November 19, 2008 -- “Quantum of Solace,” the latest James Bond film, picks up right where the last one left off. The last film, “Casino Royale” (the official 2006 version), introduced both Craig as the new Bond, and a new, mysterious global criminal organization. In terms of its style, however, “Quantum of Solace” is a significant departure from the rest of the franchise. While the series has always been about girls, guns and gadgets with a liberal sprinkling of British wit and charm, the style of this film is that of a bull in a crystal shop. This Bond smashes everything in sight and it isn't even safe being one of those Bond girls. There is no Q character in this film and very few gadgets, except for some fancy computers and some dazzling cell phones. No rocket launchers in the Aston Martin (and he needed one) and no laser in the wristwatch. This Bond is all business, fast cars, fast women, guns and fists. In terms of pace and editing this film is more akin to a Bourne movie than a Bond movie. The famous opening title sequence and music comes at the end of the film rather than the beginning.

The pace of this film is ultra fast. Not only does Bond (Daniel Craig reprising his role from “Casino Royale”) not sleep a wink during the story, he hardly has time to draw a breath. He careens from one action scene to the next with no time off for bad behavior, but his cuts and bruises also heal very fast. Bond is on the trail of a mysterious worldwide SMERSH-like criminal organization. He works his way up from “Mr. White” (Jesper Christensen) who he had wounded in “Casino Royale,” to “Mr. Green” (that's Dominic Greene, played by Mathieu Amalric of “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”). Is this an ode to “Reservoir Dogs?” This mysterious organization (which is not named in the film) operates like a super-Mafia. It has the power to corrupt and destabilize governments and it has infiltrated the power structures of the world, including British intelligence.

Despite the fact that Bond runs afoul of his boss, M (Judi Dench reprising her role), who cuts off his money supply and travel privileges, Bond finds a way to travel in style and continue his pursuit of the people who blackmailed and killed his love, Vesper Lynd. M feels that Bond cannot remain objective. She doesn't want a rogue agent bent on revenge. Bond fights his feelings and seeks to do his job, and get revenge at the same time. Amalric makes an effective villain, while Camille (Olga Kurylenko of “Max Payne”) and Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton of “RocknRolla”) provide the female sex appeal of the story. Like Bond girl Halle Berry (Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson), Olga Kurylenko plays a Bond girl with both beauty and spy skills. She is a secret agent type who has worked her way up in the organization, seeking some revenge of her own. All this leads up to a spectacular twin-bill fight in an exotic location with Bond and Camille both fighting separate villains for revenge, and ostensibly for their respective countries. This isn't as good as “Casino Royale” was, but it is as good as many Bond films. This film rates a C+.

This is the 22nd “official” Bond film, 24th if you count a couple of “unofficial” entries: “Never Say Never Again” and the 1967 spoof version of “Casino Royal.” What makes an official James Bond film? The stamp of EON Productions. Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman formed EON productions after acquiring the rights to Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels in the 1950s. After Albert Broccoli's death, his daughter, Barbara Broccoli has carried on the Bond tradition. She is a producer of “Quantum of Solace.” She has also produced seven other movies, including five in the Bond series.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2008 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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