Quantum of Solace is getting mixed reviews, and those are justified. The first 20 minutes and last 20 minutes of the movie make no sense if you haven't seen Casino Royale -- and even if you have, we're not given much reason to care about Bond's cold-blooded revenge.
Between those sequences, however, is a solid Bond film in the classic tradition: international conspiracies, psychopathic villains, cool cars and great clothes.
Bond films require a certain degree of suspension of disbelief. In one sequence, he basically walks on water, leaping from one moving boat to another to chase down a damsel in distress. In another, we're expected to believe that assassins were able to bring an entire barrel of oil into a luxury hotel, drown a woman in it, leave her oil-coated body on a bed and then get out of the hotel without tracking oil anywhere else in the room or the hotel hallways. And we won't even talk about Bond's ability to run from a fireball, a standard feature of movie thrillers that defies all physical laws.
No, what bugged me in this movie was Bond's ability to come up with fabulous new clothes at any time of day, in any place he might be. One clever sequence shows him stealing a tuxedo, which I appreciated; but in the scene immediately following that one, he shows up on a Greek island wearing a gorgeous black sweater that he did not snatch off a clothesline. Later, he arrives in Bolivia with no visible luggage, but manages to come up with another tuxedo and, after that, some great-looking desert wear. (There's also the issue of his shoes, which disappear and reappear during one escape sequence.)
I live a quiet life, working from home, and I do not have time to shop for clothes. How does James Bond manage?
Shop and Pack with James: the 007 Guide to Style would be an awesome TV show. I would watch it, especially if every episode featured Daniel Craig getting dressed.
7 comments:
Maybe Q developed tiny super-vacuum-packed clothing tablets that burst open to release perfectly tailored, wrinkle proof fashions. And wouldn't it just suck if Q accidently gave Bond a fashion capsule from the 70's????
Can you imagine the look on Bond's face if he popped opened a powder blue tux with ruffles?
And the shoes are reversible, I think.
Kris
I think that he just gets his stuff from Q's colleague GQ.
What I always loved were the water-resistant tuxedos that fit perfectly under the wetsuit. Always wanted one of those.
And wouldn't you rather watch that tv show that featured Daniel Craig as Bond un-dressing rather than dressing?
I just assumed he lived off the kindness of others--specifically, his ladyfriends. What's the point of seducing a Russian spy if you can't get a good suit out of the deal?
I like Tom's idea of Daniel Craig as Bond un-dressing. But they would have to show it on very late night HBO...
And how does he always manage to get the luxury suite without ever having a reservation? The American Express Black Card, I suppose.
I was impressed that his sidekick parachuted out of plane wearing a little black number and heels. I knew Coco Chanel inspired dressed were iconic, but being able to strap a parachute to one and then dive out of a burning plane...wow...
I like Anonymous' idea of how James Bond get his clothing... LOL
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