Review - Quantum of Solace

Studio/Production Company: EON Productions/MGM/Columbia Pictures
Director: Marc Forster
Written by: Michael G. Wilson, Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content.
Release Date: November 14, 2008 (Theatrical), March 24, 2009 (DVD)
Genre: Action-Adventure
Strong Points: Consistently stylish, gripping direction; Daniel Craig continues to impress as Bond; the rest of the cast tends to shine; visually striking cinematography
Weak Points: Olga Kurylenko is no replacement for Casino Royale’s very human and very strong Eva Green; story is more enjoyable the second time through, but initially comes off as very weak, especially when compared to Casino Royale.
Technical Score: B
Artistic Score: B-
Final Score (not an average): B+
Moral Warnings: Plenty of violence, combined with revenge motivated killings throughout the film; one scene of mild sensuality; a scene of rear nudity; one or two mild profanities

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: Quantum of Solace is not Casino Royale, nor does it try to be. It's a weaker but visually stunning follow-up. As the first proper sequel in the James Bond franchise, it may not initially seem to have the impact of its predecessor, but it is strong and absolutely worthy on its own merits. It is far more violent and less focused on story and character development than Casino Royale was, but it makes no pretense in that direction anyway.

Quantum of Solace—quite possibly the strangest title in the Bond franchise (it means “the least amount of comfort”)—is, at its core, a revenge story. James Bond (Daniel Craig), left cold and calloused by the seeming betrayal and ultimate death of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, has nothing left to lose; he cares nothing for his life or for MI6 protocol, resorting to doing anything necessary to get the job done. The film picks up around an hour after Casino Royale ended. Bond is speeding away from a number of attackers, a man (Mr. White, played by Jesper Christensen) in the trunk of his car. The visual style of Solace is made apparent through this opening sequence, with both stylish camera angles and pretty unique camera cuts punctuating the action. Shots of a car flying off a cliff are interrupted, only resumed a moment later as Bond encounters the car falling in front of him. The whole scene reeks of the director Forster striving for a stylish action film, shot with plenty of panache, and mostly succeeding.

Unfortunately, this also means that it initially feels as though the movie is mostly fluff with very little substance to bring to the table. The new main characters aren’t as interesting as any of the central characters from Casino Royale, but the recurring characters continue to impress in roles both small and large. Of particular disappointment is Olga Kurylenko’s character, Camille Montes; she seems devoid of depth, remaining one dimensional for over half the film until some exposition is given. But at that point, it’s almost too little, too late. Any vestige of interest I had in her character disappeared, and attempts by the screenwriters and Forster to establish a meaningful relationship between Bond and Camille fall flat.

That said, their relationship isn’t the focus of the movie. Instead the film becomes one about how Bond’s internal turmoil affects his work and life, showing his evolution into the character that we’ve all become so familiar with over the past forty years. Violence is featured more throughout the movie as a matter of course with the typical Bond film sexuality taking a back seat because, as M (Judi Dench) says at one point in the movie, Bond is "blinded by inconsolable rage;" he’s interested more in making someone pay than wooing and seducing women.

Ultimately, Forster proves a capable director, albeit a lesser one than Casino Royale’s Martin Campbell, who brings interesting and different things to the table while continuing the plot and serious direction of 2006’s critically acclaimed Bond reboot.

By this point, you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t said all that much about the plot of the movie itself. That’s because it’s not exactly the most remarkable plot in the world, dealing with bioterrorism and political coups, nor is it the main point of the film itself. Here, the end justifies the means. Everything that happens to and around Bond is a way of justifying how and why Bond gets his revenge and finds his answers. This isn’t a movie about a crazy villain out to take over the world, though there is one, nor is it a movie about saving the world, though Bond does that as well. Instead, Solace finds its story in Bond saving himself from the self-destructive path that Casino Royale leaves him on, and this is ultimately the most important thing to know about the movie itself.

The DVD edition of Quantum of Solace contains several special features alongside a copy of the near-atrocious Jack White/Alicia Keys collaboration “Another Way to Die,” the theme song of this Bond film. The transfer on the DVD itself is quite good, with acceptable black levels and hardly any artifacts occurring. Sound quality is also very good with no visible lag or other problems with the audio itself.

Quantum of Solace features some minor sexuality, a scene with some nudity in it and quite a bit of violence and killing. The fight sequences are much more intense here, owing some to the Bourne movies, but not as much as many have said. Language is not a problem, though there may be one or two cases of blasphemy during the proceedings.

Quantum of Solace is not better than Casino Royale, which has widely been acknowledge as the best Bond film in recent years. However, it is still one of the stronger films of the series and an admirable movie in its own right. Its impact is not immediate but rewards the viewer with multiple viewings. Certainly there are flaws here and the theme music isn’t as stunning as it could have been, but this remains a significant and beautiful addition to the Bond legacy.

-Drew Regensburger (drew@revolve21.com)