It's a decent Bond-film, but let's not kid ourselves. At its core it's only a slightly better sequel to Spectre.
There's very little revolutionary here. It does bring the Craig-era films to a satisfying close and I feel like they really do tie them all together in a nice way. But as a spectacle? Nothing much here. It's mostly just car chases in places we've already seen before. As a comparions; This film starts off with a car chase in an Italian mountain village. I've seen that dozens of times before. Compare that to Spectre's opening act; The helicopter fight during the dia de los muertos-parade!
THE SHEER FUCKING LAZY ARROGANT WRITING OF THE END? WOW!
Twenty four times the writers have passed the Bond canon on. But this time, THESE writers decided THEY have the right to kill off Bond? That they of all writers have the right to dictate and set the canon going forwards in stone and dictate how Bond dies? Sheer fucking hubris!
Seriously I'm utterly pissed off with the way modern writers use these lazy antics and believe they have the right to piss away decades of canon on their own egos. And the same happened with Dr Who recently of course!
On a minor note, I was also disappointed there wasn't at least a minute or two of total choreographed bad assery! There were TWO 007s attacking that base. TWO! Surely we should have had an almost a John Wick 3 moment with a wall of devastation ploughing through that base with TWO 007s in full on action! Missed opportunity!
ps: Sheer appalling lazy arrogant fucking hubris!
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more] -Carl Sagan
THE SHEER FUCKING LAZY ARROGANT WRITING OF THE END? WOW!
Twenty four times the writers have passed the Bond canon on. But this time, THESE writers decided THEY have the right to kill off Bond? That they of all writers have the right to dictate and set the canon going forwards in stone and dictate how Bond dies? Sheer fucking hubris!
Seriously I'm utterly pissed off with the way modern writers use these lazy antics and believe they have the right to piss away decades of canon on their own egos. And the same happened with Dr Who recently of course!
On a minor note, I was also disappointed there wasn't at least a minute or two of total choreographed bad assery! There were TWO 007s attacking that base. TWO! Surely we should have had an almost a John Wick 3 moment with a wall of devastation ploughing through that base with TWO 007s in full on action! Missed opportunity!
ps: Sheer appalling lazy arrogant fucking hubris!
The writers are more or less the same as going back all the way to the World is Not Enough and these kind of major decisions are not decided by the writers, or even directors - but the Producers. And the Producer's are the Broccoli's, the Daughter and son-in-law of the original Producer Hubby.
Barbara Broccoli has been a producer for these things going all the way back to The Living Daylights
After 60yrs and 24 films they decide now is the right time to have this masculine fantasy hero killed off?
Imagine if "A View To A Kill" had played this cheap trick and showed Bond being killed? How would that have gone down?
There was no need to kill off Bond. There was a far more intelligent and engaging (uplifting) ending to be had there with him as usual surviving (somehow)!
But this was a one off lazy and cheap 'grab', and in truth a spit in the face of the canon/legacy that generations have loved... I find it no suprise this has happened at this period of time. ie: It would not have been done ten+ years ago.
RIP Bond! 1962-2021
ps: Rami Malek's character and purpose was all rather vapid/empty? And there was plenty of examples of loads of badies turning up out of no where, in the middle of no where, somehow at the right moment, somehow
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more] -Carl Sagan
After 60yrs and 24 films they decide now is the right time to have this masculine fantasy hero killed off?
Imagine if "A View To A Kill" had played this cheap trick and showed Bond being killed? How would that have gone down?
There was no need to kill off Bond. There was a far more intelligent and engaging (uplifting) ending to be had there with him as usual surviving (somehow)!
But this was a one off lazy and cheap 'grab', and in truth a spit in the face of the canon/legacy that generations have loved... I find it no suprise this has happened at this period of time. ie: It would not have been done ten+ years ago.
RIP Bond! 1962-2021
ps: Rami Malek's character and purpose was all rather vapid/empty? And there was plenty of examples of loads of badies turning up out of no where, in the middle of no where, somehow at the right moment, somehow
I'm not reading that much into it, really. Also, the end credits clearly state: "James Bond will return". You'll get your macho hero back, but it'll be a reboot.
