Quantum of Solace

Directed By: Marc Forster

Written By: Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade

Starring: Daniel Craig, Matheiu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench, and Jeffery Wright

Director of Photography: Roberto Schaefer, Editor: Matt Chesse and Richard Pearson, Production Designer: Dennis Gassner, Original Music: David Arnold

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content

    When James Bond finally pulls a gun during the opening chase sequence of Quantum of Solace, its not what anyone expects. Instead of a classy handgun for a spy, its an assault rifle, which he handles like an axe. It sets the tone and mood for a very un-Bond, James Bond film, which being a direct follow up to 2006’s Casino Royale, makes sense, but also lacks some of the playful fun. Them subversions that director Martin Campbell and his team of writers brought to the screen before have now become the standard norm. For a film with so much action and a startlingly quick plot, Quantum is surprisingly dull.

None of the blame though can go to Mr. Bond himself, played once again with a cold hearted energy by Daniel Craig. Mr. Craig’s Bond casts an iron shell onto a character of smooth and suave sensuality. He strikes him once again, and to a larger extent to a stoic individual, so invigorated with his emotions that he has become a walking path of death. And he has right reason as well—the underlying story of Quantum, which takes off only an hour from when Casino ended, is Bond is seeking revenge for the death of his love Vesper.

But instead of taking a full fledged route in what could have been a wonderful tale of morality and emotion, the film swerves in another direction, as Bond finds himself on the tail of an evil corporation with global disaster plans, led by Dominic Greene (Matheiu Amalric). There’s of course a girl as well, but the wonderfully sexy Olga Kurylenko, who plays Camille, never fits the standard model either. She’s tied up with Dominic, but only to get her secret revenge as well. Both of them display their inner scars with real scars on their body—hers a terrible burn, and his a number of cuts and bruises on his chest.

As Quantum jumps from location to location, giving a number of action scenes, it never really takes time to breathe and let the subtext simmer. Instead, it is constrained to mentions in passing, only to quickly reach another frantic action scene, which director Marc Forster throws together with too many cuts and not nearly enough comprehension. It also misses the ball with too many standard elements, especially with its villain. Amalric does what he can with his character, but his so one-sided and elemental that feels out of place when Bond is so round. What if Bond was actually trying to kill a good man? That would make for a much more interesting story.

Yet maybe there isn’t room for a real James Bond as we’re used to in this world. But unfortunately, that’s what Casino Royale did with its subversive elements. Quantum uses them as the standard, and too a standard effect. Instead of really exploring the inner sides of the new James Bond, we are instead led on a death rampage with not enough to really hold on to. Sure it beats most of the Pierce Bosnan efforts, but Quantum never delivers on the promises of Casino Royale. James Bond’s new adventure never feels like Bond, but it’s new style never feels inventive nor dynamic.