James Bond: 007 - Spectre - - Part 11

[dude stannis]

Yup, looks like you didn't see what I wrote about the domestic BO. Also I pointed out it has made money but when it comes to big franchise there's a fine line.

It doesn't mean that it'll bankrupt EON or anything.

I wasn't singling you out Eeyore. This is a sentiment I've seen all over the internet. Spectre practically was released with an intverted marketing budget and it's made par for Craig's run on Bond with the exception of Skyfall. I really don't imagine EON expecting Skyfall domestic numbers.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I really think that the adopted brother angle was stupid, contrived and unnecessary. But even so, they did it terribly. Remember in Goldeneye, when 006 shows up and reveals that he's Janus? And Bond is actually shocked? That scene worked.

Like Loki said, Bond seemed to not even care. What the hell is the point then? The "revelation" might as well be that they went to the same elementary school. It would have the same impact and reaction.

Bond: Oh yeah, I vaguely remember you.

 

[Victarion]

That African warlord angle sounds like the most interesting of the proposed changes. I wouldn't need Blofeld to be Knightfall Bane ripped, but having that experience makes him interesting when compounded with him being the archetypal evil genius mastermind.

 

[Roose Bolton]

I think, with any of it, there wasn't a great need to change Blofeld around too much, especially since there's a lot of the character that wasn't adapted. In terms of physicality Ian Fleming had the guy wielding a katana in his last appearance and fully prepared to murder people on his own rather than let his henchmen have all the fun. But Logan had good ideas that could have been utilised for original villains or other members of SPECTRE

 

[samsnee]

Domestic BO has become less and less relevant, and Bond's always been an international franchise. In terms of the 4 Craig films, this is still the second highest grossing in the U.S. Market. Anyone expecting Bond films to constantly do Skyfall numbers is out of their mind.

But if you're the studio, and the last movie made a billion, and you pumped more money into the the next one, you're telling me you wouldn't be disappointed? Studios only care about the most recent film, not the average box office of the series. If it had been done before then that means can be done again.

 

[Loki882]

Speaking of the "African Warlord" idea, I wonder if that's why they were apparently looking at Chiwetel Ejiofor to play the villain at one point? I remember reading about that.

 

[Loki882]

John Logan had quite a bit of freedom afforded to him after the success of Skyfall, and when crafting the script for Blofeld's return was pretty insistent on them doing something radical with the new iteration of the character. These went from Blofeld being a woman, to Blofeld being an African warlord who served in the French foreign legion with Mr White (and engaged in cannibalism) and then to the brother angle. When Mendes signed on board he had them bring back Wade and Purvis and basically downplay that angle as much as they could, whilst still keeping it intact.

I've said this before, but Monica Bellucci (boy was she wasted in this film btw) would have been a far more interesting choice for Blofeld, or heck even Chiwetel Ejiofor (whom they were supposedly looking at early on).

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Speaking of the "African Warlord" idea, I wonder if that's why they were apparently looking at Chiwetel Ejiofor to play the villain at one point? I remember reading about that.

I thought he was gonna play C?

 

[Octoberist]

I wasn't singling you out Eeyore. This is a sentiment I've seen all over the internet. Spectre practically was released with an intverted marketing budget and it's made par for Craig's run on Bond with the exception of Skyfall. I really don't imagine EON expecting Skyfall domestic numbers.

Okay, Piglet.

 

[Roose Bolton]

But if you're the studio, and the last movie made a billion, and you pumped more money into the the next one, you're telling me you wouldn't be disappointed? Studios only care about the most recent film, not the average box office of the series. If it had been done before then that means can be done again.

I'm saying that while they had that hope, they probably also tempered those expectations knowing that 2015 is not the 50th Anniversaryof the series , there was no build up with the Olympics, and that it's a more crowded year. This film actually had more going against it compared to Skyfall which had a lot of external factors going in its favour, and don't think EON or Sony weren't aware of that.

I've said this before, but Monica Bellucci (boy was she wasted in this film btw) would have been a far more interesting choice for Blofeld, or heck even Chiwetel Ejiofor (whom they were supposedly looking at early on).

I agree that both of those actors would be great for Bond villains, but not necessarily Blofeld. I don't think the character requires such a drastic change. You get into that conversation and you end up with him being Bond's evil brother...

 

[The Guard]

Like Loki said, Bond seemed to not even care. What the hell is the point then? The "revelation" might as well be that they went to the same elementary school. It would have the same impact and reaction.

Bond: Oh yeah, I vaguely remember you.

That's the point.

Bond doesn't care about Blofeld's reveal.

This version of James Bond doesn't care about such things, Bond cares about Queen and Country and little else. At least outwardly.

It was essentially a mini-subversion of the typical "shocked because a connection has been revealed" trope.

In GOLDENEYE, Bond initially shows some shock and then pretends not to care, is somewhat flippant about it.

But this version of James Bond is a lot more mentally shielded/cold.

They didn't just accidentally leave this in the film and then forget for it to matter to James Bond, when in most versions of this sort of thing, a character would express shock, anger, etc.

They very much intentionally have him play it off that he could care less. He is denying Blofeld yet another "victory" by doing so, because Blofeld thought this would be a big blow to James, something that would floor him. Nope.

 

[Loki882]

And that's very, not interesting. He's doesn't are, so why should I?

