Superficially satisfying, but a reminder of lost potential

Rating: 7/10 (17 November 2008)

Quantum of Solace is more about Bond himself than the actual conflict. Because of this, there's more grandeur here than in the typical Bond movie, but there's also an unfortunate incoherency in the action sequences and an uncharacteristic reliance on a prior film and computer generation. Purists will find a bastardization along the lines of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but everyone else will be only slightly irked at most, as the cinematic flair of Casino Royale remains highly intact (even with the switch to sloppy, Dark Knight-eqsue CQC action). Now that Bond is over his whole Vesper hissy-fit, however, maybe the next installment will be more deserving of Daniel Craig.