James Bond (spoilers)

[Lily]

I'm doing a separate thread as I can't figure out how to do spoilers on the film one.

I finally saw this last night. It was really, really good (although Cineworld are going to get a complaint about 40 minutes of adverts beforehand). Great female (and male) characters, excellent script, great effects as always; far less if any sex. I hadn't realised how uncomfortable that and the pointless roles for women had made me in the older ones. Madeleine in particular I really liked.

Although does this mean Bond is truly dead and that's why they are bringing 007 in as a woman?

[lazzbo]

Yes, for me he's gone. But I bet they don't let the new 007 take over.

I thought the fact that Rami Malek just let the kid go because she bit him was ridiculous in the extreme. But it's not meant to be a documentary, is it? I got thoroughly caught up in it.

[Ella77]

I went to see this last week (only two of us in the cinema!) and I was wondering too, because Bond has never died before, has he?

I must admit it was refreshingly low on male gaze nonsense, and seemingly small things like how the new 007 flew the plane without anybody making a big deal out of it was such a nice change. No jokes about women drivers, no gratuitous female nudity, it was a real surprise.

(Have loads of men complained ?)

[lazzbo]

I went to see this last week (only two of us in the cinema!) and I was wondering too, because Bond has never died before, has he?

No, never, so it left me quite confused at first (it doesn't take much). I can't imagine where it's going to go from here.

[Lily]

Yes Lazz, he did seem a bit wussy!

I'm sad Craig's stint as Bond is over, as the franchise has developed so well with him in the lead. I felt a bit "oh here we go" when I saw Paloma in her uber slinky dress appear - but then she's not interested in him, she's hugely talented and funny, and they say goodbye without so much as a snog. Fantastic.

I think all the previous films have ended happily(ish) so yes, it wasn't what I was expecting!

[lazzbo]

Paloma was a great character (LOVED that dress) - they had such good chemistry in Knives Out, I loved seeing them together again. The bionic eye thing was really creepy!

[sally maclennane]

I liked it too although I felt it was about half an hour too long. I thought it was so much less sexist than previous films. I was never really a fan of the franchise until DC took on the role and they got a bit more balanced. I thought you could really see the influence of Phoebe Waller Bridge (much as I hate Fleabag, I think she's a talented writer).

[Lily]

I was never really a fan of the franchise until DC took on the role and they got a bit more balanced.

Agreed. It all seemed to be men blowing things up and women being sexy. I'd certainly watch more with DC in the role so I'm very late to the bandwagon!

I didn't really notice Phoebe Waller-Bridge's influence what did you see?

[Glint]

There were single lines and quips that we could see PWB having written.

The movie was fantastic, and seemed to be over really quickly. I'm interested to see where the franchise goes.

[Flora Poste]

I saw it yesterday as well and really enjoyed it - more than I expected to, to be honest. I thought it was really well done in that it had everything you expect from a Bond movie (the locations (loved Italy and Cuba especially), gadgets, action, a glamorous party, a secret biological weapon base on a disputed island) but brought up to date. The script was great, I loved Paloma and Madeleine's characters - I also loved the 'Mormon' CIA agent Ash.

Interesting, Mr P's Brexit voting, Tory friend had described it to him as the 'woke' Bond, which has really annoyed me now I've seen it, as the only woke bit about it for me was that it wasn't sexist

[lazzbo]

Well yes, "woke" isn't an insult there, for normal people.

[Lily]

He's hardly woke! He drops a car on a bloke's head.

[Smunder Woman]

I cried So did Joe, which was quite surprising. I went to see it a second time because the Swede hadn't seen it and I can't be trusted to keep my mouth shut, and I cried again I have no idea what has become of me.

[Chicky]

I had a tear in my eye at the end too, it was very poignant.

I thought it was great but I wish I’d watched spectre beforehand as it took me a while to remember what was going on.

[Lily]

Yes, I could have done with a recap.

I may well go and watch it again, which I've only done with Schindler's List and the Woman In Black to date. Kudos indeed!

[Wiggle]

Overall I liked it. I loved Lashana Lynch as 007, so cool and poised. Her line "did you think they retired the number when you left the service" really made me laugh. I was actually more upset at Felix dying.
What I didn't like was Rami Malek, I thought he was really wooden. I couldn't get my head round how his character could be so powerful to destroy Spectre.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next film. I think it will be a complete reset/reboot of the character with a new M/Q.

As much as I want a woman in the role, I think unless there is amazing writing that it won't work. You only have to see how poorly Jodie Whitaker has been received as The Doctor and the awful material she has had to work with.

[sally maclennane]

I was never really a fan of the franchise until DC took on the role and they got a bit more balanced.

Agreed. It all seemed to be men blowing things up and women being sexy. I'd certainly watch more with DC in the role so I'm very late to the bandwagon!

I didn't really notice Phoebe Waller-Bridge's influence what did you see?

Just stuff like strong female leads and some of the dialogue as Glint has mentioned.

[Froozy]

I loved it and was so into it I felt exhausted when I came out. I haven’t concentrated on one thing for that long for ages . Also with the tear at the end.

I didn’t like the way they made Nomi so chippy and threatened by Bond being back - she’s at the top of her game and I think it would have suited the character more for her to be secure in that position. Other than that I liked her and loved Paloma. I also liked the causal ‘outing’ of Q where no one made a thing about his date being male.

Didn’t like Safin and I’m so bored of scarred villains. It added nothing to his story and just falls into that lazy and insulting trope about villains being other in some way.

The poison garden off the coast of Japan is from one of the books and at the end Bond seemingly dies (and M’s quote is part of his obit in the book). Although he doesn’t get obliterated in quite the same way I liked the echoes from the book.

No idea what they’ll do next but I’d rather Nomi (or Paloma) got her own series without being tied to the Bond storylines and history. I’m not interested in a female Bond as much as I am a strong female character doing exciting shit of her own (if that makes sense).

I’d really like to go and see it again too.

[lazzbo]

Didn’t like Safin and I’m so bored of scarred villains. It added nothing to his story and just falls into that lazy and insulting trope about villains being other in some way.

Yes, that was lame. They had that for Casino Royale, Skyfall, enough's enough.

[Lily]

I don't think James Bond has to come back as Jane Bond or whatever for it to work. 007 would be good as a female or a male. James Bond being a bloke works well for me, but I definitely found Paloma interesting & would like to know what else she gets up to as she masks a lot of her talent under what appears to be genuine ditsiness and nerves.

Which book is that Froozy?