Lethal Weapon: Not your father's James Bond...get used to it! Craig is affective as a brooding, vengeance-seeking Bond

Rating: 9/10 (17 November 2008)

QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008) ***1/2 Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini, Gemma Arterton, Jeffrey Wright, David Harbour, Jesper Christensen. Excellent sequel to "CASINO ROYALE" picking up right from that film's end with James Bond (Craig brooding affectively again as 007) seeking vengeance for the death of his lover by intercepting an international plot to abscond with the world's supply of water by French corporate snake Dominic Greene (a suitably reptilian turn by Amalric) and teaming up with hottie Camille (smoldering Kurylenko), who also has a personal vendetta to meke out. Slam-bang action (the opening car chase is arguably one of the best ever committed to celluloid) with some great fight sequences, a hairy air and sea chase, and some death-defying set pieces (the final fiery climax is a dilly) which mark for a new blood into the venerable franchise (thanks to Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis & Robert Wade's mature script and skillful direction by the unlikely indie wunderkind Marc Forster). Kudos to the snappy editing by Matt Chesse and Richard Pearson.