 

[dude stannis]

Okay, Piglet.

Well Gianakin is a big hairy, gluttonous bear who never wears pants. So the comparison is apt.

 

[dude stannis]

And that's very, not interesting. He's doesn't are, so why should I?

Because the story is not done yet, Blodfeld saw the brotherhood angle didn't work, so what did he observe at the end of the film that would work?

 

[Golgo-13]

Damn. The more i see this movie, the more it's turning into the worst Bond movie (for me) in a long, long time; even worst than QoS. Seen it 3 times and it gets worst with each viewing. Even the helicopter fight (which i though was the best action sequence in the movie) is quite subpar after multiple viewings.....

 

[Loki882]

I still like that scene. I also like the train fight. But the rest of the action beats, especially the car chase, yeah they don't work nearly as well.

 

[Loki882]

Because the story is not done yet, Blodfeld saw the brotherhood angle didn't work, so what did he observe at the end of the film that would work?

You missed my point completely. If the characters in-universe don't care about the "brother angle," then why should I? That's my point. And if it goes in a different direction next time, then that makes me care even less, because the film doesn't either. So why was it here to begin with, it's completely pointless and is just dumb.

 

[Smilodon]

The helicopter fight scene was too ambitious for its own good. The interior shots were CGI and the exterior shots of them fighting were from a distance and to me, lessened the impact. The train fight on Turkey where we could see Daniel actually on top of the train fighting was much more intense.

The peak of that helicopter fight was the actual corkscrews it did, and that had nothing to do with Bond and or Craig. It was all on the skill of the pilot and I think that just kinda dampened the coolness for sure.

 

[Gold Samurai]

I've said this before, but Monica Bellucci (boy was she wasted in this film btw) would have been a far more interesting choice for Blofeld, or heck even Chiwetel Ejiofor (whom they were supposedly looking at early on).

They should go back to her.

Make up a story that she has more intel that Bond needs.

 

[aNarcHy2day]

I just watched the movie.

It was...um... shall I say... interesting.

With some changes, it was quite a lot similar to Rogue Nation but that left me positively bubbling for more.

The editing/ direction was a bit off for me in most action scenes (apart from the train sequence, which was VERY GOOD) which I felt dragged on every single time and made me slip out of the movie time and again.

The brother angle just didn't make sense whatsoever and was completely inconsequential to the story.
I mean, Blofield was responsible for all the chaos in Bond's life over the past few films since he inadvertently stepped into his world when he came up against Chiffre in Casino Royale. Add to it the fact that M sent him after the organization as a dying wish of sorts.
I don't need to be told any further motivation at all and it would draw a perfect parallel with Bond's interest in SPECTRE starting with Dr. No.
And if they indeed HAVE to put that to explain why Bond wasn't killed the moment he set foot in that North African desert facility, at least some stakes to the reveal must be added for the audience to care.
As Loki882 so eloquently put it, 'if Bond doesn't care, why should I?'

That said, I quite liked post-accident Blofield. He looked and felt like a real threat that I just didn't feel with "Let's chat Blofield" in Rome and "Meteorite site 1"! Thunderball did a MUCH better job of convincing us of Blofield's threat on first viewing albeit a bit too 'on the nose'.

 

[Gort Baringa]

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. just came out on DVD yesterday and I kinda regard it as a big "Meh." I was expecting a bit more from Guy Ritchie. Like S.P.E.C.T.R.E. there is no explanation what UNCLE means until the end credits. And some homage to the original music theme would have been nice. And there was no need to portray Napoleon Solo as anything other than an American intelligence agent - I do not remember him being a jewel thief in the series. Ilya Kuryakin was good and Hugh Grant was surprisingly good as Mr. Waverley. I do not expect to see a sequel unless Ritchie commissions the job to another director.

There was even a reference to the character in Thunderball: Count Lippi.

 

[gwynplaine]

They should go back to her.

Make up a story that she has more intel that Bond needs.

Also Felix fell in love with her.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

Damn. The more i see this movie, the more it's turning into the worst Bond movie (for me) in a long, long time; even worst than QoS. Seen it 3 times and it gets worst with each viewing. Even the helicopter fight (which i though was the best action sequence in the movie) is quite subpar after multiple viewings.....

I too love to watch movies I don't like

 

[A Necessary Evil]

I've said this before, but Monica Bellucci (boy was she wasted in this film btw) would have been a far more interesting choice for Blofeld,

That's the point.

Bond doesn't care about Blofeld's reveal.

This version of James Bond doesn't care about such things, Bond cares about Queen and Country and little else. At least outwardly.

It was essentially a mini-subversion of the typical "shocked because a connection has been revealed" trope.

In GOLDENEYE, Bond initially shows some shock and then pretends not to care, is somewhat flippant about it.

But this version of James Bond is a lot more mentally shielded/cold.

They didn't just accidentally leave this in the film and then forget for it to matter to James Bond, when in most versions of this sort of thing, a character would express shock, anger, etc.

They very much intentionally have him play it off that he could care less. He is denying Blofeld yet another "victory" by doing so, because Blofeld thought this would be a big blow to James, something that would floor him. Nope.

 

[Slushy]

I really think that the adopted brother angle was stupid, contrived and unnecessary. But even so, they did it terribly.

Agreed. It wouldn't have worked back in 1967 in "You Only Live Twice". And it doesn't work now.