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Quantum Of Solace (Film)
Rating: M
Running Time: 106
Country: UK
Director: Marc Forster
Cast: Mathieu Almaric, Daniel Craig, Judi Dench
Distributor: Sony
Film Worth: $12.50
Release Date: November 19, 2008
“…a first rate action thriller…”
Quantum Of Solace is a first in the Bond series in that it's a direct sequel, as opposed to the usual stand-alone movie and, make no mistake, you do need a thorough working knowledge of its predecessor Casino Royale to have a hope in hell of keeping up with this film's labyrinthine plot. Having said that, Quantum Of Solace barely pauses for breath; the action set pieces are inventive, fast, furious and edited to make the Bourne franchise look like a collection of Merchant-Ivory drawing room dramas.
All the Bond ingredients are present and correct, but also muted and plausible, and therein lies the basic problem. Quantum Of Solace is a cracking thriller, spectacular even, but it lacks the over-the-top flamboyance that should separate Bond from Bourne.
The main reason to turn up is Daniel Craig. It's a terrific performance - his Bond is no spy in the traditional sense of the word, but rather more a vengeance-driven assassin gone rogue, yet sanctioned by Judi Dench's gloriously imperious "M". Although he's leaving a trail of corpses from Italy to Panama in search of Vesper Lynd's murderer, Bond does seem to be leading Her Majesty's Secret Service toward the villain of the piece, namely Mathieu Amalric's rather lacklustre Dominic Greene.
Craig's cold-blooded avenger leaves little room for humour, and his motives leave little room for romantic dalliance, and this lack of a light touch really hurts the movie as a Bond entry. Director Marc Forster has made a first rate action thriller - in fact, it's one of the year's best. Next time, however, we'd like to be reminded that the hero of the movie is called Bond...James Bond.