In a year dominated by blockbuster action flicks - "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "Hancock" - "Quantum of Solace" rode in on a wave of high expectations. Add that to the excitement that accompanies a new addition to the beloved James Bond series, especially the follow up to one as good as 2006's "Casino Royale," and the anticipation is off the charts.
Unfortunately, the latest installment in the rebooted Bond series fails to live up to the hype.
"Quantum of Solace" brings Daniel Craig back for his second go around as the MI6 agent. "Quantum" begins almost exactly where "Casino Royale" ends, with Bond in Sienna, Italy.
The film opens with the quintessential Bond car chase, with 007 racing through winding coastal roads and precarious construction sites, hotly pursued by henchmen from the terrorist organization Quantum.
The fast-paced chase sets the tone for the film, and reveals its major technical flaw. With a cut every second or so, it's nearly impossible to follow the action. Obviously one of the black sports cars is operated by Bond and the other by his enemies, but at any given point during the chase the viewer would be hard-pressed to decipher who is chasing whom, unless they can easily distinguish between an Alfa Romeo and an Aston Martin flying through a hail of bullets.
The rest of the film digresses rather sharply from many of the traditional characteristics shared in the Bond franchise. The latest incarnation of Bond veers away from the suave, debonair hero of the first 20 installments. Craig's 007 is rougher, more reckless, ruthless and messier than his predecessors. This is due in part to the fact that "Casino Royale" reveals the origins of Bond, and his development as an agent. He's unpolished still, and stays so throughout "Quantum of Solace." Only at the very end of the film is there a hint that he may be evolving.
Unlike previous Bond films, which were always full of high-tech devices (think the slew of exploding everyday objects throughout the series), "Quantum" is relatively light on gadgets, and is missing the character of Q, who used to provide Bond with his various devices. The two objects that have long held extraordinary hidden capabilities throughout the franchise, Bond's watch and car, are apparently just what they seem to be. The only cool gadgets are Bond's ultra-advanced cell phone and the touch screen interfaces at the MI6 offices.
Most shockingly of all, this Bond doesn't always get the girl. Camille (Olga Kurylenko), the female lead in "Quantum," is no cheap eye candy. She's a female mirror of 007. Like Bond, she's a secret agent, and like Bond she is bent on getting revenge for the death of her loved ones. She's strong and determined, and contrary to the typical formula. Although they spend much of the film together and the sexual tension is rampant, Camille does not fall into bed with Bond. In fact, Bond has only one lust interest in "Quantum," the fiesty and fiery Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton). Both actress and character play their roles well, and Fields is the subject of a reference to the 1964 Bond movie "Goldfinger," which is perhaps the film's only nod to the history of the franchise.
Craig is certainly not the ladies man that Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan were. In "Casino Royale" he has a definite love interest, Vesper Lynd, whose betrayal and death shape Bond in the sequel. "Quantum" seems to shift the focus away from sex and on to Bond's relationship with his boss, M (Judi Dench). M is a more of a central character than ever before, and her interactions with Bond are a big part of the film. At one point, when Bond vaguely references M, Camille asks if she is his mother, to which Bond replies, "She likes to think so." This transition to stronger female characters, particularly the older, more nurturing and decidedly non-seductive M, is another step away from Bond tradition. Franchise veteran Judi Dench is certainly capable of carrying the role as it develops, and it will be interesting to see where this path takes the series.
Efforts have been made to update the themes of the new Bond installments, bringing the franchise into the 21st century. The super spy was created during the Cold War; with the Soviets out of the picture, Bond needs a new enemy. That's where the shadowy terrorist organization Quantum comes in. Quantum's motives are a mystery, but their activities are one focus of this film. Bond's official mission is to thwart one of Quantum's members from buying a large tract of Bolivian desert, which he plans to obtain by aiding a dictator who's staging a coup. The value of the land is also a mystery, but everyone speculates that it contains oil.
From here, "Quantum of Solace" veers into the territory of political commentary, taking on a number of issues. The film touches heavily on themes of government corruption and hypocrisy, and the consequences of commandeering natural resources
Despite its many flaws, "Quantum of Solace" is not completely unredeemable. Daniel Craig and Judi Dench carry the film, bringing plenty of nuance and personality to their characters, and plenty of chemistry to the screen. Between Bond's inner torment over the loss of Vesper and the reminders of all that is wrong with the world today, "Quantum" ends up somewhat dismal and dark.
There is more depth to this film and this Bond than there is in many of the older films, and if it were not for the fact that "Quantum" neglects so much Bond mythology, it could be quite good. As it stands, it makes a decent sequel to "Casino Royale," and aside from the hectic, strobe-like, overdone action sequences, a decent film in its own right. As an addition to the Bond franchise, however, it just doesn't quite measure up.
Morgan Meagher can be reached at mmeagher@student.umass.edu.
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