Despite what advertisements may claim, there is nothing original in a new Bond film. No matter what, the audience knows the dashing secret agent will escape desperate situations, bed gorgeous women, kill dozens of lackeys and, in the end, defeat the villain. The level of achievement of a Bond film is determined by the box office receipts as well as whether the filmmakers were able to hit all of the previously mentioned requirements in a way that is creative and refreshing. Luckily, Quantum of Solace succeeds on both points.
Following the death of his lady love, Vesper Lynd, James Bond (Daniel Craig) has begun hunting the men with whom she was working. During his investigation, Bond learns that they were part of a larger, secret terrorist network called Quantum. After an attempt on the life of his boss, M (Judi Dench), Bond follows the corresponding trail of clues to a powerful corporate environmentalist and Quantum member, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric). Bond finds that Greene is trying to instigate a coup in Bolivia in order to place the dictator General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio) in power and acquire resources for Quantum. Facing the possibility that the sinister organization may have agents lurking within MI6, Bond teams up with Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), one of two Bond babes, who had been wronged by Greene and Medrano in the past. Bond must decide what is more important: revenge for the death of his love or his duty to MI6 and the safety of innocent civilians.
While you’re watching Quantum of Solace the plot isn’t really an issue, because the action and the glamour are so pleasantly distracting, but after some contemplation it seems convoluted and kind of ... stupid. The revenge aspect makes enough sense, but the business about Bolivia and mysterious pieces of land is just lame. I know the plot is just an excuse to see Bond kick ass, but would it hurt to make it more intriguing?
Amalric alone prevents the villains from becoming laughable. Best known for his role in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, he provides the right combination of genteel and slimy to go up against Craig’s dapper and rebellious Bond.
In his second outing as 007, Craig continues to roll with the punches — and there are a lot of them. The fight choreography has moved away from the stylized dance-like sparring of recent years to something more fast-paced and brutal. The fights are creative and surprising, and they build with an increasing tempo. Bond battles foes hanging from ropes, balancing on roofs and leaping through fire — it’s all very exciting.
Thanks to the fantastic locations across Europe and South America, beautiful actors and breathless action and spectacle, Quantum of Solace has appeased my wanderlust and desire for adventure until another day. Like any decent Bond movie, Solace gives the viewer a glimpse of a world that is more exciting and simpler than their own, where one well-dressed and exceedingly handsome man can save the day without messing his hair too much. What makes Quantum of Solace a good Bond film is that it feels new and original even though it’s following the same formula Bond films have been using for decades.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
