I’ve at all times needed to see the James Bond collection try an Outdated Man 007 story, and Shudder’s spy thriller Reflection in a Useless Diamond has crushed them to it. The James Bond motion pictures have gone from the grounded, Chilly Warfare thrills of From Russia With Love to the campy sci-fi escapades of Moonraker.
There’s little the Bond saga hasn’t tried at this stage, which makes it robust for sequels to remain contemporary. Whereas the Roger Moore Bond film cycle closed out when the actor was 58, his remaining outing, A View to a Kill, did not make his advancing age a part of the plot.
Moore’s Bond nonetheless punched, judo-chopped and romanced women like he at all times did within the swansong. A number of sequels have performed round with the notion of 007 retiring, with No Time to Die’s ending giving Daniel Craig’s Bond a very definitive retirement.
Nonetheless, I’ve at all times felt there was story to inform about Outdated Man Bond. A model of the character who had been put out to pasture by MI6, however discovered himself wanted for one final mission. The franchise itself is unlikely to do this anytime quickly – however that does not imply different motion pictures have not toyed with the concept.
Reflection in a Useless Diamond Is The Outdated Man 007 Movie I’ve At all times Needed To See
Reflection in a Useless Diamond is a gory homage to each the James Bond collection and the Eurospy motion pictures it impressed. The story sees retired spy John D (Fabio Testi) dwelling out his days at a luxurious lodge. A mysterious lady staying within the room subsequent to his then finds him recalling his glory days as a suave superspy.
Fabio Testi was as soon as in a relationship with the unique Bond Woman, Ursula Andress, who performed Honey Ryder in Dr. No.
This ultra-stylish (and really experimental) outing cuts between John’s fairly lonely present-day existence and his glamorous, violent previous. Reflection in a Useless Diamond was directed by married duo Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, who’re acclaimed for his or her different trendy style throwbacks just like the neo-Western Let the Corpses Tan.
Reflection in a Useless Diamond would possibly seem to be an odd alternative for horror service Shudder, however the brutal violence on show makes that alternative a bit of extra logical. It ought to be famous that whereas the movie performs with the tropes and imagery of Bond, it is a whole lot darker and extra experimental.
The title refers to John’s more and more fractured view of his previous and the way his sense of actuality turns into extra warped. Seeing a film a few former spy – and it should be mentioned that Fabio Testi is a lifeless ringer for Sean Connery – wanting again on his profession and questioning if he did any good actually had me considering of Bond.
Reflection in a Useless Diamond Is Each A Loving Homage And Deconstruction Of The Bond Collection
The younger model of the spy is performed by Yannick Renier, and his John D is at all times impeccably dressed, carries a Walter PPK and has fancy devices like a hoop that may see by partitions. Like 007, he is pushed by a robust sense of responsibility and is seen taking revenge when these he cares about are harmed.
One factor about Reflection in a Useless Diamond I appreciated was that the movie leaned into the darker components of the Bond character from Ian Fleming’s authentic books. He is perhaps the “hero,” however that does not make him man. He is impulsive, egocentric, smug and might be needlessly brutal when interrogating feminine suspects.
Shudder’s spy thriller makes no secret of its 007 love, however it does deconstruct the entire Bond delusion too. For all of the glamour of the spy way of life, it is depicted as extremely lonely work, and the movie even leans into how 007 himself has consistently switched faces.
Reflection in a Useless Diamond’s feminine villain Serpentik has the snake-like skill to shed her pores and skin and alter look, whereas, in a really meta twist, the youthful John D later finds himself changed by a youthful mannequin. This mirrors how Sean Connery’s Bond was swiftly changed by George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Normally, Reflection in a Useless Diamond will get meta in methods I will not spoil – however it’s loads of enjoyable for Bond followers. Even at its most trippy, the movie is grounded by the current day scenes with outdated John, who appears each exhilarated and haunted by his years as a hunky loss of life machine.
I might Nonetheless Love To See The James Bond Franchise Strive An Outdated Bond Story
I might advocate Reflection in a Useless Diamond to any Bond devotee, despite the fact that it is much more arthouse than the franchise itself. Nonetheless, one hearth it has reignited in me is the need to see a full-on Outdated Man James Bond story.
Certain, following a 70-year-old ex-spy would possibly make it a tougher promote to youngsters, however after six many years, it is positive for the franchise to strive a grittier, one-off story. The loss of life of Craig’s Bond just about guidelines him out of a return, however Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan are nonetheless very a lot within the recreation.
The latter, specifically, is wanting as suave and distinguished as ever. Brosnan might be one of the best candidate to entrance an older 007 spinoff, and his return for one would have the additional benefit of giving him a stronger ending than 2002’s wretched Die One other Day.
Amazon taking inventive management of the James Bond property opens up all kinds of intriguing avenues, and a remaining journey for Brosnan’s 007 seems like a robust angle. Nonetheless, their focus will clearly be on establishing the following Bond actor, in order that potential spinoff is essentially a pipe dream. Reflection in a Useless Diamond exhibits it may be finished, nevertheless…
- Launch Date
-
November 5, 2025
- Runtime
-
87 Minutes
- Director
-
Bruno Forzani, Héléne Cattet
Solid
-
Fabio Testi
John Diman (Outdated)
-
Yannick Renier
John Diman (Younger)
-
Koen De Bouw
Markus Strand
-