I’ve never been a fan of James Bond movies. In the past, the one and only Bond flick I saw all the way through was Die Another Day. Then, Casino Royale came out in theaters, and everyone loved the new, blonde James Bond, even critics like me – even though I did not go to see the movie.
So imagine my frame of mind when the latest Bond movie was filmed and set to release.
In order to prepare for this article, I felt it was my duty to see Casino Royale on DVD, so I could give an accurate review and to make sure I knew what was going on in Quantum. The things I do for my readers….
Actually, I really liked Casino Royale. I liked Quantum of Solace even better. One thing I don’t like, however, is the theme of expendable women, which I didn’t like about either film.
Bond seems to be good at wrecking women’s lives. The phenomenon is almost like a scary movie. If she has sex with Bond, at some point in the film, she’ll be dead.
He really does have a license to kill.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Quantum is set a few days after where the audience left off in Casino. Bond (played, of course, by Daniel Craig) is out for revenge for his deceased girlfriend, Vespa’s, murder. In order to get to the secret order that had her killed, which no one has ever heard of, he has to go through yet another villain who is linked to the organization.
This villain also has a link to a man that newcomer Agent Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), is after. I won’t ruin the plot for you. But, I will give Camille applause for being able to be alongside Bond and not have sex with him; hence, she gets to live.
Screenwriters Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade crafted a script high in agility, killing, sexual deviance and explosives. It’s a guy’s script. But women can enjoy the movie, as well. We can look at how good Craig looks without his shirt.
Craig is still his suave, pimp-walk self. Yes, he’s a Brit, but he’s got a mean swagger. His portrayal seems to go a little further than the other Bonds. Maybe it’s because Craig is blonde. Or maybe it’s because he hasn’t had time to be too suave and calm, like the others. But he’s young enough to do the death-defying stunts in Quantum and in Casino Royale.
Speaking of stunts, Gary Powell (stunt coordinator) sure had complicated sequences on his hands. The amount of thought and choreography that obviously went into making Quantum’s complicated action is extraordinary. I also have to applaud director Marc Forster, and the film editors, Matt Chesse and Richard Pearson, for putting the sequences together in a high-octane way. Forster is good at blowing things up and making an interesting film. Chesse and Pearson are good at putting scenes together to make the plot flow better. The film has a great flow.
Kurylenko, tanned to perfection, is pretty tough, but not afraid to show her vulnerable side. She hasn’t done many movies, mostly action genre, but I can see her going further in her career without solely using her looks.
Dame Judi Dench reprises her role as M. She is not a total push-over for Bond, but she backs him when it counts. We all need an M in our lives. Dench deserves all of her awards, Academy Award included. She is and always will be good at each role she plays. M is no exception.
Other returning actors are Jeffrey Wright as U.S. Agent Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis. Wright is always on Bond’s side and is a good guy. Wright is another up-and-coming actor who is destined to have a great career. Be sure to see him in W as General Colin Powell. Mathis is another trusted friend of Bond, even though it looked like he double crossed him in Casino. Giannini is a great actor.
All in all, Quantum of Solace is living up to all of its hype. It’s interesting, nail-bitingly good, and worth the watch.
KAliciaG@Aol.com
No Comment