First review of QoS - very minor spoilers...

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

....but nothing we don't already know ! Basically, it picks up straight after CR and apparently takes no time to explain anything from CR. So the audience is expected to understand why Bond is so p*ssed about Vesper, who Mr White is, who Mathis is.

And it is very, very fast moving with lot's more action than CR and quite a body count. Apparently Bond is very vengeful and extremely dangerous in this, struggling to cling on to the smallest shred of humanity.

Anyone want me to post the whole thing, or is that enough ????

[WhiteKnight]

I'd like to see the whole thing, but why don't you private message it to me so as not to offend / offer temptation to those who might not want to see it. That is, of course, until you've heard back from more than just me.

[conman]

I would like to read the whole thing too.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

I think we have our own forum here anyway at the moment Knighty old boy !!! I think the spoiler-avoiders are giving us a wide berth.

From the erstwhile Sun !

LICENCE TO KILL..... AND KILL, AND KILL, AND KILL....

EIGHT months after the name of the 22nd James Bond film was announced, The Sneak was still struggling to remember it. The limp Quantum Of Solace just wouldn’t stick.

But all that changed after I went undercover to infiltrate a top-secret screening of the new 007 flick.

Daniel Craig’s second outing as the world’s most famous secret agent is something you won’t forget in a hurry. The actor transformed suave Bond into a gritty killing machine in 2006 hit Casino Royale and here the violence is ramped up to Rambo proportions.

More appropriate titles might have been A View To A Killing Spree or Triggerfinger.

The Sneak would like to give you a figure on the body count . . . but it was impossible to keep score. The film kicks off with Bond in the car chase of his life as his Aston Martin DB9 is pursued through the narrow cliff-top lanes of the Italian Lakes.

A Bourne Ultimatum-style rooftop chase follows, with the famous Palio Horse Race as a stunning backdrop.

The stunts look dangerous for good reason — they are. One driver is still recovering from head injuries after crashing into a wall filming the cliff-top chase.

Another had a narrow escape after skidding off a cliff into a lake. And Craig needed eight stitches in his face after a fight scene and he had the top of a finger sliced off. It’s a miracle anyone survived filming long enough for Bond to kill them in the movie.

Solace is the first 007 sequel, it picks up directly from where Casino Royale left off.

Bond is out to get revenge for the death of his lover Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) at any cost. But his path of destruction leads him to the discovery of a new threat to the world, crime syndicate Quantum. With spies everywhere, even within MI6, they pose an even greater danger than his old arch foes at SPECTRE.

Quantum’s mastermind is billionaire environmentalist Dominic Greene (French actor Mathieu Amalric), who uses a campaign to save swathes of rainforest as a cover for his evil plan.

As Bond battles his new enemies we follow his journey from his promotion to 007 agent (one kill needed) in the last film to First Blood-style rampages.

However, newcomers may be confused by references to old characters and plot lines. Vesper’s hold on Bond is not fully explained, nor is the return of Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini), Bond’s friend turned foe turned who knows?

Bond’s long list of enemies also gets complicated.

DCD - BIG SPOILER NOW SO AVOID AT ALL COSTS !

He is so reckless in his blood lust that the CIA agree to kill him when he threatens their dealings with a South American government.

One spymaster quips: “If we refused to do business with villains, we would have no one left.”

Meanwhile, 007’s boss M (Judi Dench) says: “Bond, if you could avoid killing every lead there is, that would be appreciated.”

He dryly replies, “I will do my best” then heads off in designer suits to slay some more.

Things get so bad that M revokes his licence to kill.

Some might say Craig’s portrayal of the spy as an increasingly cold, emotionless character is a brave move. In The Sneak’s opinion, the old-style Bonds of Connery, Moore and Brosnan are too tame for 21st-century tastes.

Here the notches on his gun far outnumber the notches on his bedpost. Only once — sorry, girls — do we see Craig with his top off.

There are two sexy Bond girls in the curvy shapes of Camille (Olga Kurylenko) and MI6 agent Fields (Gemma Arterton). But the only flash of flesh in the 105-minute movie is a very quick nookie scene with Fields.

The smartass quips and camp gadget-king Q have also been axed. And for the first time the immortal line “The name’s Bond, James Bond” is not used. Topical environmental references abound, with baddies manipulating fears over climate change.

Though Bond’s carbon footprint would make Greenpeace activists cry. He goes from the UK to Italy to Bolivia to Austria, back to Italy, across to Haiti and finally to Russia.

The predominant colour here, though, isn’t environmental green — it’s blood red.

Which is a surprise since new 007 director Marc Forster is better known for more thoughtful films such as The Kite Runner and Finding Neverland.

