mark!
If you think the villians evil plot is weak - oops! You missed the point of the film. It's not about Greene or Greene Planet or Quantum, its about Bond searchng out some measure of closure for the death of his love. Quantum is a "McGuffen", helping to move the action along.
If you are home watching Roger Moore Bond, and grieving the loss of those "golden days" this film is not for you. As someone who darn near needed jaw surgery as a result of Moore and Brosnan's tenure as Bond, I am at last feeling relief.
So as not to derail this thread too much with my praise, I will offer two negative observations:
The CGI Walther PPK in the credits does not function properly and looks like a PEZ replica.
The "gunbarrel" in the gunbarrel sequence, while an improvement over previous "gunbarrels" looks nothing like a real gun barrel. At least they used a real barrel in the first few films, but in the past thirty odd years none of the special effects "wizards" has bothered looking down a real pistol barrel, before undertaking this effects "shot". Maybe this is because of the strict UK gun laws - or because of sheer lazyness .... whatever!
I'm warning EON, I won't put up with this shoddy work much longer!!!!
Bond’s Beretta
The Handguns of Ian Fleming's James Bond
The revenge element was the theme but that dosen't mean the Quantum plot was meant to be just filler. The build up was rather well done but the payoff was weak.
I would pay good money for a PEZ PPK.
7.65mm pez or 9mmk pez?
Seriously though, I thought the sand PPK was pretty cool.
I FINALLY found a decent pre ban Ulm PPK. I love it. (don't tell my wife)
I hope it doesn't turn to sand and go away.
Whoops, it's -{ oclock.
This film gets better and better for me with each viewing. I just had the enjoyment of watching the Blu-ray version of it the other night and walked away from it thinking, "Boy, I was completely wrong about this film." The quick cut action scenes do get much easier to follow.
I think if Craig can put in one more stellar effort as Bond he will surpass Connery for me as my favorite Bond. The two would be tied as my favorites right now.
The foot chase scene that follows White's interrogation is fantastic. There's something about Craig and the way he runs down an adversary that is just so completely believable. I don't know if its that determined look of concentration Craig gets on his face in those scenes but I commented during that foot chase last time I saw it that I could watch a Bond movie of Craig in a foot chase if that was the entire film.
The look of shock and remorse Craig displayed when M confronted him on the death of Agent Fields was bang on as well. This guy just seems to understand what Bond's character is about.
Shame really, six months ago and I would have agreed with your post 100%...now, I would almost rank it in my top five. How's that for a turn about?
Had the PEZ PPK, the square muzzle was annoying.
Congrats on the new Ulm version!
Smoke_13,
You're right!!!
Bond’s Beretta
The Handguns of Ian Fleming's James Bond
And does it originate from filthy origins or not? ?:)
Roger Moore 1927-2017
More a vulgarity than a swear, I think. And yes, its origins are pretty filthy: what do you think is being sucked?