Looking back at the Craig-arc, it's pretty clear that it stands apart in it's own continuity from the others. Apart from M in the first three films, we get to meet Blofeld for the first time and then he's killed off. That doesn't jive with the canon either.
Likewise with Spectre. It won't affect any future films.
As for Rami, yes. His motives are never really explained and honestly felt like a little bit of a placeholder Villain.
Last edited by EvilNed; 21-Oct-2021 at 11:30 AM.
Reason: dfsfsd
I'm not reading that much into it, really. Also, the end credits clearly state: "James Bond will return". You'll get your macho hero back, but it'll be a reboot.
Looking back at the Craig-arc, it's pretty clear that it stands apart in it's own continuity from the others. Apart from M in the first three films, we get to meet Blofeld for the first time and then he's killed off. That doesn't jive with the canon either.
Likewise with Spectre. It won't affect any future films.
^ I can understand that view. It just doesn't sit well with me... Again feels like a lazy me me me me cheap move by the writers etc.
Originally Posted by EvilNed
As for Rami, yes. His motives are never really explained and honestly felt like a little bit of a placeholder Villain.
Yes, a very limp character.
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more] -Carl Sagan
Well, rumours are the next Bond film is already being 'designed'. The next one, to silence the woke brigade sees Bond start off as a male, but to fulfil his mission transgenders to a female.
The title of Bond 26 is going to be Cocktopussy.
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more] -Carl Sagan
Well, rumours are the next Bond film is already being 'designed'. The next one, to silence the woke brigade sees Bond start off as a male, but to fulfil his mission transgenders to a female.
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more] -Carl Sagan
Well, rumours are the next Bond film is already being 'designed'. The next one, to silence the woke brigade sees Bond start off as a male, but to fulfil his mission transgenders to a female.
The title of Bond 26 is going to be Cocktopussy.
JAMES BOND WILL RETURN
Not "Jane" Bond or whatever the fuck, JAMES Bond. Chill the fuck out. Seriously, Neil, you sometimes act like the whiny snowflakes you bemoan all the time - I'm no fan of such cringe-inducing wankers either, but you're making yourself look foolish.
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson aren't stupid enough to disregard swathes of paying customers to appease a handful of non-paying loudmouths on Twitter.
Clearly this is a strong way to finish the Craig era. We see his entire 007 career from start to conclusion. Every time a new actor comes in it's a series reboot, be it soft or hard. Back in the day there was no real concept of what they should logically mean, so that's why we saw M and Moneypenny - and Q most of all - continuing across multiple Bonds.
What they should do with Bond 26 is recast everybody, because it wouldn't make sense as these characters all toasted farewell to Bond.
Craig's era saw a different Felix, for example, and saw the reboot/return of Spectre with Blofeld done all over again. The likes of Casino Royale and Skyfall dug deep into Bond's psyche, and No Time To Die feels like a fitting conclusion. Did I want him to go off into the sunset with Madeline and the child he only just got to meet? Of course, but instead we got perhaps one of the most respectable and dare I say it - manly - endings for Bond, a male character: to protect the ones he loves no matter the cost to himself. Males grow up hearing the story of Titanic and "women and children first" in a different way to females. You grow up with this thing in the back of your mind that, maybe, one day, you might have to lay down your life to save someone else - as if baked into male DNA (no, I'm not saying that women can't do the same, duh) but, yes, it's a different context. Sure, they actually bother to put enough lifeboats on ships now, but nevertheless, way down there amongst the hunter/gatherer DNA, the protection of the familial unit is right there as a foundational pillar - and that's exactly what Bond did at the end of the movie. The twist of fate was cruel, but he went out with nobility, not just protecting those closest to him, but the entire global population.
Even people who got pissed off about "a black woman being 007" can fuck off, because the number is a designation and it made total sense in the movie. They even had a good 1-1 bit of banter between JB and Nomi, giving each other as good as they get. Sure, Nomi is a bit too cocky maybe, the tone not quite nailed down, but Bond isn't exactly a shrinking violet riddled with modesty, is he? AND ALSO - Nomi gives the number back to Bond anyway! He actually goes out as 007.
