Thoughts on the new-look MI6 "family"? (SPOILERS)

Brosnan_fan

It's a fair assumption that the new MI6 team (Craig, Fiennes, Harris, Whishaw) will be the one we will be seeing in future Bond outings, so what does everyone think? Do you feel they could generate good chemistry with each other?

My 2 cents' worth: they were pretty competent in Skyfall, but IMO no other group could replace Connery/Moore, Lee et al. They were just too indelible.

James Bill

The new team definitely has charisma but question is: will they stay behind their desk or be more in the field? In the first case, it won't matter whether they have chemistry or not if it's to appear just a few minutes at the beginning of every film. If, on the other hand, we get to see them as much as we did in Skyfall, then I say YES, they could very well become the most badass team 007 has ever worked with. Fiennes, in particular, is a great choice for M. He can be incredibly nasty or perfectly decent and equally convincing in both cases. A totally unpredictable M is exactly what 007 needs right now! :v

welshboy78

Very happy with M (looks like perfect casting), happy with Moneypenny to an extent however thought Q was maybe a bit over the top and made too nerdy

Dryden

I'm pretty happy with the three of them. Fiennes is, I think, a superb choice for M; Harris impressed me enough in SF and Whishaw is a new take on Q - instead of being being a fatherly figure type he'll just be smarter than him.

Lexi

Dryden wrote:

I'm pretty happy with the three of them. Fiennes is, I think, a superb choice for M; Harris impressed me enough in SF and Whishaw is a new take on Q - instead of being being a fatherly figure type he'll just be smarter than him.

Yep, I agree... it would be nice to see all three of them (including Craig of course) again in Bond 24... (...and 25, fingers crossed)

HowardB

I think EON did a fine job with the casting. Fiennes, IMO is perfect. He's not a Bernard Lee or Robert Brown clone. His age, bearing, and back story make him very believable as Bond's boss. Plus, the films are now freed from the Dench M, DC Bond Freudien angst stuff. Having established Moneypenney as a former field agent turned administrator with a little "personal" history with Bond should make for an interesting spin on the traditional Bond/Moneypenney relationship. While "Q" is now the stereotypical computer nerd/geek type I think that Bond developed a begrudging respect for him in Skyfall and actually seems to like him or at least finds hims to be somewhat entertaining.

GoldenEyeing

They're a handsome bunch. I've a feeling M and Bond will continue have quite a prickly relationship in the next film despite Skyfall's final scene.

Gassy Man

I'm okay with them -- Fiennes would not have been my first choice to play M, but I think he will do great in the role, and the rest of the cast should be effective in their roles also.

CmdrAtticus

Gassy Man wrote:

I'm okay with them -- Fiennes would not have been my first choice to play M, but I think he will do great in the role, and the rest of the cast should be effective in their roles also.

I know it's just me, but I'd wished they would have made Fiennes an admiral as the original was, just for an extra dose of nostalgia and to keep the whole Bond/M Admiralty background in the series.

Number24

I agree. M should be an admiral, not an action hero from the SAS.

Peppermill

CmdrAtticus wrote:

Gassy Man wrote:

I'm okay with them -- Fiennes would not have been my first choice to play M, but I think he will do great in the role, and the rest of the cast should be effective in their roles also.

I know it's just me, but I'd wished they would have made Fiennes an admiral as the original was, just for an extra dose of nostalgia and to keep the whole Bond/M Admiralty background in the series.

On one side I agree, on the other I think it is good that he isn't made an admiral. I have already read that some consider Fiennes to be the same person as Bernard Lee. To me he is the third male M after Lee and Brown.

Gassy Man

Peppermill wrote:

CmdrAtticus wrote:

Gassy Man wrote:

I'm okay with them -- Fiennes would not have been my first choice to play M, but I think he will do great in the role, and the rest of the cast should be effective in their roles also.

I know it's just me, but I'd wished they would have made Fiennes an admiral as the original was, just for an extra dose of nostalgia and to keep the whole Bond/M Admiralty background in the series.

On one side I agree, on the other I think it is good that he isn't made an admiral. I have already read that some consider Fiennes to be the same person as Bernard Lee. To me he is the third male M after Lee and Brown.

I would have preferred he be an admiral, too, but I suspect they didn't do that so it would be more of a "surprise" at the end that he becomes the new M. It really wasn't so much for me -- Mallory, M? -- but they could also have not revealed that he was an ex-admiral until the end.

Since this series is supposed to be starting over, he can't really be the third M after Lee and Brown. He could, however, be the M that precedes those two, and depending on Craig's tenure, we might actually see that happen, though I doubt it. The series has done enough to re-imagine Bond that trying to fit these movies into the other ones is a challenge.

