Review: Quantum of Solace

What is the expression? Damaged goods.

Quantum of Solace, sequel to 2006’s Casino Royale and the first Bond film to be a direct continuation of the previous, features Daniel Craig reprising his role as a revenge-hungry James Bond. Casino Royale was notable in that in broke many of the long-held traditions of Bond films and attempted to re-imagine the franchise. Its ambitious nature allowed it to go beyond the conventional boundaries of its predecessors and excel where they had not. Quantum of Solace, on the other hand, seems content to bank on the success of its predecessor and actually manages to dilute the new style significantly.

Solace begins with a bang only an hour after the conclusion of Casino Royale. A car chase ensues as Bond attempts to escape with the captured Mr. White in his trunk. Even at this early juncture, one of Solace’s major flaws becomes obvious. The editing team evidently has ADD because I could probably count on my two hands the number of shots that lasted more than ten seconds. Look at this car! Now look at the side! Now the front! Back to the side! Unnecessary cut to something irrelevant! Front again! The editing style was both frustrating as well as a terrible eye-sore and defined a majority of the action sequences of the film.

Which brings me to another point: Solace’s hand-to-hand fight sequences. Perhaps in an effort to emulate the aesthetically appealing yet gritty and visceral choreography style of the ‘Bourne’ trilogy, Solace ramps up the chaos of the fight scenes. Unfortunately, the film fails to capture the rhythm and flow of the combat and ends up feeling extremely clumsy. You’ll think Bond and his opponents were fighting on ice rinks the way they’re slipping and breaking furniture.

These wouldn’t be such major problems if Solace was more than a string of poorly done action set-pieces. Sadly though, the near entirety of the film is one yawn inducing action sequence after another. While Daniel Craig reprises his role surprisingly astutely, the rest of the characters seem shallow and undeveloped, the Bond girl(s) seemed irrelevant and unnecessary, and the plot is abysmally facepalm-inducing. The movie is almost devoid of any emotion whatsoever and I can’t remember a single moment in the film where I felt anything beyond mild excitement or boredom.

Quantum of Solace is also notable in my mind for having the least menacing bond villain possible, the most mundane conspiracy ever, and for making me actually appreciate Moonraker. Shockingly little of this film entertained me in the slightest, and all I can really say about it is: huge disappointment.