Cool News
Mastidon's Spoiler-Free QUANTUM OF SOLACE Review!!
Merrick here...
Our man Mastidon is back, continuing one of several write-ups/reports/interviews from the premiere of QUANTUM OF SOLACE.
This film definitely has flaws, but the more I think about it the hornier I get for it - thanks in no small part to director Marc Forster's slick, invigorating, relentless style. I 100% agree with Mastidon's assessment that one really needs to see CASINO ROYALE again before seeing QUANTUM; there were several instances in this new film when I couldn't recall specific CR details that were being referenced, which was distracting and frsutrating.
Here's what Mastidon has to say.
Hey guys,
Mastidon here with my review of THE BOND ULTIMATUM, err I mean QUANTUM OF SOLACE. This review is spoiler free. Spoiler version to follow.
The pictures below were taken by Merritcat on the night of the premier. More to follow with my cast interviews....
First let me begin by saying that this is the first true Bond sequel. I am well aware that other Bond movies continue stories from past films. However, this is the first film that requires you to not only have seen its predecessor, but to have seen it recently. Several plot points continue straight from CASINO ROYALE with no explanation of events or characters. Quantum is not really a new film, but just the second half of Casino. It opens 1 hour after Casino ends. I highly recommend you watch Casino again shortly before going to see Quantum otherwise you will probably miss some things.
Daniel Craig
I have seen a few comments about this film like "Bond is dead". Bond is definitely not dead, but the gadgets are. When Bond first appeared in the 60s, in order to achieve the computing power of my cell phone you would have needed a decent sized warehouse full of equipment. In the 70s and early '80s, high tech was still an infant and out of the hands of most consumers. The gadgets started going wrong when tech toys became common place in the home. Each film had to have more spectacular toys than the last in order to satisfy the fan base.
Judi Dench
The problem is tech was moving too fast to make anything exciting and new. This all came to a head in a desperate attempt to stay ahead of the curve with the invisible car. But really, where else could they have gone? The car was their last ditch effort at toys and it clearly didn't work. This was the moment the gadgets died. Today they are demoted to background devices. Nothing too fancy, just a prop but certainly not part of the story. If anything they have become a Sony ad in a Bond film. They are dead, time to move on.
Bond has evolved into a Bourne style film that is far closer to a reality based action film than a science fiction one. Ian Fleming's' original intent was to give you insight into this covert world. Who is this spy James Bond and how would he be if you met him on the street? The only way possible, cold and calculating. He is a guy who would kill you in an instant for looking at him funny. He lost the love of his life and now he is out to find out who took her from him stopping at nothing and leaving nothing but dead bodies behind.
The villain in this one, Dominic Greene played by Mathieu Amalric, doesn't seem menacing or evil.
Mathieu Amalric
No blood dripping from his eyes. No pointy metal teeth. In fact, on the surface he seems like a guy you want to get to know as he seems to be somebody doing some good in the world. This too is a major shift in the Bond universe. Taking today's world and making a villain who will scare the hell out of you when you compare him to similar people in power at this moment in time. Are the people we let lead our countries and who run our major corporations evil at the core? Is there some unknown organization controlling them? This thought alone should keep you up at night and is the reason this is probably the scariest villain to date.
I couldn't write an unbiased review without having to mention the evil known as product placement. Quantum crosses the line here. One scene in particular is a giant airline ad - not to mention the endless shots of Sony logos. And since when does James Bond drive a Chevy?
The action is everything you would come to expect from a Bourne film. Fast paced with quick shots. Never letting you take a breath. I don't know how many times I jumped during the opening sequence alone. Simply jaw dropping. Worth the price of admission just to see that. The story is clearly secondary to the action. Keep in mind that the back story was already setup in Casino so the focus shifts from intrigue to adrenaline. One complaint is that a couple of times during the film I noticed the effects were CGI and not live action, pulling me out of the Bond universe and putting me back into my seat in the theater.
I haven't forgotten about the Bond babes. As hot as ever, with my choice being Gemma over Olga.
Gemma Arterton
Lots more detail on them to follow in my spoiler review.
It has now been just under 48 hours since I have seen Quantum and I really can't stop thinking about it. I have to revise my original opinion of is it as good as Casino from absolutely, to almost for the sole reason it can't stand on its own. It is a non-stop action thrill ride guaranteed to entertain and satisfy.
Mastidon will return.
