Hey folks, Harry here... Got this pair of reviews from the UK regarding the latest James Bond film. Now, I had a person write me last week that claimed to have seen the film, hated it and felt that Halle Berry was the Bond equivalent of Jar Jar Binks. I didn't run it, because there was hardly anything to the review. Zero details and every quote they used to illustrate their point came from the trailer. However, tonight we got these two. They're far more complete and seem to be written by people that like the idea of James Bond movies, but have been disappointed as of late. From the sound of it, it sounds like it is possible that Lee Tamahori nailed it. Let's pray.
Ahoy hoy Harold.
Well, it been a long week. A long shitty week. Sunday was the last good day, I caught '28 Days Later' and damn good it was too. Since then it's been non-stop cavalcade of slurry. Which reached it's zenith by getting, frankly, hairy arse drunk on Thursday night. This lead to a Friday of little more than a few moans, a couple of groans and long periods of feeling sorry for myself. So tonight was to be a quiet one. Maybe pick up a DVD, maybe a couple of ales to take the edge off the pig shitter I still had behind the eyes.
Then the call came in... 'Drop everything. I've got tickets to an advance screening of the new Bond'. Well, lordy. One train and two tube rides later, and I'm in Leicester Square with a few friends and what seems to be about every other able body person in London. (Not to mention a seriously large amount of Happy Clappers, who really should know better by now!!!)
Anyhoo, we fought our way through the throng and secured some pretty good seats. I like previews, no ads, no fuss, just the film.
AND WHAT A FILM!!!
Forget all this hoopla about 'A New Breed of Hero' and any other limp plaudits being heaped upon fetid clap trap like 'XXX' Bond is back, and he is NOT taking any more of your shit.
The pre-titles sequence is a monster, starting with a lone 'stealth surfer' riding one mother of a wave. Out of the turmoil, he is joined by a second and then a third. They hit the beach running. Yup, it's Bond and two faceless cohorts. Using their utility surf boards (oh yes), they hijack a helicopter, replace the incumbent with Mr Bond and off he goes to the secret North Korean base of Colonel Moon. It's your straight forward weapons for diamonds exchange, but Bond's rumbled. It's all gone pear shaped very quickly and before you can say 'Shaken not stirred' Bonds in front of Moon's right hand mans - Zao - firing squad. A little derring do, a couple of well placed explosives and a handy hover craft later and he's safe and Moons dead. Unfortunately, Moons Dad is not and Bond is quickly recaptured.
And this is where you realise that this new Bond film is not going to play by the rules. End of the opening sequence and James is in a North Korean prison have seven shades of shit knocked out of him. The story then progresses through the title sequence - which is a nice touch - and the next thing you know, it's 14 months later and Bonds still there!!!
I don't want to give too much away from here on in, but his freedom, when it comes, is not via an ejector seat, or well placed use of his wrist watch with extractable garoting wire. And even after that, he's on his own, 'M' once again dis-owning him and Bond is back in captivity, all be it by the Americans.
From here, its escape, explosion, pithy remark, car chase, Halle Berry's breasts, saucy quip, evil genius, return of vicious hench man, 'Q', invisible Aston Martin's, ice palaces, Cuban cigar dealers (!?!?!?!?) Halle's breasts, jokes at the expense of previous Bond movies. In all, one huge fun ride.
The plot is more twisty turny than a particularly twisty turny thing. Double crosses, fake id's, triple crosses and it has to be said some of the most outrageous stunts seen in a Bond movie. From the opening surf scene, via the ice lake car chase, to the (OK, Ludicrous) escape from collapsing iceberg it's full on Bond.
So, can you guess, I liked it. Brosnan is cooler than a dozen cucumbers, Halle Berry looks good in a role that demands little more of her than to look good, Judi Dench is - as always - exceptional, all be it in relatively small role this time out, John Cleese is nicely making 'Q' his own and Samantha Bond as Moneypenny gets one of the best gags in the movie. Toby Stephens as millionaire Gustav Greaves is perhaps the weakest link in a strong chain. He's just plain smug. His first scene, parachuting into Buckingham Palace is frankly cringe making, but he gets better, or maybe just less annoying and does have a superb fencing / sword / fist cuffs scrap with Bond relatively early on, which is another high point.
