Quantum of Solace (2008)
Director: Marc Forster
Actors: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench
Overall:
I really like these new 007 movies. Although I probably enjoyed Casino Royale more than this latest Bond installment, both of them were far superior to the last few Brosnan flops. C'mon, you know any movie starring Denise Richards as a research scientist named Christmas Jones is going to be terrible! But these new films are different. They're truly a blend of the classic Bond and the new Bond. They've still got the cool opening credit sequence, shaken martini's, and Bond's uncontrollable sexy appeal, while toning down on the corny gadgets and ridiculous character names. I also like that they've stepped up the action. I'm not just looking for huge explosions and 10-minute fight scenes, but it's nice to actually have a tough Bond character again.
Plot:
Although seemingly complex at first, the plot line is actually pretty straightforward. I would have liked a little bit more suspense with regard to the plot line, but you could also start to tell that the real story was more about Bond and his personal demons. And actually there's nothing wrong with that, it's just so different from the previous Bond movies where you never got the sense that anyone or anything really meant anything to Bond. I feel like he's a much more dynamic character now.
Setting/Mood:
In true 007 style, this film takes Bond all over the world. From Italy to Bolivia to Austria to Russia, the locations are beautiful. There's something so romantic yet dangerous, tempting yet detestable about being a secret agent, and this film really connected with it. You both envy and pity Bond at the same time. I thought the atmosphere really brought this point home.
Acting:
Daniel Craig is excellent! I really like what he brings to the Bond character and I thought his performance in this film was great. You could just see all of the emotion just beneath the surface ready to explode. However, Mathieu Amalric's performance as Dominic Greene, the film's chief villian, wasn't as impressive. I think they were trying to create a "mastermind"-type character who was soft-spoken but deeply sinister, but it never really got that far. He just came across kinda flat and weak. I really liked Amalric's performance in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007), so this was quite disappointing.
Recommendation:
I would highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoyed Casino Royale or is a fan of high-energy action movies. It's another solid Bond film.
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