A pretty bad Jason Bourne / Batman imitation

Rating: 2/10 (16 November 2008)

James Bond doesn't order Martinis anymore. He has no gadgets. He doesn't even have a charming smile.
What he does have is emotional darkness a la Batman (but crude and cringe-inducing) and Jason-Bourne-style editing for his action sequences (but, again, badly done).
I'm all for a "new" James Bond (really) but I'd like a James Bond who doesn't run around, out of control, dark-faced, killing everyone he's not supposed to kill (really!) in a plot that's absolutely laughable (if you can follow it).
Daniel Craig is good (see Casino Royale) - but he wasn't well directed.
This new Bond picks up his dead friend and dumps him in a garbage container, for no reason (really, don't ask me why), and - when another character complains - declares that his friend "wouldn't have minded." (I'm not lying)
While the Bourne films use shaky-camera, quick-cut action editing masterfully to add realism and detail, Quantum of Solace just chops up perfectly good action sequences until they're all but unrecognizable. You'll have a very hard time telling what's going on and it'll be more like trying to decipher someone's home-made hand-held footage than enjoying a good action movie. (Want to see some good action with added realism? Watch the Bourne movies or "Trade" with Liam Neeson - that's how it's done)
Casino Royale had maybe the greatest foot chase ever filmed, and the rest of it was not too shabby. I hoped Quantum of Solace would follow up in style. Unfortunately, it failed miserably.