How to fix James Bond for the next entry.......

Rating: 6/10 (14 November 2008)

This is one of those movies you're not sure what to think of until some time passes from your first viewing. I believe the main reason that this series has been going for so long is that, when the producers have made a mistake on one of their films, they will show an open mind, come back the next time around and fix it. EX.: the sillier space sagas YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and MOONRAKER were followed respectively by ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE and FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, films in which Bond was brought back to earth; the outlandish DIE ANOTHER DIE was followed by the solid CASINO ROYALE and so forth. With this in mind, my suggestions for fixing the goofs on QUANTUM OF SOLACE are as follows: 1) Hire a real, renowned great singer, not one teens will dig (as far as I know, Shirley Bassey is still alive and these kids can't hold a candle to her). 2) Never again use the Bourne editing process, nobody likes it, period. You can't appreciate a great stunt when it cuts too fast to a next one which you don't end up appreciating either. QOS' editing all but itself sank it. 3) The gun barrel scene goes at the beginning, never again at the end. What the heck was the point in doing so ? 4) Go to any exotic countries you may like but use their most beautiful locales, not their ugliest. It's nice to find locations with "flavor", not so good when they don't "taste" so good. 5) If you want the audience to hate the villain, don't just imply he killed a beloved characters as in the case of Mathis and Agent Fields. Show it on screen so we can detest him properly and thus enjoy his doom. 6) When Bond kills the main villain show it. Don't just have him discuss it with his boss. 7) As bad as things might be for Bond on the movie. Give him a few scenes in which he might actually be happy. One of his main characteristics is his enjoyment of the good things in life (drink, food, girls and so on). 8) A follow up to 7: Bond must never say goodbye to the movie's main woman character in a car, in the dessert shaking hands or whatever. A body of water and heavy kissing have always been the norm (and worked out great as far as I can remember). 9) Take under consideration: hotels in the dessert are not flammable per se. 10) Bring back Moneypenny and Q. Their scenes always brought a smile to my face. Samantha Bond is more than adequate as the first but good luck finding someone to replace the beloved Desmond Llewlyn (but you have to do it anyway !). 11) Make sure the villain's evil plot is more evil and dangerous to world peace than simply leaving about a dozen people with funny looking hats, waterless, 12) Also remember, there are great film-makers, auteurs and directors who know how to make great Bond movies. Which have been the best of the recent ones ? : GOLDENYE and CASINO ROYALE. What do both of them have in common ?. Need I go on ? I'm sure you can afford the guy. By the way, QOS is OK. Had a sane editor cut it it would be above average for Bond, as it was it turned out below the median line. I guess you can say it is not as good as the sum of its parts and as such a wasted opportunity.