Make no mistake. Quantum of Solace is unlike any Bond movie before it. Sure there are fights, car chases, and explosions every twelve seconds, but what makes this film stand apart is the sheer intensity and grittiness that doesn’t let up until the credits roll. This isn’t your daddy’s James Bond.
With Casino Royale, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli wanted to take the franchise in a new direction for new and younger audiences. They hired Daniel Craig to portray the MI-6 secret agent, and from the get-go viewers realized that there was a return to a sense of realism that many Bond films seemed to lack. Quantum begins right where Casino Royale leaves off, making the movie the first ever direct sequel in the Bond franchise. In Quantum, Bond is determined to find out why his girlfriend from Casino Royale betrayed him and ultimately died. His search uncovers a much larger criminal organization whose influence reaches to the highest levels of government intelligence. He must work to defeat a member of this group, Dominique Green, before Green can overthrow a government and hold a country at ransom.
The action in this film is non-stop. On land, sea, and in the air, the intensity of the movie is similar in look and feel to the Bourne Identity franchise — quick cuts, handheld cameras, whip pans — every camera technique throws the viewer into the film and provides a sense of instability and chaos. But what’s interesting to see in this film is how the Bond character develops. One can see him becoming more shut off to his emotions, helping him grow into a more efficient agent. On the other side, his determination and stubborness blind him to the authority of M and his government. Craig portrays Bond with a cool ruthlessness that makes the character seem much more threatening than the light-hearted whit of Roger Moore. Craig’s Bond is conflicted — he is devoted to his duty, and yet struggles to keep his personal feelings out of the equation.
Another thing to appreciate about Quantum is the plot. Long gone are the simplistic Bond storylines of “bad-guy-gets-nuclear-warhead-and-Bond-must-defeat-him.” This installment introduces us to the more complex realities of a terrorist network and how the killing or capturing of one member only leads to more questions and seemingly more dead-ends. Dominique Green is not the super villain of past Bond movies. He’s but one player in a highly sophisticated group, known as Quantum.
Yes, there were some Bond staples I missed in Quantum – There was no gun barrel opening, the famous line, “Bond. James Bond.” is MIA; there is no Q, no Miss Moneypenny. So, long-time fans might be turned off by this break in the formula, but the changes in tone and feel make up for some of these omissions. This Bond installment will definitely knock the wind out of you, but you will come back wanting more.
Bottom Line - 7 out of 10 stars
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