Daniel Craig
Judi Dench
The problem is tech was moving too fast to make anything exciting and new. This all came to a head in a desperate attempt to stay ahead of the curve with the invisible car. But really, where else could they have gone? The car was their last ditch effort at toys and it clearly didn't work. This was the moment the gadgets died. Today they are demoted to background devices. Nothing too fancy, just a prop but certainly not part of the story. If anything they have become a Sony ad in a Bond film. They are dead, time to move on.
Bond has evolved into a Bourne style film that is far closer to a reality based action film than a science fiction one. Ian Fleming's' original intent was to give you insight into this covert world. Who is this spy James Bond and how would he be if you met him on the street? The only way possible, cold and calculating. He is a guy who would kill you in an instant for looking at him funny. He lost the love of his life and now he is out to find out who took her from him stopping at nothing and leaving nothing but dead bodies behind.
The villain in this one, Dominic Greene played by Mathieu Amalric, doesn't seem menacing or evil.
Mathieu Amalric
No blood dripping from his eyes. No pointy metal teeth. In fact, on the surface he seems like a guy you want to get to know as he seems to be somebody doing some good in the world. This too is a major shift in the Bond universe. Taking today's world and making a villain who will scare the hell out of you when you compare him to similar people in power at this moment in time. Are the people we let lead our countries and who run our major corporations evil at the core? Is there some unknown organization controlling them? This thought alone should keep you up at night and is the reason this is probably the scariest villain to date.
I couldn't write an unbiased review without having to mention the evil known as product placement. Quantum crosses the line here. One scene in particular is a giant airline ad - not to mention the endless shots of Sony logos. And since when does James Bond drive a Chevy?
The action is everything you would come to expect from a Bourne film. Fast paced with quick shots. Never letting you take a breath. I don't know how many times I jumped during the opening sequence alone. Simply jaw dropping. Worth the price of admission just to see that. The story is clearly secondary to the action. Keep in mind that the back story was already setup in Casino so the focus shifts from intrigue to adrenaline. One complaint is that a couple of times during the film I noticed the effects were CGI and not live action, pulling me out of the Bond universe and putting me back into my seat in the theater.
I haven't forgotten about the Bond babes. As hot as ever, with my choice being Gemma over Olga.
Gemma Arterton
Lots more detail on them to follow in my spoiler review.
It has now been just under 48 hours since I have seen Quantum and I really can't stop thinking about it. I have to revise my original opinion of is it as good as Casino from absolutely, to almost for the sole reason it can't stand on its own. It is a non-stop action thrill ride guaranteed to entertain and satisfy.
Mastidon will return.
Mathieu Amalric
I couldn't write an unbiased review without having to mention the evil known as product placement. Quantum crosses the line here. One scene in particular is a giant airline ad - not to mention the endless shots of Sony logos. And since when does James Bond drive a Chevy?
The action is everything you would come to expect from a Bourne film. Fast paced with quick shots. Never letting you take a breath. I don't know how many times I jumped during the opening sequence alone. Simply jaw dropping. Worth the price of admission just to see that. The story is clearly secondary to the action. Keep in mind that the back story was already setup in Casino so the focus shifts from intrigue to adrenaline. One complaint is that a couple of times during the film I noticed the effects were CGI and not live action, pulling me out of the Bond universe and putting me back into my seat in the theater.
I haven't forgotten about the Bond babes. As hot as ever, with my choice being Gemma over Olga.
Gemma Arterton
Lots more detail on them to follow in my spoiler review.
It has now been just under 48 hours since I have seen Quantum and I really can't stop thinking about it. I have to revise my original opinion of is it as good as Casino from absolutely, to almost for the sole reason it can't stand on its own. It is a non-stop action thrill ride guaranteed to entertain and satisfy.
Mastidon will return.
-
+ Expand All
-
I epect you to be first! damn Im awesome.
-
who is mastidon?
-
fucking typo. ahh, still, I'm awesome.
-
kinda came out of nowhere
-
First to say it, but not the last.
-
no you're not
-
Could "Empire" stand on its own?
-
...5 minutes after I finished watching it.
-
I'll be completely lost, won't I?
-
Good question. Some dumb IT guy in Germany. Just search on my other stories and you will see I cover film festivals for AICN for my spare time.
-
I'm totally pumped to hear you need to see CR to understand the details in QoS, that's awesome stuff. But to answer GreySpector, my opinion is most certainly, most definitely, not. If you hadn't seen IV are you just followed the Drone down to Hoth and then followed Luke to the ice cave...I'm not convinced any one would give a shit. It's not really even a question. Empire is great because it relies heavily on what happened before and our genuine love of the characters we already know.
-
Disliked killing. He wasn't a sociopath running around the world on a kiling spree or an invulnerable superhero. Can the next review please do better.
