So I recently went to see Quantum of Solace. Being a massive James Bond fan, the new direction they are going with the franchise in general is a great one. Casino Royale was amazing, it was character driven, action packed, and Martin Campbell did a great job. So is Quantum of Solace better than Casino Royale?
Yes, in the sense that it delivered exactly what I expected, great, gritty action and a sense of closer from the events of Casino Royale. Seeing that this film picks up shortly after the second, you could technically pop in CR, watch that and then pop in QoS and sort of finish it off. I disagree with the reviews it was given in a few respects. First off, I do think that there is more character driven moments in the movie than others say. In this film, we are following a hurt, angry Bond.
Vesper is dead, and he doesn’t care what he does, or who he kills to avenge her death. So as the movie progresses, and James Bond literally kills everyone, this is a combination of his anger and his lack of discretion. Remember, he is still a rather fresh Double-0, and still a bit brash and inexperienced. It’s these events that mold Bond, and the clay is still wet.
Second, the action is superb. Some of the moments had me on the edge of my seat, but still kept true to the tone of Casino Royale. The fight scenes were great, very reminiscent of the Connery Bond, but with a brutal twist. Daniel Craig has this unique, brawling style, it’s a ruthless, violent fighting style that contributes well to the Bond he is trying to play. He is not afraid to throw you around, pick up his gun and shoot you.
This Bond doesn’t care how he kills you as long as your dead. One moment that is particularly poignant is when Bond kills the man in the apartment. He stabs him in the leg and literally waits, holding the man’s wrist until his pulse slowly fades away. THAT right there is the tone of this Bond. Determined, angry, ruthless, and out for revenge.
On the other hand, being an old school Bond fan, I had a few gripes with the film. Mainly it was the score and the title song. Another Way To Die is a strange song. It definitely shows that after Amy Winehouse jumped ship (she found some crack in the water) the producers and David Arnold had to scramble. Alicia Keyes and Jack White are an odd combination, and the song has sort of an odd sound. But over all, my biggest issue was David Arnold’s score itself. Seriously, not one time where they used the famous James Bond theme? Not even at the end? David Arnold should cut back on the loud trumpeting and throw in some of the theme…so I don’t forget it’s a James Bond movie.
Another thing is that you can tell that the script was rushed. It seems as though Bond runs out looking for revenge, stumbles upon Dominic Green (a great performance by Mattheiu Almaric), fixes that, and remembers what he has to do at the end. Despite that it’s not a terrible script at all, it just feels rushed. Then again the movie was shorter than normal, but in no way is that a problem. I am just greedy, and want to soak up the experience for as long as I can.
In the end, is Quantum of Solace the best Bond movie yet? Not necessarily. In my opinion, Casino Royale holds that title very firmly. However, QoS is not too far off. It has everything a Bond movie needs, satisfied my high expectations, and did exactly what it had to do, carry the story forth for the third, final movie in the story line. Any negative reviews it is receiving are very undeserved. Go watch it, and I promise you’ll feel the same way.
