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The James Bond Film That Most 'Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot'
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TMC
Nov 17, 2012, 6:22:58 AM11/17/12
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http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000075/flat/205674966?d=205674966&p=1#205674966
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot/Film
Licence to Kill: A James Bond film to break from the 007 tradition and
turn our hero into a rogue agent had potential—even if "hey, my
buddy's been hurt and his wife's been killed, so I want revenge" is
hardly original—but it was marred by poor dialogue, unimaginative
gadgets, mediocre acting (except that of Timothy Dalton and Robert
Davi), and lackluster direction, putting the brakes on the 007 film
series for six years.
A View to a Kill had an interesting dilemma staring the filmmakers in
the face: Roger Moore was clearly past his prime as Bond, and was
visibly straining to perform the stunts required throughout the film.
Several options were clearly apparent: they could have made the film a
nice send-off for Moore (and had the character either retire or
transfer his mantle to a new agent - The Living Daylights, which had
Bond on a training mission, was made right after this, and would have
made a good segway) or they could have done anything else than what
ended up onscreen. A lame retread of Goldfinger (with an oil baron
replacing a gold magnate), complete with 007 sleeping with a woman
young enough to be his granddaughter, stunt sequences that are either
shoddy or unimaginative, and a general sense that everyone involved
was just in it for the money.
Die Another Day (which was made primarily to commemorate the
franchise's 40th anniversary) also falls into this, as it had several
disparate plots that could have been cool on their own...but failed
miserably. On Bond's "last mission", he is betrayed by his superiors
and captured by the Korean government. The backdrop is an escalating
conflict between North and South Korea that forces U.S. intervention
(something that still resonates in the 2010's). Bond is looking for
revenge against a thought-dead Korean general, who is using a cover
story to take power in the region. In the right hands, the film could
have been a cool throwback to the 80's Bond films. Instead, director
Lee Tamahori took the material way over the top by including an
invisible car, a Kill Sat laser that is slow enough that a speeding
car can outrace it, a Korean man using gene therapy to become a white
British man, another Korean man with diamonds stuck on his face and
absurd action sequences. The end result killed the franchise for four
years and eventually resulted in its reboot with Casino Royale.
Might as well throw another one on the pile: how about Diamonds Are
Forever? After the unfortunate events in the previous film, it would
be great to see James Bond, played once again by George Lazenby, on a
personal mission to kill Blofeld and avenge his wife's death. Sadly,
Lazenby left the role due to many reasons, and Connery was brought
back. It could still work, right? Nope. Too bad that after the Cold
Open he seems to forget all about his dead wife, the rest of the movie
is filled to the brim with cheese, Sean Connery's just there for one
last paycheck and we get no real resolution to the rivalry with
Blofeld (unless you count the unceremonious one in For Your Eyes
Only).
It should be noted that all three of these are the last for their Bond
actors, meaning they're not just wasted plots but shoddy send offs to
their eras as well.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot/Film
Licence to Kill: A James Bond film to break from the 007 tradition and
turn our hero into a rogue agent had potential—even if "hey, my
buddy's been hurt and his wife's been killed, so I want revenge" is
hardly original—but it was marred by poor dialogue, unimaginative
gadgets, mediocre acting (except that of Timothy Dalton and Robert
Davi), and lackluster direction, putting the brakes on the 007 film
series for six years.
A View to a Kill had an interesting dilemma staring the filmmakers in
the face: Roger Moore was clearly past his prime as Bond, and was
visibly straining to perform the stunts required throughout the film.
Several options were clearly apparent: they could have made the film a
nice send-off for Moore (and had the character either retire or
transfer his mantle to a new agent - The Living Daylights, which had
Bond on a training mission, was made right after this, and would have
made a good segway) or they could have done anything else than what
ended up onscreen. A lame retread of Goldfinger (with an oil baron
replacing a gold magnate), complete with 007 sleeping with a woman
young enough to be his granddaughter, stunt sequences that are either
shoddy or unimaginative, and a general sense that everyone involved
was just in it for the money.
Die Another Day (which was made primarily to commemorate the
franchise's 40th anniversary) also falls into this, as it had several
disparate plots that could have been cool on their own...but failed
miserably. On Bond's "last mission", he is betrayed by his superiors
and captured by the Korean government. The backdrop is an escalating
conflict between North and South Korea that forces U.S. intervention
(something that still resonates in the 2010's). Bond is looking for
revenge against a thought-dead Korean general, who is using a cover
story to take power in the region. In the right hands, the film could
have been a cool throwback to the 80's Bond films. Instead, director
Lee Tamahori took the material way over the top by including an
invisible car, a Kill Sat laser that is slow enough that a speeding
car can outrace it, a Korean man using gene therapy to become a white
British man, another Korean man with diamonds stuck on his face and
absurd action sequences. The end result killed the franchise for four
years and eventually resulted in its reboot with Casino Royale.
