When the long distance camera was used, lots of things were taking place at the same time, industrial chimneys were being raised, lots of people moving…but it looked like a total mess from afar…so the director had to do some closeups to assume that more subjective perspective…
When the director actually did short-distance shooting, it either looked even more chaotic, or it zoomed in on groups of people or individuals gazing around foolishly (sorry Kenneth Branagh), their reactions supposedly injecting meaning into the surrounding over-activity, or doing that ridiculous choreography.

The general impression it gave me was that of cheap super-spectacle, like an expensive but uninspired american movie; an action film that has to look glorious and impressive, but is of “cheap” and “easy” aesthetics…cheap thrill all in all…

And what about that ridiculous scene with James Bond and the Queen of England (aren’t we done with the royalty yet in Europe?) jumping off the helicopter (I held my breath for a second there) who looked like she had swallowed a lemon when all those around her (including Jacques Rogge) were giving her the standing, but reserved, ovation (as fitting to royals cheering a queen, hoho).

When the homage to british musical tradition started, I thought at least now we’re going to listen to some much loved hits, but they managed this like a person listening to an old CD, hitting “next” repeatedly after hearing a couple of seconds of music that didn’t sound as appealing anymore…it was tiring…I was listening for “anarchy in the UK” or “God save the queen” but I guess that if punk had to be referenced in british olympic opening ceremony with the queen present, it had to be sanitized, enfeebled and stultified…

There’s only one thing I liked…Mr Bean saved the day as far as I’m concerned…

In a word, I hated it…