Monday, November 03, 2008

The one with my take on the Quantum of Solace

Last Saturday she who must be obeyed went off on a hen night, for the night to some far flung destination.....25 minutes down the road. So, what was I to do? Ring for a pizza? Ring for an Indian? Or phone some hookers and organise transportation for them down to the house and partake in a wildly expensive orgy? 

I didn't do any of the above! Well, actually I did ring for an Indian, but they said it would take half an hour to deliver it. I decided against that. Instead, I tried for 20 minutes to book a ticket online for the new bond flick. All sold out! I eventually got a ticket for another cinema and resorted to the fact that 11.15 was going to be my appointment with 007. So to kill some time and my credit card I drove off to Mahon point. Walked in and noticed that the Quantum of Solace showing for 6pm was NOT sold out. Bought ticket and went it to a pretty packed cinema. But, as luck would have it there was plenty of seats up the very front. So I spent the first 10 minutes getting motion sickness from an Aston Martin until I could take no more and moved back a row!


Ive always hated the original Bond flicks. Connery, Moore, Dalton and the other fellas, never liked em. They seemed very proper and cucumber sandwichy for my tastes. Then Brosnan came along and started to eat his cucumber sandwiches with out bread. So I remotely enjoyed one or two of Pierces outings. Then Daniel Craig arrived for the Casino Royale remake and not only did he eat the cucumber whole in one go, he ate a whole sliced pan IN wrapping as well, all while getting his balls smashed in with a lump of rope. I like this Craig fella. He was intense, he had balls (albeit small in his little speedo yokes, shrinkage taken into account) and was a sliced pan eating psycho. Brilliant. Just what the Bond franchise needed, in my view. 

So, Quantum of Solace kicks off 19 minutes or whatever it is, after Casino Royale finished. Que Aston Martin chase. With a bloody Alfa 156. I found this part a bit surreal, but none the less it entertains. For the next 20 or so minutes, its non stop action and then the whole movie slows down a tad and then we're off to the races again. This time in boats and planes. The whole thing moves along fairly quickly, all shot together very tightly by Marc Forster. Yes, he of the Kite Runner fame and the wonderful Stranger than Fiction. 

Quantum of Solaces' main story revolves around a very powerful, secretive organisation who are basically after the worlds water supply and manage to get 60% of Bolivia's aqua. And of course, Bonds oul doll that done herself in at the end of Quantum of Solace and he loved apparently, revenge is on Jimmy's mind. Will he find the guy that caused her betrayal in Casino Royale. If he does find him, will he kill him and so on and so forth. Craig, is as last time round, bloody intense. Que plenty of violence and heads going through doors. It'll certainly moisten your appetite for action and puckings.

Overall, its certainly not the movie of the year but it'll keep you entertained for the 1.46 it runs, but It left me slightly disappointed. I cant put my finger on it entirely. But at times it feels like its lacking a small bit. Given a revenge motive for Bond, I felt as intense as he is in this one, it certainly would have benefited from him being even more bonkers. But as previously typed, it'll keep you entertained! And you certainly wont wonder how they made shit of 6-7 Aston Martin DBS's. As for the bond women, well they're as ugly as a pigs arse, as usual.

Anyway, 

7.5 /10