Quantum of Solace

Cast: Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko, Gemma Arterton, Jeffrey Wright, Stana Katic, Giancarlo Giannini, Jesper Christensen,
Director: Marc Forster
Screenplay: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Rated: M Action violence
Running Time: 106 Minutes

Synopsis:

Quantum of Solace continues the high-octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) in Casino Royale. Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, James Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organisation that blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

In Haiti, a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Almaric), a major force within the mysterious organisation. On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled Bolivian General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio). As Bond gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, he must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organisation.

My Verdict:

Having being betrayed by Vesper in Casino Royale (2006), James Bond (Daniel Craig) is back in Quantum of Solace to try and discover the truth behind her deception. Continuing merely an hour on from the conclusion of Casino Royale, Bond and M (Judi Dench) discover the organisation responsible for blackmailing Vesper is more dangerous than they ever imagined which leads Bond into a worldwide chase to find these people and make them accountable for their actions.

Daniel Craig gives a quality performance again as James Bond. Even given the number of fight scenes and chase sequences here, he certainly scrubs up time and time again, often to the point where logic says it is an unbelievably extraordinary stretch, but then again, he is James Bond after all. He always manages to look suave and sophisticated even in adversity and this time he is even morose as he battles an inner turmoil regarding his feelings for Vesper and just how far he will take his vengeance.

Judi Dench is also impressive again as M and doesn't miss a beat, is always in control and is always classy. It is hard to imagine anyone else being more capable or better for the role. Olga Kurylenko is fitting as Camille although will probably not become one of the renowned female leads of a Bond movie, partly due to the fact that the chemistry between her character and Bond was never going to have a chance since Bond was still battling his feelings for Vesper. Gemma Arterton as Fields (listed in the credits as Strawberry Fields) gets herself into trouble as a female conquest for Bond and is a welcome distraction from the abundance of action. Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini and Jesper Christensen all return to their roles from Casino Royale with other support cast up to standard although not outstanding.

Quantum of Solace has a tight running time and there are numerous action scenes including a foot chase, a car chase, a plane chase and a boat chase. Some of these scenes are exhausting at times and often confusing due to some overly quick editing. There is not much down-time to recover from all the action nor is there much time to catch up with numerous locations - certainly a lot of ground in many countries was covered whilst filming. A disappointing title song - "Another Way To Die" - from Jack White and Alicia Keys makes the opening credits lose some of their impact even after a high-speed pre-credit car chase.

In many ways Quantum of Solace is a departure from what many consider to be the 'real' James Bond. No, James Bond does not utter those memorable lines - "Bond, James Bond" - but this is not the first Bond movie where he doesn't. Neither is the first Bond movie where Q or Miss Moneypenny does not appear. Certainly, the list is seemingly endless when comparisons are made to the many Bond movies that precede Quantum of Solace but they all have their own idiosyncrasies and reasons for those anomalies, often due to keeping true to the original Ian Flemming stories.

Arguments will continue over the change in direction for the overall James Bond experience in Quantum of Solace but it is still an unquestioningly action-packed escapade that will satisfy many and leave others wanting. Whatever direction James takes in the next instalment, here, he has at least resolved issues left over from Casino Royale which neatly wraps up the introduction of Daniel Craig as James Bond and cements him as a popular and impressive choice.

Rating : ****

Christina Bruce

Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Mathieu Amalric, Olga Kurylenko, Gemma Arterton, Jesper Christensen
Genre: Action
Dir: Marc Forster

Quantum of Solace continues the high octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) in Casino Royale. Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organisation which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.Forensic intelligence links an Mi6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who has her own vendetta.

Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organisation.On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organisation.