Quantum Of Solace (2008)

2 out of 4

Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench, Mathieu Almaric, Gemma Arterton, Giancarlo Gianninni, Jeffrey Wright

Director: Marc Forster

Time: 106 mins

Viewed: Regal Marlboro 8, New Jersey

A direct sequel to 2006's fine series reboot, Casino Royale, the 22nd Bond film thrusts the British spy (Craig, in his second outing) back into the thick of the action as he searches for the secret organization (QUANTUM) that coerced his love Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Greene in Royale) to betray him. A fairly inconsequential plot involving QUANTUM member Dominic Greene's (Almaric) plan to control Bolivian water supplies, a woman (Kurylenko) seeking revenge on a dictator, and Bond again disobeying MI6 boss M (Dench) and going on the lam, hastily ensues. Continues the gritty direction from the previous entry, with Craig providing steel and kill-first, ask-later determination, but missing or lacking some of the Bond trademarks: the opening Bond-walking-and-shooting sequence (it actually appears at the end), the numerous quips, and even some semblance of cool gadgets. I understand everything is meant to be more "realistic" a la the Bourne series, but Bond has almost always provided a touch of escapism for the jaded viewer (something that Royale did, courtesy of the Bahamas and the titled casino, both of which added an exoticness that Solace's locales can't match). Even so, I wouldn't mind the departure of some of these elements as long as the action scenes were up to snuff. But while there is certainly no shortage of high-speed pursuits, gunfights and explosions here, especially during the first half, the scenes are cut so blindingly fast that one can't get a sense of what's happening. When will filmmakers realise that MTV-style editing is not appropriate for certain films? When compared to the fantastic parkour chase at the start of Royale, most of what occurs in Solace is pedestrian and forgettable. Let's hope for an improved outing when Bond returns.

(c) Joe Wong (16 November 2008)