Avid James Bond fans were once skeptical about Daniel Craig’s abilities to pull off one of the most iconic cinematic characters of all time. Complaints ranged from his apparent lack of debonair charm to rumors that he could not drive a stick shift Aston Martin. (https://jaximplant.com) Casino Royale, however, proved to be one of the most acclaimed Bond movies to date, inspiring comparisons to Connery and exclamations that Craig had managed to do the impossible-reinvent Bond for the better. Unfortunately, not only does Quantum of Solace not measure up to Casino Royale’s standard of cinematic excellence, this time around, Craig’s Bond is Bond in name only.
The gadgets, expensive cars, “shaken-not-stirred” martinis and suave airs are gone. This James Bond is more like Jason Bourne: a rugged, gritty killing machine. He rarely uses guns, opting for knifes, axes, or shards of glass (whatever’s handy, really), and fights with brute force rather than style. Instead of being on assignment, Bond is on a personal vendetta of revenge, which means fewer sexcapades and witty quips and much more brooding and long stares.
Which is not to say that the elements of a quality action film aren’t present-there is many a blood-pumping action sequence, often juxtaposed between cuts of more picturesque scenes, providing an opportunity for artistic cinematography. The focus, though, is more on man to man combat than the elaborate chase scenes of previous Bond flicks. What weighs Quantum of Solace down is it’s structure-it presents itself as a sequel to Casino Royale instead of a standalone film. The audience is expected to remember old characters and plot twists as they are hastily and vaguely reintroduced.
Moreover, the end of Quantum of Solace feels incomplete. The big reveal of the evil plot fails to shock. Dominic Greene (Matheiu Almaric), the film’s villain, does not come off as all that malicious or terrifying. At best, he is a greedy corporate drone and a greasy misogynist. Even Bond’s inner emotional turmoil is nonchalantly resolved in the final minutes, despite having been dwelled on throughout the film. The result is that there is no final cathartic release. Many ends are left untied, probably because the filmmakers wanted to keep their open for the next film.
The only familiar franchise character in Quantum of Solace is Judi Dench as M, bringing her usual dry wit along with her nagging mother-like supervision to the film. The exotic and feisty leading lady (played by Olga Kurylenko) shares only a fairly tepid kiss with Bond, as she too is busy with her own revenge quest, which, ironically, has a more exciting end than 007’s.
While Bond followers will note a visual shout-out to Goldfinger, little else connects Quantum of Solace with the legacy of films before it. Separated stylistically from its predecessors, Quantum of Solace is left with little ground to stand on and ends up as a disconnected, slightly-above-average action film. As illustrated by Casino Royale, reinvention of Bond is not forbidden or unappreciated, but when he becomes unrecognizable and indistinguishable from the typical dark action hero, the film’s tone does not ring true. Ultimately, a brooding and charmless Bond is simply not what we came here for.