Blackleiter

Me, too!

Lexi wrote:

Dryden wrote:

I'm pretty happy with the three of them. Fiennes is, I think, a superb choice for M; Harris impressed me enough in SF and Whishaw is a new take on Q - instead of being being a fatherly figure type he'll just be smarter than him.

Yep, I agree... it would be nice to see all three of them (including Craig of course) again in Bond 24... (...and 25, fingers crossed)

Ens007

Also wonder if Tanner will be back in the new set up??

Peppermill

Gassy Man wrote:

Peppermill wrote:

CmdrAtticus wrote:

I know it's just me, but I'd wished they would have made Fiennes an admiral as the original was, just for an extra dose of nostalgia and to keep the whole Bond/M Admiralty background in the series.

On one side I agree, on the other I think it is good that he isn't made an admiral. I have already read that some consider Fiennes to be the same person as Bernard Lee. To me he is the third male M after Lee and Brown.

I would have preferred he be an admiral, too, but I suspect they didn't do that so it would be more of a "surprise" at the end that he becomes the new M. It really wasn't so much for me -- Mallory, M? -- but they could also have not revealed that he was an ex-admiral until the end.

Since this series is supposed to be starting over, he can't really be the third M after Lee and Brown. He could, however, be the M that precedes those two, and depending on Craig's tenure, we might actually see that happen, though I doubt it. The series has done enough to re-imagine Bond that trying to fit these movies into the other ones is a challenge.

But do you really think Dr. No, FRWL et all are set in the future, so after 2012 but still in the cold war? For me it is impossible to believe that. James Bond movies have always been contemporary to the time in which they were made. Yes we are supposed to have a new timeline now but I don't understand why people are trying to shoehorn the 20 preceding movies into this new timeline if there ever was a timeline to start with. A bit of suspension of disbelief is necessary when watching a 007 movie.

Before anyone starts with the rude and spiteful remarks that have been prevalent on the forums lately, all of the above is just my humble opinion and in no way or form meant to sound like being facts.

On topic: I'm not sure what to think of the new 'family'. I think Naomi Harris could be a great Moneypenny and I like the scenes she had with Craig so I'm hopeful they will play off each other very well in coming movies. I'm not sure about Q and because we haven't seen much of Mallory in his role of M I can't say much about him. However, during the movie Mallory started to become a 'nicer' character as the movie went along. All in all, I have high hopes for Bond 24 and beyond.

Ens007

I can't argue with much of that Papermill -{

BIG TAM

I agree with Peppermill. There was a bit of a continuity at the start where they could reference back & forth. You can do that with the one actor. But that was shelved along the way, the odd mention to Tracy here & there aside. I've always seen each film more or less operating in its own universe. Though it's interesting to note they're making more attempts to form a continuity of sorts in the new Craig era.

I think Ralph Fiennes is the unsung hero of SKYFALL. I look forward to seeing him in future films. He has tremendous gravitas. Interestingly, I've never been a huge fan of the MI6 personnel joining Bond on location in past films. By making them more hands-on characters it seems we may well see M, Q & Moneypenny pop up in the field in less gimmicky fashion to help Bond in future adventures.

Youknowthename

I'd love to see them return... Craig is still an excellent Bond, Fiennes looks to be a good M, Harris is a cute and cheeky Moneypenny and Wishaw did fine as well.

Napoleon Plural

My sister saw the film yesterday at last, and commented that she kept expecting Fiennes to be the inside man referred to; that would be how Silva managed to be one step ahead all the time and would know that M was attending a meeting in Whitehall. She thought that when Mallory started shooting to help Bond in the meeting it was some kind of ruse to preserve his cover...

Which makes me wonder, seeing as Bond screwed up the whole mission and let Mallory end up as M, is it really inconcievable that the new M might be a snake in the grass, gradually exposed over two more Craig movies? After all, I can't really see why Fiennes would sign up for many of these, being quite a celebrated actor.

Barbel

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Which makes me wonder, seeing as Bond screwed up the whole mission and let Mallory end up as M, is it really inconcievable that the new M might be a snake in the grass, gradually exposed over two more Craig movies? After all, I can't really see why Fiennes would sign up for many of these, being quite a celebrated actor.

Possibilities-

(a) NP is correct, and Mallory will be the gradually uncovered mole over the next two movies

(b) Fiennes liked having a recurring role in a major franchise, and was happy to sign on for another one (a longer lasting one, which he could keep playing in his old age)