Bond series goes ballistic sci-fi in "Quantum"

Rating: 5/10 (26 May 2018)

After a superb revival of the James Bond series with "Casino Royale" in 2006, this film was a big letdown. About the only connection it has to an Ian Fleming novel about the British MI6 and its secret agents is in the characters in this film. Otherwise, "Quantum of Solace" resembles a sci-fi film more than it does a spy thriller. The evil enemy here is such a complicated menagerie, that one is constantly trying to keep track of whom is who and what is what.
This film follows the trend of the early 21st century. It's an action film with almost constant, non-stop action. This surely holds the record of shootings and killings in Bond films. A number of other quirks stand out. Q and Moneypenny are absent, as is any high tech gimmickry for Bond's use. The exotic places of the usual Bond film are replaces with settings in Haiti and Bolivia. And, M and the entire British intelligence network must be suspect. The sci-fi aspects Include such far-fetched things as huge underground dams to dry up surface water supplies, and massive building complexes and construction in the Atacama Desert of Bolivia.
The film would have one believe that such massive works could be undertaken but not be noticed or discovered. So, all the modern sophisticated monitoring devices with satellites wouldn't detect a massive project in a wide-open desert? Construction traffic wouldn't be noticed? Thousands of workers used to build and staff such undertakings would all be hush-hush about their jobs?
Other Bond films have some far-fetched plots, but at least MI6 can use modern technology to discover some of their secrets. In its efforts to keep up with the modern craze for constant action in movies, the Bond filmmakers have turned an enjoyable and mystery-action series into a fantasy and sci-fi series.
I prefer the subtle, intriguing, espionage thrillers that Ian Fleming wrote for James Bond. Their occasional fast action and thrilling chases were part of more well-rounded plots. The type of uncoordinated mayhem in this film soon wears very thin. Daniel Craig alone earns the five stars for this film for the beating and rough times he shows.
After the best of the Bond series in "Casino Royale," this film turns out to have the worst plot and screenplay of the entire series.