Sort of: Casino Royale (part 2)

Rating: 7/10 (2 February 2015)

Yeah, well, Quantum of Solace is the first (and possibly last) Bond movie which is actually a direct sequel to the one that went before.
Casino Royale redefined Bond for the modern age, making it grittier and darker (and dare I say more realistic?). It had a very different narrative structure, delighting some and enraging others who still pined for more gadgets and tongue-in-cheek action.
Well, Quantum picks up where Casino leaves off... literally. Less than an hour has passed between films and QoS is effectively the continuation of the story. It tries its best to be 'self-contained' and you certainly can watch it without watching Casino Royale first (but I would recommend that you don't).
And it's all good stuff. If follows the style of Casino Royale closely and most should be satisfied. However, whereas Casino Royale was met with pretty much universal praise, Quantum was labelled with phrases like 'Taking its foot off the pedal.' Casino Royale had an epic feel to it, whereas Quantum holds the - debatable - title of 'shortest ever James Bond film.' Therefore it feels less like a film in its own right and more like an afterthought for Casino Royale.
It's a good spy thriller and, if you're a fan of the 'new style' James Bond that Daniel Craig is taking the franchise, then you'll probably like it too. However, Casino Royale was a tough act to follow and QoS doesn't really live up to it.
Luckily, reviewing this after seeing its successor - Skyfall - it's only a temporary set-back. Skyfall even eclipses Casino Royale.