Friday 31 October 2008

Quantum of Solace Review


Quantum of Soulless, Graham Rye called it in his review and that doesn't bode well considering he is a well known fan and president of the James Bond fan club. He went on to score the film 1/10.

I, a lifetime Bond fan, went to the cinema tonight and walked out after about forty minutes - The film is boring and has gone so far down the Bourne route that this doesn't feel remotely like a 007 adventure.

I've seen every movie at the Cinema in its week of release since Moonraker and I won't be going again unless they do away with this new direction and get back to real James Bond.

I was one of the few people not buying into the Casino Royale is wonderful camp - I said then that this was not real James Bond and no, Daniel Craig, is nothing like the character of Fleming's novels. Given time I believe that Casino Royale's massive financial success will be seen as something like the emporar's new clothes. Reinvention and making everything uber dark might work for Batman but it has no place in a James Bond movie.


The film doesn't even start with the Bond theme - I believe it gets played at the end but can't say for sure as I wasn't going to sit through this flashy trash in order to get some semblance of the movie character I have grown up with.

This film is so bad that, if the film makers don't pull a reversal and bring back the celluloid Bond that has always been a success then it could be the end of the franchise. Much has been made of Daniel Craig's gritty realistic perfomance and whilst he is the best thing in the film he is terribly mis-cast. He'd made a great classic Bond villain, though.

Since Cubby , always the guiding hand in the franchise, passed away it is criminal the damage Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have done to the series. It's all very well banging on about reboots and bringing realism in but you've got to understand what makes the franchise work in the first place. These two clearly have no idea. Casino Royale was more Bourne than Bond and Quantum of Solace moves even further into Bourne territory.

George Lazenby will be able to breath a sigh of relief - no longer will he be remembered as the worse Bond.

Quantum of Solace 1/5

(PICTURED - CLASSIC BOND IMAGES FROM A TIME WHEN THE FRANCHISE WAS HEALTHIER)

8 comments:

Ben Willans said...

Wow! you didn't like this one then! I have to admit that i'm sick of hearing about it. Although I am generally anti-Bond.

Charles Gramlich said...

Wow! You sound like a fan betrayed. Us Star Trekkers have been through that.

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

Yeah, I do feel like a fan betrayed. I've got my fingers crossed for the new star trek. The advance pics look good.

Ben Willans said...

I can't imagine that the new trek film is gonna be anygood with JJ at the helm. Plus, ya know, recasting.

Anyway back to Bond. Gary, I am concerned that your distaste for the film is the result of its lack of Dermot O leary. Say it aint so!

David Cranmer said...

I hate to hear this. I was hoping they were on the right track with this series. Question: If you liked Casino Royale would you like Quantum of Solace? I think you have made some very good points about Casino but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

David - I don't think likeing Casino Royale will guarantee liking QOS. QOS is quite simply a mess. I mean as an action movie I like Casino Royale but I just don't see it as a Bond film.

David Cranmer said...

Thats unfortunate. I will probaby wait until it hits DVD.

Keith said...

I'm a huge fan of Bond. I had high hopes for this film. I've heard a lot of mixed reaction on this one. There have been quite a few negative reviews. I plan to see it when it hits the States. I feel bad that the producers have taken 007 down this road. He seems nothing but a knockoff of Bourne.

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