New Bond Movie - Not So Great

Look, I have to admit, I think nearly any movie can be improved by a good chase scene, but not the latest Bond film Quantum Of Solace.  In fact I even have a hard time calling it a true Bond film since it was nothing more than an hour and an eternity of nothing but chase scenes.

To most of us red blooded American boys, Bond represents the ultimate cool.  He doesn't need a rubber suit, or the ability to leap tall buildings to score the right to be called a hero, although he has had his share of rubber suits and tall leaps in his career.

No, Bond is cool because, well, because he is Bond, James Bond, the secretive agent of the good guys fighting in the unseen wars of espionage against nearly equal, but not quite, bad guys who are so sneaky that only James can stop them from accomplishing their dirty little schemes.

Oh, and did I forget to mention, he can apparently seduce the most gorgeous women by just looking at them, which of course explains why guys stare at girls in bars.

So when I heard that the newest guy to play Bond, Daniel Craig, had just come out with a new film I couldn't wait to go see it.  I mean, what new gadget might "M" give him to use as a weapon in his ongoing fight against the bad guys?  What devious plot might he unravel just in the nick of time to save the world?   How might he use his sophistication to ease into and out of the tightest spots?

So, popcorn in hand I nestled into my seat and waited for the hot new opening scene and the familiar music set to a new score.  Bam.  Wrong.  Not the same music, not the same opening, not even the same look to the film.

What this movie did was take my love of a chase scene and turn God only knows how many millions of dollars into one of the worst examples of a Bond film I've ever seen.  What was the plot, who is the enemy, why did Bond miss the chance to get the guy he was after so many times, why all the crappy camera work, why is Bond now more of a thug bent on revenge than the smooth operator who only slightly bends the rules to get the job done?

Sure the movie has a couple of pretty gals in it.  Yes, Bond drives and destroys a couple of real nice cars.  And yes the tension is pretty high.  But Craig did a terrible disservice to the James Bond we all came to know and love in the portrayals created by Sean Connery.

Craig has the ability to be a great Bond.  But the screenwriters and the directors who get the next chance to make a Bond movie better get back to basics, more tuxedo wearing, casino shots in Monte Carlo, more vodka martinis in a hotel suite with a gun toting double agent in stiletto heels, more gadgets (hell, go to Sharper Image if you have to) and less of the thug personality that Craig has been written into would be my recipe for success.

But then again, I'm just Carey, Marcus Carey.

Comments

[KYJurisDoctor]

Thanks for the review. I am a HUGE Bond fan ( I prefer Jason Bourne, though) -- I have seen ALL Bond movies, except the one you just reviewed -- but I'm going to save my money now instead of going to see it this weekend as I had pre-planned.

I'll now wait for the DVD rental.

[BimBeau]

Marcus,

You done gude. Won't waste my money. I'll spend my weekend (no football this weekend) cleaning out the garage.

I'm so appreciative that you saved me $4.00 (Senior rate - you know?) that I won't even spend any time at all painting the target. Plan on a 02 December delivery of said and earlier referrenced target. I got the deminsions from Jake.

Bim

Bimbo no like movie. No understand words in title. Bimbo like candy.