A Bond film that falls short of "Casino Royale" greatness.

Rating: 7/10 (14 November 2008)

Let me get the basics out of the way...
Great title. Dreadful opening theme song. Boring opening credit sequence. Solid action scenes. Gorgeous Bond girls. Hardly any humor. No steamy love scenes. Unfocused plot.
I am still recommending this Bond entry, despite some significant negatives, predominantly because of the strength of Daniel Craig as the "new" 007. He demands to be considered a more three-dimensional and thoughtful Bond... a man whose actions and emotions have weight and consequences. This re-invention bids a temporary adieu to the overt sexual innuendos and comical gadgetry of the Connery, Moore, Brosnan era (I omit the Dalton era for obvious reasons). "Quantum of Solace" may not be as fun as many of the previous twenty movies... Rather, it replaces the silliness with regret, pain and vengeance. That may or may not be your deep champagne goblet of Vesper Martini.
Picking up just a few minutes after "Casino Royale" ends, this flick is essentially a sequel. Bond is simultaneously angry and mourning over the loss of his beloved Vesper Lynd... and he wants answers.
The film thrusts us into motion with an insane car chase in the curvy hills of the Italian countryside. Once at the safe-house, Bond and M interrogate Mr. White -- the man whom James Bond introduces himself to in the final moments of "Casino Royale". However, things do not go as planned when a rogue MI6 agent helps Mr. White escape.
The hunt is on as 007 traverses the globe in search of Dominic Greene, the head of an ultra-secretive organization that goes by the name "Quantum". They are in the business of destabilizing governments and installing new leadership who will be more beneficial to their interests. Their current target is Bolivia.
Along the way, Bond is naturally thrust into the paths of some gorgeous women. One is Camille (Kurylenko), a woman with her own agenda which involves a personal relationship with Dominic Greene. The other is Agent Fields (Arterton), an MI6 employee who is sent to retrieve Bond after he "goes rogue".
The plot yanks us all over the place before finally settling in South America, where we figure out the true motivations behind Greene and Quantum (the modern version of Spectre).
I think of this film as a transition piece. "Casino Royale" was our first introduction to James Bond - his first assignment, first love, first loss. "Quantum of Solace" is a somber revenge flick that, by its very nature, has to eschew all the typical humor and wink-wink sexuality. The next film may have us return to the Connery style Bond, who uses women without conscience and thwarts evil with nonchalance. However, he had to go through this movie to find a "Quantum of Solace" first. This film was a necessary step in the evolution of Bond.
I have already professed my glee over the selection of Daniel Craig as 007. He gets it all right. I could not be happier with the choice. I must confess that I am tired of Judi Dench in the role of M. Been there, done that. The role needs to be recast somehow.
I would like to see the gadgets return. We had a nice glimpse of an awesome computer interface in "QoS"... but the requisite gadget scene was always a fun moment to anticipate.
Kurylenko and Arterton are undeniably pristine as the beautiful Bond Girls here. Unfortunately, they aren't given enough to do. I would have loved to have had them more involved. Kurylenko is clearly blessed with star quality... She is stunning. Arterton reminds me a little of Rosamund Pike or Keira Knightley -- She is elegant and quintessentially English. I think she has a great career in front of her.
However, the flaws in this film lay squarely at the feet of director, Marc Forster. The plot is unfocused... never letting us settle in one place for long enough to gather our thoughts. The choice of opening song and credit sequence are atrocious. He should be fleeced for ruining those most cherished parts of the Bond experience. And although the action scenes were ambitious and packed with energy, I felt that he fell back on the tired techniques of quick cuts and blurred speed to distract us from the logistics of the sequences. To me, this signifies a lack of confidence and a lack of talent.
Nevertheless, I still manage to recommend "QoS' despite it falling far short of its prequel. Not only was "Casino Royale" the best Bond film ever made... It was one of the best films of 2006 -- it is a very rare feat for an out and out action film to land in one of my Top 10 Lists. This 2008 effort pales in comparison. Is that unfair? Perhaps. "Quantum of Solace" is a good action film and nothing more.
Written by TC Candler