Bonded To The Here, Now and Future

Rating: 10/10 (1 November 2008)

QoS is the fastest moving, most visceral, bone-crunching, eye-wateringly stunt-laden Bond move yet made. Where CR was a roller-coaster ride with longish quieter stretches of track for contemplation, drama and character development, QoS is a roller-coaster ride with seriously reduced stretches of track and less respite. My guess is, that in response to the CR critics claiming that there is no place for character development in a Bond movie, that Bond shouldn't be too emotional, CR was too long, CR didn't have enough action or set-pieces, the producers have reacted with the shortest, punchiest, diamond-hardest staccato rap-attack they could muster. QoS is a continuous blast from beginning to end.
This is the deal – if you want protracted and deliberate plot spoon-feeding, if you can't multi-task, if you are so pussy-whipped to a sissy state that searing, pulse pounding action cinema makes you close your eyes and cry, if you want a Jane Austen costume-drama, you won't get what you want from this film. If, like Chris Tookey of The Mail, you thought that CR was romantic art-house Bond, and romantic art-house cinema is what excites you, then you're going to find this boring in comparison.
However, if you want the full-monty kick in the balls, sock in the jaw, rabbit punch to the kidneys, cinematic acid-burn to the eyeballs, gut-wrenching adrenaline rush to the synapses, you're going to have a great time.
Craig is all business here, still a revelation as 007. He's not crying any longer (much). He's out to cut a swathe through the villains and despatch and destroy, burn and blow-up anything that gets in his path, or threatens to deflect him from it. Cool, muscular, sardonic, full of subtle nuances and mannerisms that communicate so much to the audience – provided they are paying attention, that is. He has now consolidated the domination of another strata of the character – that of the trained killer on a mission. He's perfected the art of dispensing death and destruction with a compelling brutal, cavalier elegance. An absolute joy to watch.
As for the content of the film, here is a list of things that the pretenders (some of those delusional people who pretended to have seen it prior to release) got completely wrong:
Camille does not die. Correct. Anyone who said so, didn't see the film and was lying through their scum sucking teeth.
Bond does not resign at the end. (More later).
Bond has not not gone completely rogue. He is supported and sanctioned by M for most of the film: "He's my agent and I trust him."
There are some satisfyingly subtle quips and one-liners:
"Don't bleed to death."
"She's sea sick."
Mathis: "I think she has handcuffs." Bond: "I do hope so."
"We're teachers on a sabbatical. We've just won the lottery."
"Can I make a suggestion? Why don't you people find a better place to meet?"
Camille: "Your mother?" Bond: "She likes to think so."
And more.
As for Arnold's score, it's another triumph of mood, atmosphere and relevance. It pounds daringly during the action, emotionally compliments the quieter moments. The signatures drawn from the theme song are incorporated. As in CR, segments of the Bond theme itself is utilised at key moments throughout.
The title sequence (banal theme song apart) is stark and hard-hitting, incorporating teasing hints of the Bond gun barrel into it's conception.
The henchmen have little to do, but Dominic Greene is a fine, vile, villain. Oh, by the way, as far as the audience is concerned, he does die in the end. At Bond's orchestration.
Pleasingly referenced are Goldfinger (Fields coated in oil – an irony, because "there isn't any" oil). The Spy Who Loved Me (Sandor being held over the edge of a high building; the desert trek, etc).
Any critic who states that the film consists of a series of completely random action sequences must have been watching something completely different – everything has a logical place, purpose and rationale within the narrative. Plus, anyone who couldn't follow the plot, which is clearly obvious and well defined throughout, has a serious case of receptive dysphasia. My daughter, who is fourteen, had no problems. And she's blonde.
Lastly, I totally loved the interplay between Bond and Mathis. Worth the price of admission alone. The poignancy and tenderness (yes, tenderness) woven into their interaction, especially at a certain critical point, was beautifully rendered. Craig's emotion-wracked delivery of the line: "He wouldn't care," is almost heart-rending.
Finally, the ending was a real coup and this is a true spoiler:
M: "I need you back." Bond: "I never left." Cue – gun barrel. Cue - Bond theme.
The gun barrel, Craig's first classic one, is a terrific way to end the film. Think about those final lines and the inclusion of that iconic image/sequence. What does that say? For me, it absolutely pegs out a stall, lays down an agenda for the future, makes a statement that Bond is here to stay. He will return.
Personally I can't wait.
Better than CR?
No, it's different. Tone, style, content – different.
If I believed in such things, I would rate it 8/10. Perhaps more importantly I would conclude ultimately that if you are a Bond fan and a fan of thoughtful action cinema, my guess is you really can't go wrong and you'll appreciate it no end.
I can't wait to see it again. That's the truth.