There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

Rating: 6/10 (1 July 2010)

In this latest Bond offering, the world leaders are dividing up South America for oil. It's crooked business, but no one seems to mind, because hey, There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. James Bond enters the picture with considerable strength, frenetically whipping through Italy with his trademark silver Aston Martin, evading the ever-present gang of minions set on him like mindless hounds. These are the moments when Quantum of Solace is most engaging: when the characters are silently bounding through these vague streets, tunnels, and rooftops, and are completely focused on the task at hand. Indeed, there is almost a poetic relationship between Bond and these nameless thugs.
Unfortunately, once the thrill of the chase dies out, the film begins to taper into a messy experience, where the viewer can't help but feel removed from the vapid plot, the awkward villains, and the ambiguous editing. Throughout the entire film, the longest shot length is perhaps a measly 10 seconds. During action sequences, expect several shots per second. In one shot, we see Bond jump onto a balcony. A second later, we see two split-second shots of him climbing some sort of pipe, and the next time we see him, he's running on a roof. The editing style is easy to criticize, but it's important to note that it isn't completely unintelligible. The viewer may not know the exact details of what is going on, but with a little imagination, following along isn't too difficult.
The plot twists and turns with similar ambiguity. Dominant world figures are introduced, threatening global plots unfold, and treachery seems to loom, but Bond doesn't seem to truly care about such things. With only his obligatory duty to unmask the truth, he instead is wholly focused on a revenge quest which is only loosely connected with the plot of the film. Inevitably, the viewer doesn't care either, and the villain, along with his evil schemes, are lost on the audience.
Luckily, the cast (namely Craig, Dench, and Wright) carry themselves well, and give performances that are as magnetic as ever. So despite a throwaway villain, an anticlimactic structure, and tiresome editing, many pieces of Quantum of Solace do work, and though it may hurt at times, you might just come out of this one smiling anyway.