The Quantum of Solace Review
Picking up where Casino Royale left off, James Bond brings Mr. White in for questioning. Mr. White informs MI6 that he belongs to a secret organization with people everywhere. And when M is targeted, Bond has further motivation to hunt down those responsible for Vesper’s death. Bond is set on revenge, and he soon meets up with a beautiful woman with similar motivations.
Considerably darker than Casino Royale, the Quantum of Solace is about revenge and closure. And, as usual, things and people are not always as they seem. With the body count considerably higher in this film, there is no lack of action and violence. In fact, the excitement and suspense seems to be more intense as well.
Mr. Greene is the main bad guy in the film, whose foundation Greene Planet is a front for the secret organization that no government seems aware of. Yes, I know it’s beginning to sound like a game of Clue. Will the next installment center a Ms. Scarlett or Col. Mustard?
Several characters from the original film make another appearance. And also as before, the acting from the entire cast is exceptional. The newest Bond girls are beautiful, smart, and deadly. Bond only gets his hands on one cool gadget this time around, but we get to view some cool advanced (science fiction-esque) technology in several scenes at MI6 headquarters.
Daniel Craig’s Bond is getting a little flack from critics this time around, for not being as humorous as his predecessors. As for me, I definitely don’t mind. Craig is grittier, more realistic, and dangerous. Yet he still can pull on a tuxedo and look every bit the suave, debonair, ladies man.
The Quantum of Solace is a fantastic sequel to Casino Royale. This Bond fan was pleasantly surprised, even with high expectations.
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Thanks again to Downtown Comics for the advance tickets!
November 14th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I read an article about the preview, where Tom Cruise got laughed at when his preview of his movie came on. In the movie Cruise wears an eye patch. http://www.observer.com/2008/o2/quantum-solace-offers-peek-2009-watch-out-tom-cruise
November 14th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
If you’re referring to “Valkyrie,” no previews were played before our early screening. I was disappointed, since I’m dying to see the new Star Trek trailer.
I’ll have to wait till tomorrow to see it now.
November 15th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Quantum of Solace is entertaining at least… a fantastic job with the styling and picture quality, but the movie as a whole could stand to lose six or seven fewer chase scenes
November 16th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Damn that’s a positive review for such a mediocre movie. Didn’t you think the action scenes (minus the dreadful air chase) were just bad copies of those from the last two Bourne films? And don’t get me started on the complete lack of logic or narrative structure.
November 16th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I didn’t watch the last 2 Bourne films, as I didn’t like the first one. All action scenes and chase scenes look the same to me, but it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them.
I, for one, liked that it was non-stop action this time around.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Not as good as Casino Royale but enjoyable nonetheless - Daniel Craig is now my firm favourite James Bond, gritty and violent but still drop dead gorgeous! Shame no little blue trunks this time round!
November 19th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Great Review… I think it is spot on… the movie was great, and it was supposed to be darker, grittier, and less funny that the last ones… that was the point…
in fact, it’s much more like James Bond in the books, in my opinion… he is never ‘funny’ in the books…
Thanks, SciFiChick!!!
November 19th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
I wish I would have waited to rent Quantum of Solace. Even though the movie had a lot of action there was very little character development and the plot was mediocre at best. I actually dozed off on a few parts, that’s how bored I was. It’s sad, because Casino Royale was completely superb and I was expecting a sequel that matched its wit.
November 20th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Quite enjoyed the movie, especially its of-the-times cynicism about the roles of the US and UK governments in fighting evil. Certainly in the Connery and Moore Bonds, there was no question that the US and UK governments were at least *trying* to smash SPECTRE or *trying* to keep Hai Fat from monopolizing the world’s supply of solar energy.
Yet in the Daniel Craig vision of the Bond series, it is the governments who must be eluded as much as the bad guys.
But the beef I have with the film and its vision might be that while I understand that the point is to make Bond tougher and grittier, I did find myself missing at times the sophisitcated and urbane Bond who’s familiar with the best vintages of Lafitte-Rotschild or who speaks seven different languages.
Of course no-one goes to see the Bond movies because of these qualities–they go to see 007 kick some ass. But then again, the ability to kick ass is a pretty generic one in Hollywood, and if you remove the cultured edges from Bond, what you have left is not that much different from something Vin Diesel might give you.