MovieChat Forums > Spectre (2015) Discussion > Bond's pistol

Bond's pistol

posted 8 years ago by jampf
8 replies | jump to latest

I like how they brought back the classic Walther ppk for bond. Seems a bit out-dated though.

The PPK is small and readily concealable... yet packs a punch "like a brick through a plate glass window".

Send her to the snakes!

[–] persen1 8 years ago

The old Walther PPK, which Craig's Bond is using, does not pack a punch, that's only make believe in all the Bond movies.
In reality its a weak little pistol, who has a lot of problems penetrating a long list of various modern materials, which also even incl. modern glass windows.
Its also one reason why every police force retired that old weak pistol many years ago.

In the next Bond movie they should retire the PPK, they actually did do it back when Brosnan was Bond.
Here he got one of the much later Walther pistols, which is a whole lot more powerful.
A tip would be giving him the Walther PPQ Classic, since its designed for special forces usage AND can be used with a silencer, which Bond also is known for using in past movies.

[–] TheSharkFromJaws 8 years ago

who has a lot of problems penetrating a long list of various modern materials,

If there's ever been something that Bond has never had any problems with, it's penetrating.

[–] TheManWithTheGoldeneye 8 years ago

[–] pking-2 8 years ago

It's supposed to be outdated but a bit too magically effective.

That's the idea, nowadays.

The original idea was formed back when the PPK was (more) contemporary (though, still decades old), and it contained more kick compared to the messed up Beretta 418 Fleming had been forcing onto Bond prior to Dr. No, so you know, its all relative.

Now, this is a signature gun, and that is an optical palm reader.

[–] ib011f9545i 8 years ago

sorry for the late reply.
But to me the use of the PPK is required for historical reasons but it is not wrong for practical reasons either.

What I mean is that it is small and easy to conceal,an important factor for an undercover agent.

Would it be fair to say that Bond is mostly not going to be getting into gunfights with opponents who have body armour or heavier weapons than a pistol? so small pistol is not such a disadvantage perhaps.

He could use a Glock but would it be Bond if he did?

[–] pking-2 8 years ago

Yes, its the right sort of handgun for a spy. He typically must conceal it under a suit/tux etc as he pokes around enemies' offices, compounds, and so on. As such, it was a reasonable choice. In the fifties.

Now, it is anachonistic, intentionally, as it symbolizes Bond himself. Not to mention aesthetically it is also Bondly, not merely due to association with him but its actual, iconic design. It personifies James, in its slick yet lethal shape.

Would it be fair to say that Bond is mostly not going to be getting into gunfights with opponents who have body armour or heavier weapons than a pistol?

Well, realistically that would be fair.

Bondistically...not really. James tends to get into all sorts of absurd fighting shenanigans, body armor included. And yes, sometimes it strains cred for James to be taking down helicopters at 400 yards from a boat via a 9mm short round, etc etc etc. But hey, you don't want James Bond to do James Bond things, don't watch James Bond movies. If you do, you do. And that's what he does. Just as that's how he drives, romances, gambles, and so on. It's all amplified fantasy.

Now, this is a signature gun, and that is an optical palm reader.

[–] lawrenceconwayvulcan 8 years ago

There have been a couple of attempts to upgrade the side arm of the cinematic Bond. In Octopussy it is the Walther P5 that Bond has as his weapon of choice, it is also interesting to note that in the unoffical Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again it is also Bond's side arm. A much more long term change came when the Walther P99 was used from Tomorrow Never Dies to Casino Royale.