A Quantum of Action

Rating: 7/10 (9 November 2008)

It's entirely forgivable to confuse the first minute of Quantum of Solace for a car commercial. Fast cuts between obscure closeups of an Austin Martin and an Italian arch fronted road are the prime elements of a picturesque advert. You're assumption that it is in fact the start of the movie is verified once bullets start piercing and wheels begin squealing.
Daniel Craig returns as (the best) James Bond in this Casino Royale followup. Like in its forerunner Craig plays a gritty emotionally unsound Bond and a non-superman. This is evident as you see him physically struggle in chase scenes. Ukrainian model Olga Kurylenko takes the role of the main, handgun equipped, Bond girl who ultimately becomes James' ethical counterbalance. Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) performs solidly as the chief antagonist.
The film ends up putting too much emphasis on its action, a fault of an absent romantic presence à la Casino Royale. Convulsive cuts, haste enough to make your eyes bleed, are apparently a modern trend in action movies. That and the obligatory rooftop chase sequence reminiscent of The Bourne Ultimatum, though the scuffle on scaffolding did thrill.
South American scenery was used for most of the movie's backdropsomething few films are doing. It also served as the stage for government corruption, which I imagine is to be explored further in subsequent films.
Quantum of Solace expects its audience to be familiar with its predecessor, so if Casino Royale is stored in your vague memory lobe I suggest reading a plot summary. Otherwise you might be just as confused with the film's plot and characters as your are with its title.
Although Bond tries to achieve a quantity of solace in the midst of world deprivation, the movie's other theme is one of hackneyed vengeance. Your primary satisfaction will beget from its action and the demeanor of Craig's Bond. It is a suitable addition to the revamped series, but the loss of key aspects that made the first so great make Quantum of Solace a lesser film.