Quantum of Solace

It s been a day since I’ve seen Quantum of Solace.  I’m not quite sure what I think yet.  A lot of critics have slammed it as being joyless.  I don’t know that I’d go that far, it not as if Bond gets off on killing people– it’s just an occupational hazard.  I reviewed Casino Royale so that I would be up to speed.  I had forgotten about the new maternal treatment of M, which continues in the new film.  Also it helped with remembering who was stuffed in that trunk.  All that to say, I’m still digesting the new Bond.

I think it’s an age thing.  People in their 30s and 40s bag on Timothy Dalton and Geroge Lazenby as the worst Bonds (vote in our poll if you haven’t already).  People under 30, start in on Roger Moore.  I grew up with Roger Moore as Bond and then discovered Sean Connery thanks to VHS and the twice a year Bond marathons on TBS in the 1980s.  I believe that every Bond has their place and valid reason for existence.

First off, in defense of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Yes, it stars George Lazenby… but it also has Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas.  Its, the one Bond film prior to the Daniel Craig reboot that attempts to get some characterization and depth into Bond, granted Lazenby isn’t the actor to pull this off.  Also how do you expect anyone to follow Connery?

You can’t follow Connery.  The guy defined the film role, he made it his own even though it differs from the novels.  As I mull over the different Bonds, they seem to be more reflections of the political times than anything else.

Cold War
Prime Bond – Sean Connery (see above)

Placeholder Bond – George Lazenby (see above)

Disco Bond – Roger Moore, seven films and the man aged before our very eyes.  This is also when Q branch runs wild and we get Lothario as Inspector Gadget.

Fall of the Wall
Victim Bond – Timothy Dalton, no Cold War and the writers are stumped.  WTF can you do for storylines?  Let’s cast Wayne Newton as a villain.

Prettyboy Bond – Pierce Bronsan, With the exception of Goldeneye, his other outings as Bond were dreadful.  I like him a lot, but the plots were all reworked Moore films.  In all fairness he did follow Dalton; and it was nice to get an actor who came up with a hybrid of Moore and Connery.

Post 9-11*
Marathon Bond – Daniel Craig, his two films make me tired.  He’s always running, jumping, or fighting somebody—take a freaking break and relax already.  If I wanted this much physical exertion I’d go to the gym myself.  The gritty Bond seems to be an overreaction to shows like 24 and the Jason Bourne series.  If they wanted to go in that direction the perfect tone has been set by the BBC’s Spooks (aka MI-5).

*Yes, I know Die Another Day was released in 2002.  But its less a film and more an f/x driven nightmare with way to many self-referential jokes about the Bond series.

In writing this piece it just occurs to me that my favorite Bond films were done by the same director, Guy Hamilton.  The man did: Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Live & Let Die, and The Man With The Golden Gun.