http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0830515/ →
Finally had a chance to see the new Bond movie. For once I think the top reviews at IMDB are actually on point – too often they seem lenient with new movies. I just feel like breaking it down into a few bullet points.
- Liked the intro sequence. It lacked a bit of the pizazz from Casino Royale, but had a beauty reminiscent of Goldfinger’s (which has, by far, my favorite intro).
- The first quarter of the movie was very strong, with a classic cocktail of chase scenes and exotic locations. However – I must say the Bourne-esque, chopped up, nauseating editing made what ostensibly were well thought-out sequences, utterly confusing.
- The film gradually lost steam after that action-packed beginning. Key elements of the Bond franchise that even Casino Royale respected were entirely missing. I’m all for a visceral James Bond but a symbolic gadget and a slightly stranger bad guy would have gone a long way.
- Olga Kurylenko surprised me and was rather convincing in her role.
- Because Quantum of Solace picks up right where the story left off, you certainly feel that the film is integrated into a grander scheme. That’s good. Unfortunately QoS’s main purpose seems to be tying the loose ends for Bond to start on a clean slate in the third episode. That’s bad.
- I’m warming up to Daniel Craig as James Bond. He’s a bit too beefy and distinctive to be a spy in my opinion, but he’s a decent actor and represents a break in the series which I think was long overdue.
- Again I found Casino Royale to be a real breakthrough in bringing the series down to a serious level. The most positive addition QoS makes to this “realistic” setting was James doing some actual factual discreet spy work at the opera. If James Bond is to become a believable spy in his new adventures, he could – in addition to breaking people’s necks – do more sneaking around (uncovering secrets or what have you).
11:38 PM
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Tags: reviews, movies, james bond