Thursday, November 20, 2008

The Unbearable Solace of Bond: A Review of Quantum of Solace


If you are planning on seeing the new Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, be aware that it is a sequel to Casino Royale.  Quantum is the first sequel in the Bond franchise and this is just one of many problems with the film. I enjoyed Casino Royale all I remembered was a high-stakes poker game, Bond getting his balls whacked by a dude whose eye bleeds, and that it was Daniel Craig's first appearance as the iconic super spy. Though I am not the hugest Bond fan, I know that these movies work best when they are self-contained and do not bring back barely memorable characters like Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini). But, even if you remember that Vesper was the previous Bond girl's name, the plot is so convoluted it won't really matter.

From what I can remember (are you noticing a theme yet?), Bond is seeking revenge for the death of Vesper and somehow that is linked to  Dominic Greene (Mathieu Almalric), the leader of the Quantum group. Greene poses as an environmentalist, but he is planning a coup of Bolivia, so he can get control of the water supply. Wow, that sounds really boring doesn't it? Apparently, the writers and new director Mark Forster were going for a more politically and socially relevant film, which is fine, but this is a Bond movie after all. 

Look, there are tons of action scenes, which satisfies that wanna-be-hero in all of us, but after the first scene--Bond's Aston Martin is racing down a road while being chased by the bad guy--cut to Daniel Craig looking cool--cut back to bad guy looking mad--oh no here comes a giant truck! You get the idea, right? Maybe it's the new director or maybe I've overdosed on long, elaborate chases scenes, but after awhile, it becomes monotonous. And I know that Bond is not a super hero, but  during a chase scene, the guy literally bounces from roof to roof like a godamn trampoliner. 

Here's the biggest flaw: the movie is humorless. Where is the witty banter between Bond and the villian, the sarcastic quips? Casino Royale is by no means Wedding Crashers, but when Bond is poisoned by the villian and nearly goes into cardiac arrest, he comes back to the poker game and replies: "I'm sorry. The last hand nearly killed me." Yes it's dumb, but in Craig's deadpan droll, it makes you chuckle. Like many critics, I'm a Daniel Craig fan; he has a strong presence and the man can kick some ass, but enough with the broodiness, ultra-violence, and utter lack of humor. In a way, it makes me miss, dare I say it, Pierce Brosnan. However, I have faith that Craig and the writers will get it together and give me a Bond film that I can remember five minutes after I leave the theater. What was the Bond girl's name again, Maria? Carla? Cute girl with a Spanish accent? 

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