Review: Quantum of Solace

After watching “Casino Royale”, my immediate comment was “Now THAT was a bond movie”. After watching “Quantum of Solace”, the immediate reaction was “Now WAS THAT a bond movie?”

Don’t get me wrong, the movie by itself is fine and servicable, but as a part of the Bond series, it fails at a lot of levels. This is more Jason Bourne than it is Bond on screen.

The movie picks up right where “Casino Royale” had left off and there is a breathless car chase between Bond and agents from Quantum, an organization about which neither MI6 nor the CIA have any clue.

The story then hops all over the world, with Bond seeking revenge for the death of his true love, Vesper Lynd. There is a plot which involves Dominic Greene, an environmentalist who wants to control the water supply of Bolivia by backing a coup by a dictator.

There are 2 bond girls, played by Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Arterton. Olga is good in her role, where as Gemma was just in the movie to provide eye candy.

So, the movie has its moments, there is an amazingly choreographed chase between Bond and a rogue agent on the rooftops in Italy which ends with an almost operatic sequence with both hanging from ropes searching for their pistols. There is the logic-defying sequence in which Bond pilots an Aircraft. There are some wise-cracks by Bond and there is M, played brilliantly by Judi Dench.

But, despite all this, i still have to ask “Where was Bond?”. Yes, Daniel Craig was there, he performs his role brilliantly. But, some things you expect in a Bond movie are sadly missing. The signature theme of 007, which is easily one of the most identifiable title themes is NEVER played in the movie. Bond never introduces himself as “Bond, James Bond”. No Martinis, shaken not stirred. And what i find most unforgivable, no Q. John Cleese would have added so much to this movie. All in all, the light hearted entertainment and escapism of Bond movies of old are not to be found here. Instead, it is Bond on a mission, and all fun is thrown out the window. 

The ending though, gives me hope for future instalments, as we see that Bond has finally let the past go and is on his way to becoming the 007 that we know and love. Here is hoping that Bond returns better than ever in the next movie.

Overall, 2.5/5. Good, but not Bond.

Until Next Time,

K.C.G

P.S: As an aside, a major source of entertainment in the movie came from a guy and a girl sitting behind me in the theatre, the guy was trying too hard to impress the girl with his encyclopaedic knowledge of Bond, and the girl kept replying with a “Oh! Really?”. I found that very funny.