Lee Tamahori does a great job too, using all the tricks he has at his disposal. Speeding up, slowing down, jump cuts... he's come a long way baby!
So there you go. I hope you can use this, doubtless you will receive many more in the next few days, but it's now late, I need make the choice between bed and opening the bottle of red in the kitchen... ahhhhh fuck it,
Cheers, Ken Luxury-Yacht.
Here's another one that claims they nailed it!
Hi Harry,
Long time reader etc...
So this is the deal, Friday afternoon is presenting nothing interesting for Friday night. A casual thumb through the listings yields nothing more than 'xXx' (still yet to be viewed) The options are diminishing when, presto. Mobile rings with good friend of mine on the other end...'So what you up to tonight?' .....'Nothing' I reply
'Fancy a little bit of Bond action????????' says he. You know something Harry? no how bad the weather...sometimes a little ray of sunshine breaks through. So here is the deal, my friend works for a licensing company that do a lot of work with the JB franchise and tonight was a preview night at Empire Leicester square, a few spare tickets, you know the deal.
I am a major Bond fan, and this is not the place for Connery Vs Moore (fanboys: get it out of your system) But Brosan HAS IT. HE HAS THE MAGIC. But Golden eye, The world is not enough, tomorrow never dies was good, but not great. All promise of things to come....
OK here it is......being brave now... (no Spoilers)
whooooooo, they have nailed it. Franchise back on track!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The pre title action is pure bond. But (and this is a but bigger than Oprah's) the images in the title sequence are very dark and by the start we are given a darker, almost broken (I did say almost) Bond back. He has been through a lot, he is angry, he is ruthless. He is the man that shot a woman in the back of the head. He is also relentless, almost as if he is gaining momentum with his age.
The action sequences are just FULL ON. THE CHICKS ARE HOT THE VILLAINS ARE BAD. I remember watching 'The Tailor of Panama' and thinking if only he play with some of that darkness as Bond, well he has and it is a richer Bond for it. As Brosnan himself has said in a few UK interviews he feels as if he has grown into the role.
OK so who else has a look in?
Jinx: Hale Berry.....mmmmm take her or leave her myself, does not really add anything to the film but will help the appeal of the film state side so nowt wrong with that. Perhaps she did not need to be in the whole film (her first five minutes on screen are great!) The film is so packed with great stuff it didn't really need the 'good chick Vs evil chick' subplot.
Gustave Graves: Toby Stevens. Spot on classic villain. enough said. I felt I didn't really understand why or how he does what he does, but hell who needs a reason to rage war these days?, just being a lunatic is enough and in the Bond world, that's plenty reason
Miranda Frost: Rosamund Pike. hubba hubba
Plus you regular assortment of henchmen who all buy it!!!!! fantastic stuff. OK a little bit of technical stuff..... CG is spot on where used, the sets are great, a verity of locations all spectacular looking. The editing is tight and build the pace of the action to a blistering speed, there are some great 'zooming around' camera shots. There are whole sequences that are just fantastic, no really I mean it.
The whole look and feel of the film gives the impression of something hat has been re thought from the ground up. And it works. There are gags all around, there are a couple of genuinely funny moments )one nearer the beginning with Q and one at the end with Monneypenny. The only things I would really pick up on were the score/JB theme, it just gets lost under the sound effects (usually just when you want it to kick in) And the darker Bond we were given at the beginning, well we all like a happy ending, but it would have really done for me to maybe see a little of that at the end.
The final word is, go see. Its great fun. I am sure some will bitch and whine about it, fine, go see xXx..........
Anyway must dash, England needs me......
OHMSS
Kowalski_Leon
