Part 1
Part 2
James Bond is out for revenge in Quantum of Solace the follow up to 2006’s Casino Royale. Bond (Daniel Craig) is caught up in orders from his superior M (Judi Dench) sending him across the globe to uncover a constantly evolving plot to which the only solid detail is that Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) is the villain. Relying heavily on the details of Casino Royale, this is a new direction for the series. I must ask that if the previous formula was working, then why fix it?
An area in which the new Craig films have faired well, is in the better handling of female characters. With a motive similar to Bond’s, Camille (Olga Kurylenko) makes for a strong figure and one that Bond treats with respect. Then there is Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton). Her laughable prénom isn’t given till the end credits (a fine choice), and she has some brief but delightful moments.
Two key factors keep this from being a good film. First, if Casino Royale is not one of your favorite films, you will have no clue as to what is happening. The trouble here is that we are in a series which has consistently stood alone. That rule is being broken, but some times change is good. Whereas before Bond only had a handful of familiar faces to recall, we are now taxed into knowing every detail of Casino Royale in order to make any sense out of what we are witnessing. This is a rude awakening for fans of the series that are accustomed to a new story with each film.
Assuming you’ve seen Casino Royale many times, there is another obstacle to block your enjoyment. I have to say there was a collaborative effort on the part of the director, cinematographer, and editor to make this film incomprehensible. No one’s head is being flown over, this is just bad filmmaking. There is a suggestion that the screenplay could make sense, if we were given a look at a shot. There are a mindboggling number of cuts through this film. During a chase sequence, Bond wearing black is chasing a man on foot that is wearing dark gray (so that the audience has no visual identification for either). The fleeing man opens fire in a crowd and injures someone. We get no idea who is injured, but we are taken back to the scene of the crime with split second shots cut in through the rest of the chase. It gets worse. Fights become intercut with opera in a manner so that you can’t watch either. Because attention is turned so frequently, there is no time for the audience to appreciate what the filmmakers are supposed to be showcasing. If Tony Scott were to helm MTV, he wouldn’t be this brave.
Craig’s interpretation of Bond clashes with the presentation. The music cued chases and fights require full use of the theatre’s audio system and put you in a state ready for action entertainment. The few points in which things mellow, show Bond without a hint of emotion. Narrative wise we are lead to believe this entire film is about him going after someone because of his emotional involvement, but Craig never shows it. His invincible Bond makes for a character that is difficult to care about. He can handle any fall, escape any situation, and even rip the handle off of a steel door. There is no sense that this man is vulnerable or even human. At the very least, an injection of charisma would be welcomed.
The cutting room floor is strewn with material. Some unexplained events do occur, such as why are the villains meeting at a hotel in the middle of the desert? They say they have secured the entire building, yet entry remains easy and guards seemingly disappear. No one will understand the forgettable villain’s scheme and it appears that this story arc isn’t over just yet. At any rate I’d appreciate it if they tied this up at the beginning of the next film. Then, if we are lucky, Bond can get closer to his roots with wit, sex appeal, and gadgetry. **
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