Okay, you remember how a few months ago I threw up a post about how cool I thought it would be if Kathryn Bigelow directed the next James Bond movie? Well, guess what? She’s not, but the person that they’ve just signed on to helm the 23rd entry of the franchise just caused this movie to pretty much jump to the very top of my list of movies I want to see RIGHT NOW! I know this is going to sound like some weird pipe dream, like something a bunch of basement dwelling fanboys came up with in a Cheetos induced coma but I swear to you its not. I mean Hollywood Reporter was the one that broke the story. Not only will the next James Bond movie be written by the same crack team that churned out the screenplays for the last two brilliant installments plus the addition of Peter Morgan (The genius behind THE QUEEN, FROST / NIXON, etc.) to the bunch, but now comes word that Sam Mendes is going to direct the film! Yeah, you heard me right, Sam “Freaking” Mendes, the dude that directed REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, JARHEAD, ROAD TO PERDITION and won an Oscar for a little film called AMERICAN BEAUTY!!!
My hat is off to the producers behind the Bond franchise. Up until they rebooted the franchise a few years ago the character and the franchise were very much in danger of becoming completely irrelevant in the face of such modern day action heroes as Jason Bourne and the like. In just two movies Daniel Craig and everyone else involved erased all doubt that James Bond still owns the genre and with this latest bit of news it’s obvious they have every intention of keeping it that way. There’s no way this Bond film won’t be jaw dropping, just no possible way!
My hat is off to the producers behind the Bond franchise. Up until they rebooted the franchise a few years ago the character and the franchise were very much in danger of becoming completely irrelevant in the face of such modern day action heroes as Jason Bourne and the like. In just two movies Daniel Craig and everyone else involved erased all doubt that James Bond still owns the genre and with this latest bit of news it’s obvious they have every intention of keeping it that way. There’s no way this Bond film won’t be jaw dropping, just no possible way!
1 comment:
"My hat is off to the producers behind the Bond franchise. Up until they rebooted the franchise a few years ago the character and the franchise were very much in danger of becoming completely irrelevant in the face of such modern day action heroes as Jason Bourne and the like. In just two movies Daniel Craig and everyone else involved erased all doubt that James Bond still owns the genre and with this latest bit of news it’s obvious they have every intention of keeping it that way. There’s no way this Bond film won’t be jaw dropping, just no possible way!"
Ah Chris, Chris, Chris, Chris,
Your tendency toward excitability is nothing new, but, friend, come on. My hat is off to the Bond people too, because Mendes is a high-profile director to bring to the franchise, if not the highest in its history. However, this notion of the inevitability of the greatness of the next installment isn't assured by any stretch of the imagination.
For one, the existence of a high-profile to one's name doesn't mean that one is actually deserving of all that that prestige entails. Mendes isn't exactly riding a major hot streak. Revolutionary Road was a major disappointment and while Away We Go was entertaining and a nice change of pace for him, I have yet to see Mendes make a film that's even close to realizing the potential of his debut. Additionally, I'm not so sure that he can direct action scenes in the way that someone like Martin Campbell can. At the very least, I hope he's a SIGNIFICANT improvement over Forster's work in the last installment.
Second, nothing is certain in this business. NOTHING. You know this. To assume that the house is going to be great just because there are some good architects attached is silly.
Third, Quantam of Solace, while a decent flick, wasn't nearly as good as Casino Royale. Your claim that "all doubt" has been erased is dubious at best.
My saying all this doesn't mean that I won't be there on opening weekend, hopeful that another great Bond movie is in the bag. It does mean that you might want to step away from the helium tank and drift back down to earth with the rest of us. I'm not trying to make an exclusive case for either optimism or pessimism. It's pragmatism that is the most useful in a job like ours. You know, the kind that hopes for the best, plans for the worst, and crosses its fingers in the dark, staring up, lost in the light of the screen.
Repectfully,
-Adam
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