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Despite the ridiculous title, “Quantum of Solace” is
an engaging film, and like its predecessor, “Casino Royale,”
it gave me more of what I wanted from a James Bond movie.
Granted, “Casino Royale” is the better of the two, not only
because Daniel Craig was cast as Agent 007, but also because
it told a more compelling story. It also completely reinvented
the spy genre, leaving behind many of the sillier elements
that dragged down so many other Bond films. ***
What “Quantum of Solace” has going for it is that,
for the most part, it follows in the same footsteps; gone
are the preposterous gadgets, the cartoonish villains, and
their infantile plots to take over the world. Also gone
are Miss Moneypenny and Q, character I never felt were necessary
anyway. As for Bond, Craig retains the same rough-around-the-edges
quality I liked--a far cry from the earlier Bonds, who were
so pristine and super suave that it was hard to get past.
***
The plot of “Quantum of Solace” is essentially an extension
of “Casino Royale,” which ended with the death of Vesper
Lynd, the woman who was blackmailed into betraying Bond.
But who exactly was behind her betrayal? An early interrogation
scene with the nefarious Mr. White (Jesper Christensen)
hints at a mysterious organization called Quantum, which
supposedly has members hidden all over the world. ***
While following a lead in Haiti, Bond meets a fiery
Russian woman named Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), who’s
on a revenge mission of her own. Her partner, the heartless
Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), is a Quantum member posing
as the chairman for Greene Planet, an environmentalist organization.
His dastardly plot involves taking control of Bolivia’s
water supply by staging a military coup. ***
The interesting thing about this film, as well as “Casino
Royale,” is that Bond isn’t a perfect person. Not only is
he capable of making costly mistakes, he’s also at odds
with the very people he serves under. His superior, M (Judi
Dench), is wary around Agent 007 because he tends to make
very irrational decisions, such as killing suspects before
anyone has a chance to question them. She wants to trust
him, but he’s making it difficult. “I think you’re so blinded
by inconsolable rage that you don’t care who you hurt,”
she tells him at one point. “When you can’t tell your friends
from your enemies, it’s time to go.” ***
He’s become one-tracked, which could help to explain
the film’s lack of overt sexuality; Bond sleeps with exactly
one woman in “Quantum of Solace,” and no, it isn’t Camille.
We see this in a scene so short that the raw passion is
pretty much glossed over. While I do recognize that many
007 fans will find this bothersome, I didn’t really have
a problem with it. I’d much rather think of Bond as a flawed
secret agent than as a babe magnet. ***
I might have just crossed into dangerous territory
here, because I’m well aware how nostalgic some people are
for the campier, less introspective Bond films, the ones
with that gave the women silly names like Jenny Flex, Pussy
Galore, Plenty O’Toole, Xenia Onatopp, Octopussy, Penelope
Smallbone, and Honey Rider. The villain isn’t hidden under
goofy disfigurement makeup, and his sinister plot doesn’t
involve creating a new undersea civilization or destroying
targets with a satellite death ray. ***
If this is your cup of tea, then “Quantum of Solace”
is not for you. Not only are the characters given normal
names, the movie itself is also gritty and dark, a revenge
film as opposed to a fantasy spy caper. I may be in the
minority, but I prefer this newer, more realistic depiction
of James Bond. He’s a fully realized character of depth
and complexity, free from his days as an escapist novelty.
For the first time since “Casino Royale,” I actually want
to know what will happen to him on his next mission. ***
There’s one specific moment that I feel is worth mentioning.
There’s a shot of a dead woman lying on a bed, her body
covered with crude oil. Clearly, director Marc Forster was
paying homage to the opening scene of “Goldfinger.” But
what do you think it says that gold has been replaced by
oil? In today’s political climate, oil seems to be the most
valuable substance on earth. ***
This isn’t to say that “Quantum of Solace” makes an
overt political commentary; above all, it’s a fun-filled
action film. But a few statements do pop up here and there,
which I felt was a nice touch. ***
But as I said early on, “Casino Royale” was the better
of the two new Bond films. “Quantum of Solace” has an interesting
premise, but it seems to rely more on action and less on
a fully developed plot. Still, it’s an enjoyable film. I
particularly liked Amalric’s performance, giving Greene
not only base animal instincts in matters of survival, but
also a pitiable quality that’s extremely effective. There
isn’t a nice bone in this man’s body, and you can tell this
is so even with a dashing smile on his face. ***
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