-
Horrible comment about the the gadgets being dead because it's 2008 and everything is high tech in the world and to get over it. This was like one of the stupidest things I read.
What an idiot. Gadgetry is very important. People go to the films to see cool and unique devices.
Now, you don't have to have gadgets in every scene like in Moonraker or an invisible car (which actually isn't far fetched as the military has been developing that technology).
Gadgetry needs to be present like in From Russia With Love and Goldeneye where it wasn't overkill. And don't confuse gadgetry with invisible cars. We're talking about little unique things you can do with brief cases, pens, watches, cameras, phones, etc.
Gadgetry and the characters Q and Moneypenny are definitely a part of the James Bond phenomenon just like the cars, girls, locations, villains, etc. They all work together as a team. Without these aspects, you have a run of the mill action film no different than the Bourne film series. -
I agree with Mastidon... many of the Bond films from the 70s, 80s & 90s look very dated because of the gadgets. And I think they were often an easy out for lazy screen writing. On the other hand, many of Connery's early films hold up very well as cold war era spy thrillers because of the less goofy tech. For example in FRWL I think Q gave Bond an attaché case with hidden features like a knife and a sniper rifle that breaks down to a portable size - nothing over the top.
That said, I had a university prof who was a former intelligence officer and on a lecture he did on defense technology he did mention that he did see a demonstration where a tank was made to disappear "like the Predator movie". He didn't really go into any more detail. So as completely silly as Bond's invisible car seems to me... maybe the Bond producers had info about technologies that are not readily available... like the stealth ship from TND (http://tinyurl.com/5p6yny). -
You beat me to the post! I agree with you about how the style of the gadgets should be more simple... I think that's what Mastidon was trying to get at by saying "Bond is definitely not dead, but the gadgets are". At least that's the way I read it.
-
Exactly. How cool is it to watch From Russia With Love and see the attache case. It's still cool today and it makes you smile when it's used.
How cool is it to watch Goldeneye and wait anxiously for Boris to click the pen three times to unknowingly set the explosive. Cool stuff.
How cool was the cell phone in Tomorrow Never Dies and all it could do? Very cool to this day. -
Personally, I would LOVE a return to the simple real gadgets like the multi-function briefcase. But I don't think today's movies would allow it. BTW, I never said don't bring back Q or Moneypenny. They are central Bond characters who should be there. BTW, Vesper was sort of introduced as Moneypenny in CR on the train.
-
I had forgotten about the pen moment in Goldeneye... you're right, that was great moment in the film.
-
Q was a character creation for the films. He was there to make things a little more fun. The closest thing to Q in the books was the armourer we see at the start of Dr. No, when Bond is given the choice between the Walter and Colt. (He doesn't choose the Walther either). So unless we want the films to take a step back and have them be a little less serious, then go a head and bring Q back. As for me i agree with mastidon, and they are out dated and should be retired. When I can buy a the watch from 24 that can blind someone for 15 minutes, why do I need to see a fancy watch in the movies?
Money Penny on the other hand is totally awesome. And she should totally be brought back. Only problem with that is that we would have to replace M with a man. Bond answering to two women just seems wrong.
And mastidon, how do you think Vaesper was introduced as Money Penny? She came from the treasury department, and all she did was burn Bond with her ice cold stare. Not exactly a flirtatious secretary if you ask me. -
The quote was something like Bond,"So I guess you are the money?" Vesper, "Every penny of it." But don't hold me to the exact wording as I am sitting at my desk debugging atm.
-
"The story is clearly secondary to the action."Holy CRAP! You guys are telling me horror stories and passing it off as good news! Massa's review said all the 'problems' with the first movie are gone (problems listed were positives in my view), and this one tells me action>story.I hope we're not talking about "getting back to the Casino Royale roots" for the next film after this thing is over.
-
What I hated about the gadgets was that it was always conveniently the right gadget at the right time. In Casion Royale, Bond's having a heart attack and there just happens to be a defibrillator in his car's glove box.
-
You mean to tell me that your car doesn't have a defibrillator in the glove box?
