Review of Quantum of Solace (2008) by Dave M — 11 Feb 2013

First off, I'd like to address my firm belief that Bond is Bond and Bourne is Bourne. At no point did I feel like these two super spy franchises cross paths. And maybe it's just me, but I can follow the film's camera and action just as well as watching a dialogue scene in a Merchant Ivory production, or maybe I got visual motion sensors like a falcon. Now that I got that off my chest.... The film's action is top-fucking-notch. It almost never lets up in the fast hour and fifty minutes that this film sways through. When it does let up, I was treated to great character arcs and development (few as they may be). Marc Forster gave me some extremely inspired camera angles that boosted up my action leaving me holding my crotch with excitement. Craig was just as good here as he was in Royale, but with all the excitement isn't allowed to take a breath; the movie even acknowledges this aspect. Kureylenko (our Bond-girl) even gave much more depth than the usual Bondette, and seemed less like just another fuckhole for James to stick it. One of the better ones for sure. Probably the best thing about this particular outing was the enormity of the production. Bond films are like real estate, it's all location, location, location. The globe trotting and the gargantuan sets bring out all the fun in the film. I even give props to the main theme song, that usually once out of every ten Bond films, seems to annoy the piss out of me.

My problem with the film was the story. I can see a lot of people getting confused and it never really knows where to set its sights on what to do next. It's not a bad story, it just felt tacked on to give Bond something to do while he exacted his revenge. Dominic Greene also seemed like a somewhat weak villain. He's got the look, he's got the stare, he's even got the voice, but he never really struck me as a menacing enough challenge for 007.

I've been a James Bond fan my whole life. Of all the franchises I grew up with my parents always brought me back to Bond. I'm grateful for that. It's a fantastic character. And with so many film's in the icons repertoire you can easily find the ones you love and the ones you hate. Quantum of Solace finds its way somewhere along the lines of Goldeneye and On Her Majesty's Secret Service in terms of great action and spectacle, but below the likes of Casino Royale and From Russia With Love (aka the masterpiece collection).