Seen on: November 14, 2008
The players: Director: Marc Forster, Writers: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis, Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini, Jesper Christensen, Mathieu Amalric
Facts of interest: This is the 22nd official Bond flick.
The plot: This time, James Bond (Daniel Craig) tries to stop a ruthless businessman from taking over one of thr world's most precious natural resources.
Our thoughts: Marc Forster’s “Quantum of Solace” introduces viewers to a Bond different from others; one that some will applaud and others will disapprove of. I completely agree that this 22nd official James Bond adventure drastically diverges from the conventions of most of its predecessors, but that doesn’t automatically make it a bad film.
As a die-hard Bond fan myself, I had my doubts about the future of Britain’s most famous agent when I first heard that “Casino Royale,” Daniel Craig’s debut as 007, would take the successful franchise into a new direction. Luckily enough, director Martin Campell and screenwriters Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade ended up delivering a fantastic show and one of the best Bonds in quite a while.
Along comes the anticipated “Solace,” which is a direct continuation of “Royale” and keeps heading into a direction many Bond fans may indeed not entirely appreciate. Although I consider myself part of the group that responds positively to this sequel, I can understand why many cinemagoers out there think Bond is Bond no more.
Indeed, Forster’s film has its flaws, and I’m certainly not ignoring them. It is true, for instance, that this new Bond is more a mirror image of Jason Bourne than any of the previous Bonds. The action is louder and more brutal, and James goes through a whole lot more pain than usual. The trouble here is that 007 never was a real action hero in the first place, and watching him going this wild feels awkward.
Gone are also some of his trademark quotes, including the usual Martini order and the “Bond, James Bond” line. While I admit that such details have always been part of the charm of this intriguing lead character, I personally don’t mind the absence of these things too much. I’m very open to change in the franchise after so many years, and I welcome the idea of exploring Bond as a character with some flaws of his own.
Overall, I had a fabulous time watching “Quantum of Solace.” The plot is fast-paced and highly entertaining, most of the action scenes look gorgeous, and in my opinion, there’s still enough traditional Bond goodness left to have a great time. The main story line may not be as sophisticated as in “Casino Royale,” but the main villain is a scary, nasty fellow, and his evil plans are certainly not the worst we’ve seen so far.
I haven’t touched on the actual story yet because too much detail may spoil a lot, but what I can tell you is that Bond heads out to stop Dominic Green (Mathieu Amalric), a ruthless businessman who’s part of a dangerous international organization with plans to take control of one of the world’s most precious natural resources.
Forster, who also brought us “Monster’s Ball” and “Finding Neverland,” is definitely capable of helming a flick of this high a caliber. I admit his action scenes look a little too shaky at times, but other than that, he’s a dab hand at directing a big-budget production. Accompanying these exciting scenes is David Arnold’s excellent score, which uses less of the Bond theme but helps giving the film its suspenseful atmosphere.
I’m a big fan of Daniel Craig’s work and I truly believe he’s a great Bond. He handles the character quite well, and he comes across as a credible character who deep down his heart isn’t always the tough guy he appears to be. Olga Kurylenko looks stunning as 007’s female accomplice, while Gemma Arterton has too small a role for a Bond girl. As for Amalric, he’s just the perfect villain.
Freaky quote: “I am motivated by my duty." – Daniel Craig
The final word: Is “Solace” better than “Casino Royale”? Certainly not. Is it still a wildly entertaining Bond adventure with plenty of hot pursuits, gorgeous ladies and terrifying bad guys? Heck yes. While the 22nd Bond adventure hits a few bumps along the way, I still consider it a solid sequel that opens many new doors for a franchise loved by millions of people. My only serious regret? It’s too short!
Article by Franck Tabouring