While there are many benefits that accompany being a Secret Agent, like cool pseudonyms, endless Martinis and of course female attention, I’d like to be James Bond for one reason only: the awesome gadget-laden cars.
The recent spate of 007 films shown on DStv’s Action X has had me ruminating on my favourite Bond behind the wheel moments.
Indeed there were many car chase scenes that had one the seat’s edge in the Bond series.
But as an avid viewer, I’ve learned to expect two things with Bond car chases: the car presented to him by “Q” would end up totalled, but he would also be successful in evading the pursuit of the henchman chasing him.
Although the latter was not the case in the 2007 film Casino Royale. When the Daniel Craig-played Bond wrecked his Aston Martin DBS after swerving to avoid hitting a tied-up Vesper, lost control and somersaulted several times.
This was a disappointing moment for a Bond fan, expecting the car chase to last longer than 2 minutes.
Another disappointment was the car in Goldeneye, the effeminate BMW Z3, more suited to being parked outside the hair salon rather than being the chariot for a super spy. The car wasn’t even used in a chase and sustained none of that obligatory damage one expects with Bond commandeering a vehicle.
Bond’s street-cred was elevated in the subsequent film, Tomorrow Never Dies, when “Q” handed him a BMW 750i-complete with remote control. It was bullet proof too and also came with a very bossy KITT-like voice integrated into it, which gave warnings like “unsafe driving will void warranty”. Of course, Bond ignored its warnings and drove the car into an Avis store.
The Bond films of the 70’s and 80’s, played by my favourite Bond-actor Roger Moore also saw many cool car moments.
Most memorably in The Spy Who Loved Me, when Bond got his hands on the iconic Lotus Esprit. Dicing through the sinuous mountain pass at high speed seemed cool enough. But imagine my excitement as a 7 year old, viewing my very first Bond film, when the Lotus entered the water and transformed into an amphibious machine.
The Living Daylights, while being slightly ruined with the lacklustre Timothy Dalton as James Bond, was redeemed by the awesome car chase that ensued between police and Bond in snowy Austrian terrain. It seemed too easy for Bond in his Aston Martin, who drove alongside one police car, activated the Aston’s laser beam and sliced the police vehicle in two.
It was quite saddening when Bond left the Aston shortly after hitting the ‘self-destruct’ button. Explosive indeed.
For future films, a new face is needed to replace the unconvincing Daniel Craig who isn’t as suave, stylish and graceful as one would like James Bond to be portrayed.
One who will provide entertainment behind the wheel, but also throughout the rest of the film, as Roger Moore did.
Perhaps Jason Statham should be considered. He’s British, and in all 3 Transporter films proved to be talented both behind the wheel and when in an altercation with the baddies. And what’s more, unlike Daniel Craig, he manages to maintain sangfroid and keep his suit in tact.
As you would expect from James Bond.
The recent spate of 007 films shown on DStv’s Action X has had me ruminating on my favourite Bond behind the wheel moments.
Indeed there were many car chase scenes that had one the seat’s edge in the Bond series.
But as an avid viewer, I’ve learned to expect two things with Bond car chases: the car presented to him by “Q” would end up totalled, but he would also be successful in evading the pursuit of the henchman chasing him.
Although the latter was not the case in the 2007 film Casino Royale. When the Daniel Craig-played Bond wrecked his Aston Martin DBS after swerving to avoid hitting a tied-up Vesper, lost control and somersaulted several times.
This was a disappointing moment for a Bond fan, expecting the car chase to last longer than 2 minutes.
Another disappointment was the car in Goldeneye, the effeminate BMW Z3, more suited to being parked outside the hair salon rather than being the chariot for a super spy. The car wasn’t even used in a chase and sustained none of that obligatory damage one expects with Bond commandeering a vehicle.
Bond’s street-cred was elevated in the subsequent film, Tomorrow Never Dies, when “Q” handed him a BMW 750i-complete with remote control. It was bullet proof too and also came with a very bossy KITT-like voice integrated into it, which gave warnings like “unsafe driving will void warranty”. Of course, Bond ignored its warnings and drove the car into an Avis store.
The Bond films of the 70’s and 80’s, played by my favourite Bond-actor Roger Moore also saw many cool car moments.
Most memorably in The Spy Who Loved Me, when Bond got his hands on the iconic Lotus Esprit. Dicing through the sinuous mountain pass at high speed seemed cool enough. But imagine my excitement as a 7 year old, viewing my very first Bond film, when the Lotus entered the water and transformed into an amphibious machine.
The Living Daylights, while being slightly ruined with the lacklustre Timothy Dalton as James Bond, was redeemed by the awesome car chase that ensued between police and Bond in snowy Austrian terrain. It seemed too easy for Bond in his Aston Martin, who drove alongside one police car, activated the Aston’s laser beam and sliced the police vehicle in two.
It was quite saddening when Bond left the Aston shortly after hitting the ‘self-destruct’ button. Explosive indeed.
For future films, a new face is needed to replace the unconvincing Daniel Craig who isn’t as suave, stylish and graceful as one would like James Bond to be portrayed.
One who will provide entertainment behind the wheel, but also throughout the rest of the film, as Roger Moore did.
Perhaps Jason Statham should be considered. He’s British, and in all 3 Transporter films proved to be talented both behind the wheel and when in an altercation with the baddies. And what’s more, unlike Daniel Craig, he manages to maintain sangfroid and keep his suit in tact.
As you would expect from James Bond.
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