Might as well throw another one on the pile: how about Diamonds Are
Forever? After the unfortunate events in the previous film, it would
be great to see James Bond, played once again by George Lazenby, on a
personal mission to kill Blofeld and avenge his wife's death. Sadly,
Lazenby left the role due to many reasons, and Connery was brought
back. It could still work, right? Nope. Too bad that after the Cold
Open he seems to forget all about his dead wife, the rest of the movie
is filled to the brim with cheese, Sean Connery's just there for one
last paycheck and we get no real resolution to the rivalry with
Blofeld (unless you count the unceremonious one in For Your Eyes
Only).
It should be noted that all three of these are the last for their Bond
actors, meaning they're not just wasted plots but shoddy send offs to
their eras as well.
Michael OConnor
Nov 17, 2012, 7:46:41 PM11/17/12
to
I think A View to a Kill is the low point of the Bond Franchise,
barely nosing out Moonraker, and I don't think Roger Moore (or Connery
for that matter) in his prime could have saved it.
Die Another Day was the Bond film with the most failed potential,
landing Halle Berry fresh off her Oscar in the female lead was a
brilliant choice and the best Bond girl since Jill St. John, and
littering the film with references to all the previous films, and Bond
spending more than a year in a North Korean prison (which could have
turned into a revenge pic) with the right script and director it could
have been a can't miss. But in the end it simply recycled Diamonds
are Forever with the satellite with the laser-type beam that could
take out targets on Earth. I think it also smacked of PC to use DNA
therapy to turn the Villain from a North Korean into a white European
with a British accent. And after spending all that time in jail, Bond
broke out of the hospital the next day and after a shower and shave
and fresh set of clothes it was like nothing happened.
Halmyre
Nov 18, 2012, 7:07:30 AM11/18/12
to
On Nov 18, 12:46 am, Michael OConnor <mpoconn...@aol.com> wrote:
> I think A View to a Kill is the low point of the Bond Franchise,
> barely nosing out Moonraker, and I don't think Roger Moore (or Connery
> for that matter) in his prime could have saved it.
I think The Man With The Golden Gun is the low-point franchise killer.
> I think A View to a Kill is the low point of the Bond Franchise,
> barely nosing out Moonraker, and I don't think Roger Moore (or Connery
> for that matter) in his prime could have saved it.
> Die Another Day was the Bond film with the most failed potential,
> landing Halle Berry fresh off her Oscar in the female lead was a
> brilliant choice and the best Bond girl since Jill St. John, and
Roberts.
--
Halmyre
Stone me
Nov 18, 2012, 3:47:02 PM11/18/12
to
"Halmyre" <flashgord...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ebbdca57-1e42-440e...@n8g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...
Time for a definition of "Bond Girl"?
Suggestively dangerous, fully inflated?
Acting not a necessity.
Stone me.
Rich
Nov 18, 2012, 7:42:56 PM11/18/12
to
TMC <tmc...@gmail.com> wrote in
news:caa5395d-b402-401b...@h15g2000yqe.googlegroups.com:
> http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000075/flat/205674966?d=205674966&p=1#2056
foray into U.S. black culture was even worse.
news:caa5395d-b402-401b...@h15g2000yqe.googlegroups.com:
> http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000075/flat/205674966?d=205674966&p=1#2056
> 74966
>
> http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot/Film
>
> Licence to Kill: A James Bond film to break from the 007 tradition and
> turn our hero into a rogue agent had potential容ven if "hey, my
>
> http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot/Film
>
> Licence to Kill: A James Bond film to break from the 007 tradition and
> buddy's been hurt and his wife's been killed, so I want revenge" is
> hardly original傭ut it was marred by poor dialogue, unimaginative
> gadgets, mediocre acting (except that of Timothy Dalton and Robert
> Davi), and lackluster direction, putting the brakes on the 007 film
> series for six years.
Seedy wetback drug dealers do not good Bond villains make. Roger Moore's
> Davi), and lackluster direction, putting the brakes on the 007 film
> series for six years.
foray into U.S. black culture was even worse.
Von Fourche
Nov 23, 2012, 11:45:56 PM11/23/12
to
"TMC" wrote in message
news:caa5395d-b402-401b...@h15g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000075/flat/205674966?d=205674966&p=1#205674966
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot/Film
Licence to Kill: A James Bond film to break from the 007 tradition and
turn our hero into a rogue agent had potential—even if "hey, my
buddy's been hurt and his wife's been killed, so I want revenge" is
hardly original—but it was marred by poor dialogue, unimaginative
gadgets, mediocre acting (except that of Timothy Dalton and Robert
Davi), and lackluster direction, putting the brakes on the 007 film
series for six years.
well produced, written and acted film. It flows nicely and has
a decent villain. Everyone said "It's Miami Vice!" No, it is a Bond film
that flows nicely and mostly good.
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