James Bond isn't Doctor Who. It's quite simple - it's different eras of Bond - the actors change, the franchise continues, but the story reboots. It might not really be that cleancut over the Connery//Lazenby/Moore years, but they weren't really thinking about that intentionally. Dalton was a clear reboot entirely. One could argue that Brosnan kind of continued things, but even there it's like a soft reboot. And it was definitely a complete reboot with Craig. It's a simple concept to grasp. Just think of the Batman movies.
Bond 26 will be a reset to start over again. Mind you, they should take their time with it and really figure out how best to do that in terms of story, villain, tone etc. The audience needs time, as much as the franchise does, before JAMES BOND returns.
I'd agree on Safin. I didn't really understand why he was coming back for revenge on Madeline, when he'd already got his revenge anyway. That was never really clear. Didn't quite understand how Madeline/Bond tied into his "usual" plans for world domination. I liked Rami's portrayal, but the character felt underdeveloped.
Mind you, he was more just filling in a role that needs to be there. The movie was all about Bond from start to finish, ultimately. The entire focus, pretty much, was on concluding Craig's era.
The first third had a few iffy 'funny/quirky' lines that didn't really work (e.g. the viroligist guy), and it may not have the same scale spectacle as some previous Bonds (e.g. Casino Royale's house-sinking in Venice, or Skyfall's epic finale), but I never felt myself feeling wanting for action. It is a bit overlong, sure, but I'm glad they didn't just rush through anything. Generally I really liked how most of the big scenes played out, and criticisms of 'baddies appearing from nowhere' or 'doing what they've done before' as beyond silly in the context of a 25-movie franchise that prides itself on its history and iconic moments.
Last edited by MinionZombie; 24-Dec-2021 at 11:22 PM.
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more] -Carl Sagan
The woke whining really does seem to be over the top these days….
I have to give NTTD another viewing, but I was underwhelmed with the first spin. It wasn’t bad, I enjoyed it, just felt a bit flat compared to Casino Royale and Skyfall. Craig definitely had a good run with the character, though!
The woke whining really does seem to be over the top these days….
I have to give NTTD another viewing, but I was underwhelmed with the first spin. It wasn’t bad, I enjoyed it, just felt a bit flat compared to Casino Royale and Skyfall. Craig definitely had a good run with the character, though!
While it can't match Casino Royale or Skyfall (both Bond perfection IMO), it's a stronger outing than QoS and Spectre. Now, QoS had the writer's strike to contend with (i.e. an unfinished script), but it's actually a pretty solid Bond flick regardless when viewed in the entire 25 film context. Spectre has a better villain than No Time To Die, though, no doubt about that. I liked Rami's performance, but I was never entirely sure about Safin's motivations ... that character was underwritten, but served a purpose. NTTD was really all about Bond in numerous ways, it was really just about Bond essentially. In that regard it did an excellent job.
In terms of a lot of the "woke" talk around the movie, much of that has come from clickbait bullshitters looking for clicks (the constant speculation about who the next Bond will be is dizzyingly irritating when Broccoli & Wilson have quite possibly put not that much thought into just yet, and certainly not enough to even hint at anything publicly ... which they wouldn't anyway, because the announcement is of course going to be kept a surprise) ... or it's come from non-Bond fans shitposting about wanting a 'woke Bond' to stir, well, shit ... or just general bullshit to do with advertising or film reviews etc etc, which tend to ramp up and echo any such talk surrounding a movie.
For example, there was so much talk of PWB writing the script - when she never did such a thing, she's a writer on the script, the 4th of four credited writers, hired in to do a polish. She had to reinforce that fact in an interview, but the clickbait world went nuts for it, and that then leads to speculation by reactionary YouTubers who are reacted to by other reactionary YouTubers on the other side of the political divide and it all goes round in an annoying swirl far beyond anything the movie actually does or says.
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. [click for more]
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Originally Posted by Neil
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