Forgive me for stepping off briefly into the cinematic world; but since Ian Fleming provided the basis for the James Bond films through novels and short stories, I think I will allow myself to digress just this tiny bit.
Two nights ago, my boyfriend and I braved the snow (the streets were mostly clear, so it wasn't really that brave) to go to the dollar theater to see the newer Bond flick, Quantum of Solace. I hadn't seen a Bond movie since Pierce Brosnan portrayed Bond; in truth, I thought Brosnan's Bond flicks were a bit on the overproduced side. I wasn't expecting to see Daniel Craig portray Bond, either; but, boredom and cabin fever had set in and we decided that we could blow four bucks seeing Quantum of Solace.
Although QoS is only nominally a tip to Fleming's existing work (it's not based on the story with which it shares its title), I was pleased and surprised. Different from the schoomzingly suave Bond portrayed in recent years, Craig's Bond is wryly funny, extremely physical, and manages to do well with the ladies without resorting to ridiculous one-liners or catch phrases. In fact, the entire film seemed to deviate from the old Bond schtick; not once did Craig utter "Bond--James Bond" or ask for a martini, "shaken, not stirred." James Bond seems to be undergoing a metamorphosis as a character, and I think it is about time. He has become more of a real man who happens to have an utterly kick-ass job and less of a knowing wink at the camera.
QoS picks up the plotline that left off from Casino Royale in 2006. The plot from Casino Royale was largely taken from Fleming's novel of the same name, although there were obviously some changes to modernize the events; even though QoS doesn't share a plot with an existing Fleming work, it does thoughtfully explore a plot that Fleming had already put into place, which I appreciate. The difference between the two latest films and the ones preceding it for 10 years is significant.
Much like life, the plotlines for Casino and QoS do not unfold predictably. Even after having watched both films, it's still possible to have questions (at least for me) about what in the hell just happened. Although this sometimes makes for a bad movie, the two more recent Bond films give you plenty of satisfaction, nagging questions aside. Most of the action scenes are well-directed (only two or three in both films were hinting at over-produced), the sex scenes aren't smarmy, and the unbelievable cheek of Daniel Craig as Bond makes you smile. The bad guys die, and Bond lives to fight another day.
All in all, I'd say if you enjoy Fleming's work but haven't enjoyed the recent Bond adaptations, check out Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace before putting Bond to rest permanently. You might be surprised.
2 comments:
Compared to CR, I though QoS was a bit of a wet flannel. It didn't seem as of the action sequences matched the intensity of the previous movie.
But it's a good popcorn movie.
Ooh. I liked the action scenes in QoS, with the exception of a couple--I wasn't thrilled with the car chase scene, of course, and there was another one that I thought was over-the-top. I thought it was pretty decent overall, though.
Thanks for popping by!
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