Does Patrice wound Bond in the initial scenes in the right or left shoulder?

Question

Bond takes a bullet in the right shoulder in the opening sequence and it is clearly shown during his fight with Patrice on the train. Subsequently, as he is recovering, the wound is shown in a reflection in the mirror, in his right shoulder as was earlier witnessed. Much later in the film, as Bond is trying to pry fragments of the bullet from his shoulder for forensic analysis, the camera shows him face on trying to probe the wound now in his left shoulder. How could the director miss this?

Answer 1

I believe the fragments he's trying to pull out of his shoulder are from the bullet the baddie (Patrice?) shot him with. Notice he gives them for analysis - there would be no need to analyse the shot from the MI6 rifle!

So, to answer the question I believe Patrice shot him in the left side, Eve shot him in the right. Bad day at the office!

Answer 2

• Bond is shot in the right shoulder by Patrice on the train when he's driving the back hoe.
• Bond is shot in the mid right ribs by Eve when he's knocked off the train into the river.
• The fragments he sends for forensic analysis are from the shot in the right shoulder, and not Eve's
• Bond is shot only once in the shoulder. Eve shot him in the ribs.
• There is no clearly visible view of both injuries on Bond's body during the entire film.
• This is one of the most talked about issues for any Bond film!

If Bond did remove the fragments from his left shoulder, then this is an error, but are you sure it was his left? Because mirrors reverse left and right. I'd have to watch the film again, but it's not out on Bluray yet (or is it?).

Answer 3

The director did not miss this. The wound is consistently on the right side of Bond's body.

The apparent movement from one side to the other is caused by the camera switching between straight-on shots of Bond and shots of Bond in the mirror.