Review of Quantum of Solace (2008) by Merijn J — 03 Jan 2018

All I'm going to say to you nay sayers. You know it and I know it! This Bond would tear you a new air hole while drinking a Vodka Martini if you said those nasty critiques to his face.

First of all...the plot is not weak. It does two things concludes the Vespa affair and opens the door, introducing the audience to the bigger pie, which is the world organization that influences world politics called Quantum (which my guess is the new SPECTRE) The movie is essentially Bond having to survive the wild, while fending off both CIA and MI6 (who've been ordered by politicians to bring him in) and searching from scratch about the Quantum organization who tried to set Bond up, by framing him for the murder of Mathais (from Casino Royale) and who also tried to kill M.

The good...Craig is Bond. There is no doubting this Bond's toughness, like Connery, and he puts on the Tux or a good suit as if it was his armor. He retains the charms of a ladies men but does not dwell too much on his sexual appetites, which had become a bit of a sticking point with me and the Brosnan's Bond. Brosnan's 007 was an addict while this Bond, like Connery puts business before pleasure, but at the same time never letting a good free moment go to waste. Some have criticized that because this Bond is rough with the action scenes that he is not human. On the contrary. Everything he does in this film is essentially to settle the score for both Vespa and M. Plus as with Vespa he seems to have interests in the new Bond girl in this film outside of bedding her. I would say, instead, he may be less of a farce or a cliche but in no means any less human.

The bad...There is not much here but what there is may smack some die-hard fans in the face. First the gun barrel scene was not at the beginning of the film. I at first was like how can this be!!! But relax its at the end and I think there is a purpose. At the beginning of the film Bond still has not settled into the 00 role we all know and love. Its really just picks up where Casino Royale left off. But by the end of the film he no longer is the new kid on the force, he is Bond and when they end it there he is in all traditional Bond fashion.

The other two issues you may have with the film is that...

first...

the film in the beginning after the opening credits does seem right out of a Bourne film and Bond is more brutish like Bourne then past Bonds. However, the car chase, the airplane dog fight, sky diving, fist fight with the villain carrying an AXE is all classic Bond as well as the boat chase.

The other issue is sadly the ending could have been a little less clever, and have given the audience a little more satisfaction, a little more info on who exactly Bond is fighting. But then again Connery's Bond didn't see the face of his arch rival Bloefeld until the fifth film in the series.

In truth, if you are looking for the old Roger Moore style Bond that has been influencing the series ever since the 70's then you should probably just go to the video store. But if you liked the novels, and liked the original, Connery, Bond's then you have to love the back to basics/modernization of this Bond. It's still Bond. He still has cool gadgets, still drives fast cars, and he still has colorful villains. The only difference is the times have changed and this Bond has adapted and in no ways is a mere throwback to the past.

All Bond's are for their times and each has had their good run and now the same can be said for Daniel Craig and this new series.