Bond 22 named: Quantum of Solace

[SmokeMeAKipper]

I was disappointed - I felt the plot was a mess. Daniel Craig was fine, the story wasn't. It wasn't bad by any means, I was just deflated from expecting something as good as Casino Royale.

[Matt]

I enjoyed it. Great story, didn't treat the audience like idiots (ahem, the exposition of the poker game in the last film). Moved very quickly, could have done with a bit more drama and a bit less action amazingly enough.

Some directorial missteps but on the whole, a great film. I liked the beginning action sequence with the camera tight, in fact I'd say it didn't go far enough. The occasional longer shot ruined it, you were right in the action otherwise. However, other scenes would have benefited from pulling back a little. I can see they wanted to create a sense of confusion in the action, but that should have been confusion from Bond's perspective; we should always know what person Bond is, and during the

->Open Spoiler<-

fight on the ropes

you couldn't tell who was who half the time. Easy enough to fix, put them in difference clothes!

No chemistry between Bond and the women, who were Generic. A shame after the last one.

4 stars out of 5 for me for an adult Bond film.

[ezee ryder]

Watched this tonight, really enjoyed it. As Chain said it is more adult and therefore personal Bond film. Some top notch action scenes and a decent story too. Daniel Craig is fast becoming my favourite Bond even if I prefer the Bourne movies over Bond anyday!

[PrayforMojo]

I only found out yesterday that Daniel Craig is a local lad. He grew up in Hoylake on the Wirral, and went to school at Hilbre, which up until now was only famous for an urban legend involving a schoolgirl and a test tube. He's also a big Livepool fan, which I can't help taking a bit of pride in. Sad I know, but when your only celebrity fans are Stan Boardman and Jimmy Tarbuck, it's nice to be able to add James Bond to the list.

More useless information - Sylvester Stallone is an Evertonian. True fact. He was at Goodison a few seasons ago and asked a steward if he could see some silverware.

"Sure, I'll show you around, but it'll take a good ten minutes." said the steward.

"Wow." said Sly. "You must have loads?"

"Nah, not really, that's how long it takes to walk to Anfield."

Ba boom tish.

[Nisa]

Was massively dissaponted with this, weak story, boring villain and badly shot action scenes. Daniel Craig continues to be a decent Bond but he needs better material than this if the claims of "best Bond ever" are to be taken seriously. Hopefully the next film will actually delve into the whole Quantum aspect of the story a lot more than this one did.

[CMcK]

I quite enjoy Quantum but I have to agree about the action sequences. The jump cuts are too quick and at 24fps you can't keep up.

[Matt]

I quite enjoy Quantum but I have to agree about the action sequences. The jump cuts are too quick and at 24fps you can't keep up.

You really don't notice 24fps in films until you get vista pans. What you're probably referring to is the fast shutter speed used when filming that, when combined with 24fps, gives things that "jumpy" look. If they slowed the shutter speed down and increased exposure time, it would be much smoother, but you'd lose the immediacy of it.

I think a lot of the problems people will have with the action are more to do with spatial awareness. You're in very tight and without some establishing shots of the terrain and people, you can't keep track of who is where, or even who everyone is half the time.

As I've said, I think the opening was brilliant, and if anything didn't go far enough - keep in tight, keep the action confusing, but keep it from Bond's perspective (not literally his POV!) so the audience knows where he is at all times. A bit more work in the editing bay and it would have been a masterful sequence.

Action sequences have been going this way the last few years. It's a reaction to the over elaborate and choreographed Matrix style. When they pushed that style further in the Matrix sequels, it didn't work out too well and left the audience cold - everyone thought they wanted more elaborate action, but I think the result was to disconnect the audience from the emotional experience.

The new, "modern" style isn't actually as new as people think; certainly it wasn't created by the Bourne team, though they did expand on it. Watch the original Lethal Weapon, the end fight between Riggs and Mr. Joshua. There are probably even earlier examples I can't think of right now.

[dvdmike]

Just gave it a second watch, for me it still holds up twice in just over 24 hours

[NW2013]

It probably does, takes some digesting this film. Watched one of those preview programs about it this afternoon and sat there thinking, 'enjoyed that bit, and that bit...And that bit', etc.

[Rossco]

Seen this today and being a huge Bond fan I came away from this almost feeling a little let down. I don't want to say that cause it makes me feel like I'm being too harsh but I was left wanting more. The story was a bit messy I thought and as everyone says, some of the action scenes are too close, fast and confusing. Plus the girls weren't that good, could have been used better and the villain was kinda ****.

But I still loved it too. Craig was brilliant, the action scenes were mental, the Aston Martin as usual is class. And it's got the odd hot chick and funny jokes to keep it from being too serious all the way.

I definitely want to see it again and hopefully it will grow on me more. But I left it thinking it wasn't as good as Casino Royale.

PS - Can someone change the name of this thread, it's annoying me now!

[NekoFever]

I really liked this. I wasn't a huge Casino Royale fan - good but overrated - and my expectations weren't high based on middling reviews from critics that I like, but I had a good time. Quantum could be a great adversary for the next couple of films.

What I hated more than anything, though, was the stupid shaky cam. Casino Royale didn't copy Bourne there so you could see the stunts and fight choreography, but here there were fights where I couldn't tell who was hitting who because it was just two blokes in suits and the camera waving around. The only time it stayed still was when it was showing off another Sony phone.

The shaky cam is evil and the sooner it goes out of fashion the better.

[SuperDanX]

Loved it!

[abigsmurf]

just seen it, thought it was poor.

Fast blurry cuts in actions scenes which meant you couldn't see anything. No real plot or direction, just bond moving from one pretty location to another for no real reason. The twist in the big evil scheme was obvious

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once the taxi driver practically spelled it out 1/3rd through the film. The hydrogen fuel cells which were there just for the hotel to explode...

[MJ]

I watched it this afternoon and didn't think much of it. I found the plot a bit messy and was glad when it ended and if I had known it related to Casino Royale so much, I would have watched it again to refresh the story.

[EvilBoris]

I thought it was a bit meh. Lacking too many 007 hallmarks for me, no gadgets, no comedy, no real villain. Generally found it very unmemorable, which at least Casino Royale wasn't.