Here Forster has followed the standard sequel route of blowing up bigger stuff.

Our hero writes off a fleet of cars, blows up a helicopter and military jetfighter, destroys a cargo plane and several boats and, well . . . you get the idea.

So this film is not as ground-breaking as Casino Royale.

But it will kick the living daylights out of any rival action-hero franchises.

[WhiteKnight]

MI6.co.uk has an article up claiming this review is likely to be bogus.

http://www.mi6.co.uk/news/index.php?itemid=6774&t=mi6&s=news

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Yes, however whilst the Sun is not the most reliable source in the world, it is highly, highly unlikely that such a high-profile publication would print a review that is totally false and made up. Eon would just turn round and say publicly that no Sun employee has seen it. Those guys at MI6 are just getting over excited.

[tstone]

The only film I'm looking forward to more than this is Star Trek.

[WhiteKnight]

QoS is the last movie of the year that I must see now that HBP was moved to 2009. The short story was one of my favorites, and everything we've seen seen or heard about the movie so far (minus the theme song, perhaps) have been borderline sexually arousing.

I did, however, see a t.v. spot for "Appaloosa" and considered heading to the cinema once more this year.

I'm a huge fan of Trek yet hugely unexcited about the upcoming film. I'll watch it, of course, but I maintain we should be getting a DS9 movie instead of a rehash of stories and characters conceived of 40 years ago. TOS was awesome, but I'd have thought TNG and DS9 would have proved Trek CAN be great without Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Sadly there are programs like Voyager and Enterprise that stand as evidence for the other side.

I am also not a huge J.J. Abrams fan. Lost started off great, but has since left me wondering if he and the other creative talent have any clue where they are going. I have thought since about mid season of year one they were just making shit up as they go along.

Cloverfield was very watchable, but at the end of the day it was nothing more than an above average monster movie. Should he really be at the helm of a revisioning of arguably the most significant science fiction franchise of all time? We shall see.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

I feel the same about Lost and I, excuse the pun, Lost interest in it mid way through season 2 and haven't watched it since. I have set the Sky+ box for Fringe on Sunday night. Let's see !

As for JJ himself, well Cloverfield, whilst just a monster movie, was a monster movie reimagined and told from a very good new angle.

Let's see where he takes Trek.

[KingVoyeur]

Variety has its review of QoS up, and it's not pretty. Beware, very minor plot spoilers.

Quantum of Solace review on Variety.com (http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117938800.html?categoryid=31&cs=1)

[Space Tycoon]

Think I might skip this one.







.

[neglet]

<fingers in ears> la la la la la la la la la I'm not listening!

[WhiteKnight]

Think I might skip this one.







.

You've got to be frakkin' kidding me, Space! One unfavorable review (from Variety no less) and you think you might skip this? It's the last major release of the year, so even if it sucks ass (which I'm highly doubtful of) I'll be in line at least twice on the opening day.

[Space Tycoon]

Even the favourable reviews have put me off somewhat. CR had the perfect balance of mayhem and slow, deliberate suspense. I remember watching it and thinking, for the first time in a Bond film, "I could almost see this this happen in real life."

What I always liked about 007 was his ability to think or talk his way out of difficult situations, before resorting to destroying everything in sight. From what I've read, QoS doesn't quite seem like the Bond I tend to picture in my mind. More like another remorseless killing machine in an ultra-high budget action film.

Not that this is a terrible thing in and of itself. I'm sure that the action will be tight, the effects seamless, the overall production values top-notch. But will it feel like Bond? I dunno.

Chances are I'll get dragged to see it by one of my movie buds in any event.









.

[WhiteKnight]

Hmmm...I've read a few more reviews myself and am seeing where you're coming from. Could be in for some disappointment after the very top notch CR, but if I can sit through 2 hours and 20 minutes of Die Another Day without throwing myself in front of a double decker, then I can manage 105 of QoS seems to be offering.

[tstone]

Enjoyed QoS, but it was an average Bond, not anywhere near the standard established by CR, which is one of my all time favorites. Craig still brings the goods, and the good of this film, exploring Bond's psyche, was first rate. But the rest...well shot but over the top action (the Borne style doesn't really suite Bond), and relatively little reflection, which this film could have used, considering it's strengths.

I'll get it on DVD, but it sounds like I'll enjoy the third Craig Bond more. Especially if they do reintroduce Q and Moneypenny.

[Skiv]

I haven't seen either of the two new ones. Are they really worth it?

[UNCLEagent]

Yes. Very much so.

But I insist you watch Casino Royale first, before Quantum of Solace. The plots are tied to each other. Besides, Daniel Craig's introduction to the role is spectacular - his performance is outstanding.

Now go rent CR, okay?

Better yet, buy it.