Quantum of Steadicam

[bewareofgeek]

So, as the second half of a long-separated birthday gift, I took my dad to see the latest Bond flick today.  And while there was certainly a lot of action (a surfeit, even) it didn't feel quite like Bond to me.

My first problem were the chases.  Car chases, boat chases, footraces, even an aerial dogfight(!),  all filmed with shaky camerawork that was probably designed to make the scenes look edgy, but just made me feel dizzy.  I never really knew who was who.

My second problem was with Craig.  While he's great at brooding, and does a reasonable menacing stare, his battered bulldog face does not lend itself to suave, debonair snark.  I've seen him in two Bonds now, and he still doesn't look comfortable in a tux,

The final problem was the humor.  There wasn't any, with the exception of a throwaway line about winning the lottery.  Bond was deadly serious for most of the film, and it took away much of his charm.

That being said, he seems to have gotten past his grief in this one, so perhaps the next film (expected in about 2-3 years) will be the Bond I'm waiting for.

Comments

[chattycatsmeow.livejournal.com]

Shaky Cam makes me crazy. No wait, I take that back. Shaky cam makes me dizzy and has been known to trigger a migraine. More than one movie has been completely ruined and made unwatchable. I spent more than half of the third Jason Bourne film staring at the head of the bald guy a couple of rows down and listening to the movie.

Years back, the movie Supernova was completely ruined also and THAT movie featured an incredibly buff, hot-bodied James Spader. But due to the Stupid Wavery Cam, not only could I not ogle Spader in the theater, I couldn't even buy the movie later and ogle him repeatedly in the comfort of my own home.

I just want to grab the directors of these movies by the lapels, shake them thoroughly while yelling, "There's a REASON they invented the Steadicam!"

[mdg1.livejournal.com]

I suspect that it's usage in Bourne is why it showed up here. I've heard the comparison before.