Quantum of Solace
As described during Episode #5 of "Big C and the Beast", I grew up (along with Big C) as a fan of the James Bond movies. I have seen each of the 21 movies preceding "Quantum of Solace" multiple times and recently watched "Casino Royale" again to prepare for the release of the 22nd installment in the James Bond series. This blog post provides a brief review of the film. I will be careful to not reveal any plot spoilers for those of you who have not seen the film yet.
My wife and I viewed the film on opening night at the Megaplex Theater in Ogden, UT. The theater was full, making me increasingly grateful for having purchased tickets on Tuesday night and reserving our seats. The opening sequence was exciting, but not as edgy or revealing as the "Casino Royale" open. I was also very disappointed by the movie's theme song. It just did not "feel" right, where the "Casino Royale" theme was incredible.
"Casino Royale" took a much darker turn from the "camp" of many of the early Bond films. For me, this turn and the great insight into the Bond character was welcome and helped to revitalize a movie franchise that could have easily gone away forever. I expected to learn more about Bond as a character in "Quantum" and was disappointed. Instead, much more is revealed about M. This is not necessarily bad, but with the reboot of the Bond franchise I feel that the audience wants to know more about the new, edgy Bond.
Some critics have mentioned that the movie is more Bourne-like than Bond-like. Such comparisons are easily made in the frenetic fight scenes that are filmed in a "Bourne Ultimatum" style. The out-of-control camera movement and quick cuts does add a sense of tension to the fight scenes, but becomes almost annoying as it is overused. Is the Bourne comparison fair? To a new generation of Bond fans the answer is "Probably." Bond risks coming across as a less "hip" and more sinister version of Bourne. Some of this perception would likely be eliminated with the return of the classic Bond phrases "Bond, James Bond" and "Shaken not stirred" that are absent in "Quantum." I am, however, not at all advocating a return to the cheesiness that crept into the later Brosnan Bond films.
As a standalone Bond film, "Quantum of Solace" disappoints, but as a bridge between "Casino Royale" and future installments in the Bond series, the movie is adequate.
Rating: 2.5 stars (out of 4)
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