Am I missing Something?

batester2005

hi guys, apologies for bein the thick confused git but i watched QoS in the cinema in November and walked out thinkin 'great film, but how the hell has it tied up CR's loose ends.'
i then thought that maybe i wud pick more up from watchin the bluray wen it came out (as i did with CR) but even now im still none the wiser. my main query is 'who and what is vespers boyfriend and why does he let him go?'
any kind of help would be appreciated!!!

minigeff

in a nut shell, vespers boyfriend is called 'yusef', who basically tricked vesper into falling in love with him in order for her to do what he wanted. vesper was used as a pawn.

i assume yusef worked for quantum, and at the end of QOS, bond finally figures out that vesper didn't betray him intentionally, as she didn't know herself that she was getting played be yusef.

when bond figures all this out, he find's his resolve and realises after all that vesper did love bond. thus, bond gets his closure on it all, and thus finds his 'quantum of solace'.

hopefully all this is right and it makes some sense.

another way to die

batester2005 wrote:

hi guys, apologies for bein the thick confused git but i watched QoS in the cinema in November and walked out thinkin 'great film, but how the hell has it tied up CR's loose ends.'
i then thought that maybe i wud pick more up from watchin the bluray wen it came out (as i did with CR) but even now im still none the wiser. my main query is 'who and what is vespers boyfriend and why does he let him go?'
any kind of help would be appreciated!!!

same here....why dose he go to vespers boyfriend ? ?:) --AWTD--

batester2005

yeh i kinda get that part, but why did he leave him alive and kickin if he was a quantum member, surely he would questioned him about that too?

guss

Bond sends in "M" and the boys to deal with Yusef, and to interogate him, (I think?)

batester2005

yeah thats what i thought when i saw those two heavies go into his house when bond exits. from this then we can gather that quantum will be returning!!!

minigeff

i think its an obvious conclusion that yusef's interogation by mi6 will create a trail to quantum's door in the next film.

SeanConnery007

Bond goes after Yusef because M states in Sienna that a body washed up on a beach supposed to be Yusef's but Bond works out this was planted and so Quantum want them to think Yusef is dead when he is not.
So, Bond realises he can ask Greene of the details of Yusef's whereabouts - hence his venture in Russia, where he gets his Quantum of Solace, and a chance for Mi6 to interrogate Yusef.

batester2005

just watched it again and i get it now, thanks loads for your help guys!!

blueman

I never assumed Bond was out for revenge, like he was ever gonna outright kill Yusef. Maybe in his state of mind end of CR/beginning of QOS, but even still what eats at Bond is not that Vesper betrayed him, but why. M and Mathis tell Bond Vesper died for him, but no one but Yusef can give Bond insight into the choices she made that led her to that point. IMHO, that's the solace Bond seeks, answers not revenge. And he gets them: Bond's closing comments to M ("You were right, about Vesper"), and his dropping the necklace in the snow (beautiful imagery!), testify to that. We don't see it, but I think that was the right choice, the imagination can be a so much richer proving ground at such cinematic moments (I suspect it was a brief exchange anyway, a couple questions from Bond, and short but to the point answers from Yusef). It's an intensely personal moment for Bond, we see that in Craig's eyes, and for me that was more than enough.

HowardB

Bond basically spending a few brief moments with Yusef and then walking away was a good device to illustrate Bond's growth through this ordeal. In some ways it's the most important scene in the film because it sets the stage for what type of Bond we will see in the next film. "M" apparently half expected Bond to kill Yusef...but he doesn't. Bond is now becoming a true professional (albeit a ruthless one). Bond understands that Yusef was just a soldier /field operative in the Quantum Organization. A professional gigolo used to blackmail and turn vulnerable government agents into the pawns of Quantum. I actually liked the ending very much. It was an effective counterpoint to the rest of the film. Even Bond's physical presentation...suit, dress coat...very business like, very...Bond.

Loeffelholz

HowardB wrote:

Bond basically spending a few brief moments with Yusef and then walking away was a good device to illustrate Bond's growth through this ordeal. In some ways it's the most important scene in the film because it sets the stage for what type of Bond we will see in the next film. "M" apparently half expected Bond to kill Yusef...but he doesn't. Bond is now becoming a true professional (albeit a ruthless one). Bond understands that Yusef was just a soldier /field operative in the Quantum Organization. A professional gigolo used to blackmail and turn vulnerable government agents into the pawns of Quantum. I actually liked the ending very much. It was an effective counterpoint to the rest of the film. Even Bond's physical presentation...suit, dress coat...very business like, very...Bond.

Outstanding; well said -{

Compare that Bond to the one we see shooting up the embassy, at the beginning of CR...and what we have is an arc B-) Such a thing is unprecedented in the franchise, and IMO is greatly under-valued/under-appreciated in large pockets of Bond fandom, which is unfortunate.

Alec 006

I agree, well sorted and communicated guys.

As ever Loeffe speaks sense too. Bond's learning curve is good to watch.

batester2005

yes i agree, in that much detail quantum of solace did perhaps make itself into one of the most important of the movies. i loved it wen i first saw it and couldnt really understand why it was getting such bad reviews, i mean ok, it wasnt in casino royales league but imo, not many of the bond films are. it is good to finally see so many people finding their 'Quantum of Solace' with this film!!!! B-)

HowardB

QOS, despite what many believe to be its shortcomings, may turn out to be one of those films whose value may be much more appreciated when Craig has completed his tenure as Bond and the film is seen for what it really is...a manic third act of CR and conduit to what comes next in Craig's Bond legacy. I'm actually glad EON decided to end the story arc with QOS rather than go for a trilogy which may have become tedious and stoltified the growth of Craig's development of the Bond charactor. The ending of QOS gave everyone a chance to take a deep breadth and set the stage for moving onward.