Quantum of Solace- where is the Spy who we loved?

Rating: 6/10 (10 November 2008)

I consider myself the biggest bond fan at least in South Asia. Having closely followed anything to do with Bond for over 20 years, I walked out of the theater with a broken heart. My excitement at watching my hero 'come back' in a sequel to Casino Royale lay shattered to pieces.
There are somethings in life(and movies) which are sacrosanct like the opening gun barrel sequence in a Bond movie. I respect the need for change and evolution etc, but not featuring the opening gun barrel shot at the beginning is a blasphemy. The director Marc Foster is known for making fine 'arty' movies, but a Bond film is a Bond film.. the formula has been successful for over 40 years, why change it now?? and at what cost? - I (and I am sure at least half the world) have been emotionally scarred.
The film is peppered with a fast pace car chase, a mid air dogfight and fight sequences, in my opinion it was too fast paced, I don't think audience had time to understand the context of each scene. Peter Hunt also tried fast pace editing which worked well in the early bonds, but here it just made the format complicated and confusing. I was unable to admire the sets because of this fast edit, slash and burn concept.
Judi Dench has more scenes than any other Bond leading lady in the past, to me it meant loosing M's mysteriousness, in other words M's has been overexposed, having said this, Judi Dench's portrayal of M is flawless. Daniel Craig's hard work comes across in his depiction of Bond, Mathieu Amalric as the villain has done justice to his character. Others include Olga Kurylenko as the revenge seeking tough leading lady, no matter how hard they try not be like the previous Bond girls, they end up becoming one.
I do hope the producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli (both of whom I admire immensely) take note and reverse the new order in the next Bond film.