A James Bond movie for James Bond fans.

Rating: Null/10 (31 October 2008)

They say that old dogs can't learn new tricks, and although there are registers of people who are fine and dandy with their old pets and their old, familiar tricks (such audiences will be those who also disagree with the latest live action Indiana Jones and Star Wars features); for those who crave innovation, new ideas and refreshing scenery, the idea of revisiting something from a slightly different angle fails to get the senses aroused. The James Bond series has been with cinema goers for decades now, spawning movies well into the double digit territory, and yet despite having years to refine, adjust and possibly evolve, little has actually happened since Bond's first outing. Sure enough the explosions have gotten grander, the series has taken on a notoriously darker tone with each rendition, and our own sense of nostalgic comfort when going into a screen and watching the newest offering has grown with each release; yet despite all of this, the actual advancement that matters that of story, continuity and characterisation- has often taken a back seat in all the high-speed car chases Bond finds himself in.
Quantum of Solace, the latest offering for Bond fanatics is everything that the series has so far established itself to be, offering all the action, cars, women and gadgets that one could expect. The biggest problem with this however is that it all feels rather inconsequential and perfunctory. This isn't necessarily Bond's greatest two hours; it's simply just another story. Following on directly from the box office hit Casino Royale, the story here is similar but far less dramatised than it was a couple of years ago. With a much larger focus on action, blood-thirsty revenge and getting rid of corrupt antagonists, Quantum of Solace is a high-octane, thrilling experience, and as such requires minimal input from the viewer. Such an alignment will be sure to please those looking for exactly that; another no-frills Bond story. If however, you are possibly seeking more; more character, more personality, more drama, then this isn't going to be the most thrilling of rides, in spite of all the bullets whizzing by your ears.
Nevertheless if action is your game then you'll certainly be at home here. With countless sequences which range from cars, boats, aeroplanes and rooftops, director Marc Forster takes Martin Campbell's sense of fast-paced, relentless and convoluted action and takes it up a level, delivering plenty of explosions and moments of sensory awe to take you aback. The problem here however is that despite Forster's unprecedented talent for crafting interesting, well sequenced sequences of action, he nevertheless can't find a way to transition in between these segments and the straighter forward, dramatic ones, leading to a disjointed feeling of repetitiveness inherent in the film's structure. Essentially consisting of ten minutes of dialogue followed by another ten of stunts throughout, Quantum of Solace certainly packs a punch, and moves at an entertaining pace, but you also get the feeling that too much is done here and in too little time; it's amusing sure, but it certainly isn't as engaging as it could be.
The movie's sense of progression as I have stated, is obviously stunted here; characterisation follows the same basic flow of the previous movie as Bond goes on his own path regardless of what M suggests, even to the point of being charged with murder. As far as character goes, this is nothing the most casual of watchers will be surprised with. If Quantum does one thing remotely correct in this department however it is in the latest villain of the series, Dominic Greene played by a smarmy Mathieu Amalric. While his character is notably underdeveloped and frustratingly cut off from his nemesis, Greene is nevertheless compelling enough to root against, and takes on a tone that sees him as a threat, but only because of his power. Amalric is picture perfect here, hitting all the right notes and pressing enough buttons to keep his character ominous without resorting to cheap cliché or caricature. Both he and Daniel Craig obviously steal the show, but what's disappointing is that they hardly get any time together. There is promise in their sense of conflict which inevitably boils out near the end, but a distinct lack of focus on their personal pasts, and an exploration of such hurts the final payoff; it's satisfying but doesn't resonate as much as it should.
Much like I reiterated throughout my review of the latest Saw movie however, whether or not you get the most out of Quantum of Solace or not solely rests upon whether you have enjoyed those that have come before. While this rendition of Bond is certainly a lot more willing to please the general audience than the Saw series, those who crave the action that comes along with the name should be pleased most with what is offered here. With a distinctive lack of development and momentum in terms of characterisation and story though, this latest instalment sees Bond get a little slower, despite all the running he does. For casual audiences this won't serve as much of a problem (this is popcorn material after all) but for those looking for a little bit more, I would suggest leaving such hopes at the door. Essentially a James Bond movie for James Bond fans, Quantum of Solace is simply another taste of a long-time favourite dish. With enough action, girls, corrupt villains, weapons, stunts, explosions and vehicles moving at tremendous speeds, James Bond is back, and he's still not taking any names; just don't expect him, or anyone else to open up after all, he is a secret agent.

Written by Jamie Robert Ward (http://ww.invocus.net)