I would also add the free-running scene in Casino Royale. No one had ever really done that on screen before–certainly to that level. Now it’s quite common for films or TV shows to have a scene like that, but back in 2006 it was pretty much only Bond, James Bond.
But that, and the two you mentioned Dustin, are about the only innovative stunt scenes I can think of in the Daniel Craig era. Compare that to the 1970s and 80s when we were getting AT LEAST one innovative stunt a film and it’s not even close. To quote a line from the theme song to All In The Family, “Those were the days.”
Parkour was HUGE in the UK at the time after the documentary Jump London. Poker, particularly texas hold’em, was also big. It makes me think we should watch trends outside of film to get an idea of what Bond 7’s debut will be.
I would say the fog/forest sequence in NTTD where Bond drops the Landrover on the baddie is where Bond movies need to live. Simple but brutal against a stunning palate/backdrop. Those other franchises don’t really do that like Bond can. Also, Bond doesn’t need to do the kind of action the others do. He’s an MI6 agent, simple, efficient, brutal. Get it done.
Exactly. Bond is his own thing, especially in how he improvises an outcome and appears nonchalant under pressure. Wrapping the cable around the tree and taking down the motorcyclist, then walking unbothered as Logan Ash fires the tracer bullets - before leading the vehicle to the log. Great sequence.
One of the best sequences in any Bond film. Was genuinely stunned while watching it. I strenuously disagreed with the ending of the film, but that was an extreme bright spot in that movie. EON needs to rinse and repeat that sequence again and again, and they’ll be just fine.
I’d probably say the Matera sequence is my favourite use of the DB5 and all the gadgets. Cuba is a good dose of fun and it’s the template I’d like them to follow. Safin’s island is the best lair in decades IMO and I love the tension of the situation, even though I know people don’t agree with where it leads. If NTTD is anything to go by, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about the action side of things. Especially with the added pressure of properly introducing a new actor.
I don’t doubt he’s right, but considering they bent over backward to get him back for a second one and have generally targeted more prestige directors for most of Craig’s run, this feels a bit like a cheap shot against EON.
They let him do plenty with the franchise - twice. Even waited for him to be available. Both of which I don’t think would have happened had he been the ‘young malleable Mendes’; he wasn’t that any more when they approached him.