Yeah it's lazy screen writing. Although I thought CR was far better with that type of thing than many of the Bond's during Moore's tenure in the role. At least the writers of CR made an attempt to curb the silliness. -
Let me tell you something my friend, I may be old compared to you, but I still maintain that digital effects ARE OVER FUCKING USED. They can be supremely effective when used correctly, but when they are used FOR EVERYTHING that's when they piss me off. CGI spaceships or models? Models any day of the week, they always have looked more real, but that's just my opinion. Digital effects are great for SOME things, just not everything. Digital effects have never lessened my experience of a movie as long as the movie itself was good. I just don;t like the fact that digital effects are used for every god damned fucking effect in a movie. Iron Man did it right, it had a good balance of digital AND practical effects, it's too bad more film makers don;t take that approach, most of them take the easy way out and let a computer do everything. Sorry but digital effects DO NOT work for everything, they work for a lot of things to be sure, but not everything. Take it as a complaint if you like, but it's the truth.
-
Complain about stuntman replacemtnts all you like, to me it's way better than some pussy ass actor who is too afraid to take on the stunt himself, or a studio that wants to cut corners and replace an actor with an obvious digital image. THAT is fucking lame. Oh yea, I can just about tell every fucking time an explosion or fire or any of that shit is fake, another reason digital effects are over fucking used. It's pretty sad when no tension is produced in a movie because it's obvious NOBODY is in any danger because every damn thing is a computer graphic. That was the great thing about stuntmen and non digital effects, IT LOOKED FUCKING REAL, real fire, real explosions, wow who would have thought that REAL explosions and REAL fire could look better than CGI reproductions, damn I am behind the times.
-
Agreed. It bugs me every time I watch the movie. And it's the only thing. I hate to be one of those "if I had written it" guys, but would it have killed them to have him stumble into an apothecary and rip a defib off the wall or something. (Aw, crap; I did become one of those guys.)
-
http://tiny.cc/2nq5G
-
Forgot to mention that.
-
It also bugged me that Vesper knew what to do to fix the disconnected wire... I mean a guy is having a heart attack right in front of you and you don't attempt CPR and chest compressions and call for help? Instead she decides to fiddle with some wires? Lucky for Bond, Vesper apparently reads technical manuals for medical equipment in her spare time.
-
Touche.
Never thought of it that way. I just took it as spy talk to make sure she wasn't a counter agent or something.
But holy crap that blows my mind now. V:"I'm the money". B:"Every Penny of it." Its so freaking obvious! I'm totally looking at money penny in a new light in the films as well.
One thing I've got to mention to yah tho. I know you've seen all the movies like a dozen times each, or so you said when you talked about the opening. But you didn't mention the books at all. I highly recomend them if you really like your Bond. Actually getting to see what he's thinking while killing people or getting his butt handed to him is amazing. CR is okay, but Dr. No and Thunderball are the best. Especially Dr. No. There is a very good reason why that film, and Connery did so well. -
he got but to sleep by the british government and replaced by a robot, who got rogue. Robot Bond is unstoppable.
-
Craig looks like a chimp in a tuxedo. Mr. Jiggs lives! He should put on roller skates and do tricks for a banana. Tarzan Meets Chimpy Bond: "Me Tarzan. You lame."
-
If you really want a chimp looking dude to feast(?) your eyes on, GIS Wanderlei Silva. Now that dude's momma must've been hanging around some zoos 'cause man... "shakes head"
-
And the fact that you said Iron Man had a good mix goes to prove hes right. The Iron Man suit was CGI 99.9% of the time. In fact, they barely used a practical suit ever if at all. But it was hard to tell because the CGI was flawless. Cgi needs to be supported so it can get better. If everyone clung to old technology, we'd still have black and white silent films.
-
You go and its good but there's so much you need from the first one to fully 'GET' the second one many more people will return than usual and only after renting/buying Casino Royale!Never noticed the product placement or CGI that much! and i got tired of the Bournes by no.3 so this fills that gap nicelyAlso the French Villian dude needs to get his hands on some tooth whitener! they say us brits have bad teethAlso can't fault the bond girls in this especially the one with the burned back! she was SMOKIN!The stoopid assed woman next to me kept laughing all the way through at random bits! not even the funny one liners!? I deduce she has a nervous laugh reflex to things she does not understand but I will have to see this again just so I don't have to try and enjoy it sat next to little Miss chuckles!!!
-
SePPktGt enoRwKf
-
hsBguB vinBlGT
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 171 total posts 169 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 157 total posts 111 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 138 total posts 75 posts
- Here's The Red Band Trailer For Drafthouse Films' THE FP! -- 67 total posts 67 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 479 total posts 62 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 59 total posts 59 posts
- Does ‘SNL’ Rhyme With ‘Deschanel’?? Learn Which SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Vet Hosts After Sexy Zooey!! -- 62 total posts 59 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 48 total posts 45 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 116 total posts 32 posts
- SPACE 2099!! -- 181 total posts 30 posts