Quantum of Wasted Potential

Rating: 6/10 (15 November 2008)

It's always a shame when something with so much potential falls so completely flat.
And if any recent franchise entry is rife with potential, it's Quantum of Solace. In addition to having the most acting-proficient protagonist in years, its direction was handed off to Marc Forster, a brilliant director best-known for intimate character portraits such as Finding Neverland and The Kite Runner.
Which brings us to my first issue with the movie. Mr. Forster is an action neophyte, and is very, very aware of it. Instead of letting the action propel itself through motion, he uses nauseatingly quick cuts to create the illusion of momentum. Unfortunately, this completely ruins the effect of realism. The parkour scene in Casino Royale was fun because it had long takes: clearly, the actions were being performed by real human beings. In QoS, however, the cuts are so quick that it is difficult to tell what is happening, let alone what is real and what isn't.
The fact that action is the focus of the movie bothers me a great deal. Casino Royale stood out among other similar movies because of its focus on dialogue and character development. Most of my favorite scenes have nothing to do with action. Bond comforting Vesper in the bathroom comes to mind, as well as their banter on the train and in the hotel restaurant after he wins the poker game. And yet, in Quantum, the filmmakers have all but abandoned this in favor of Bourne-ish action montages.
Speaking of which, why has Bond become a superhero? I thought the filmmakers were moving away from those roots, but now he's leaping from action sequence to action sequence with hardly any recovery time! He jumps from car chase to interrogation to sewer chase to rooftop scramble with nary a meal or bathroom break. And what about the set piece with the two men swinging on ropes? The filmmaker's brainstorming session was almost visible on the screen "I know! We can have Bond and the henchman fighting over a single gun! That's overdone? Then let's have the gun on the ground covered in shattered glass, and the men tied to ropes swinging above it!" I'm sorry, but if I can barely do a push-up after finishing Core at Four, there's no way even James Bond can brawl while hanging from a rope, immediately after a foot chase and car chase. No way.
If I had to pick a stand-out element of the movie, I would probably say the cinematography. A few shots in particular stand out in my mind, such as the direct overhead shot of Bond's car pulling into the safe house during the Palio, and the opening shot over the waters of Lake Garda. It seems like Mr. Forster was in a rush for some reason, though, because most of these shots are cut far too quickly. Which is ironic, given that this is the shortest Bond movie ever, at almost 45 minutes less than its predecessor. Is the director for some reason afraid to show off the more beautiful portions of the film? A few observations: Much of the early criticism about the film stemmed from accusations that Bond girl Camille was "dull." I agree fully, but I'm not sure this was accidental- after Vesper, I believe every other woman in Bond's life is supposed to pale in comparison.
Dominic Greene was branded as being "not villainous enough" by several critics, though I disagree. A social entrepreneur gone wrong- not only is this realistic, but it makes Greene unique when compared to other recent Bond villains.
I still dislike the opening song and title sequence, but I appreciate the meaning of the imagery by juxtaposing the nude figures with shots of the desert (and going so far as to combine them), the void left by Vesper is being personified. Sexuality has become a desert for James Bond, because he has lost the ability to love.
I'm very disappointed with the film- I have been following its production on an almost-daily basis since March 2007- but I can't say I'm surprised. From the first teaser trailer, something felt 'off' about it, and the release of "Another Way to Die" confirmed this (that really is an awful song I can't believe they approved that).
Let's start the countdown to Bond 23, which hopefully will be a stand-alone picture. Quantum felt too much like a vehicle to tie up the loose ends left by Casino Royale, padded by a throw-away plot to add (negligible) length. Shame- we barely got to know each other.