Movie Review-Quantum of Solace
Movie Review-Quantum of Solace
by Christie
One of the most enduring, action-packed franchises in all of cinema is that snappy dressed, husky-voiced James Bond. Every time a new Bond movie shoots into theaters, I get excited. In my lifetime I've watched two Bonds on the big screen: Pierce Brosnan's super-smooth playboy marksman and Daniel Craig's buff, rough around the edges double o. So far, I like Craig's portrayal of the vulnerable beginnings of Bond. "Casino Royale" was my favorite Bond movie to date. Unfortunately, "Quantum of Solace" doesn't live up to its high-stakes predecessor.
This is the first sequel of the Bond films. Whispers of Vesper and the tragic betrayal of "Casino Royale" permeate the story. It's strange to hear Bond lamenting over a woman, but this film also sets up the callous Bond that we've seen in later years. In "Solace," Bond still hasn't shut off his emotions. He carries the wounds with him every time he takes a punch, makes a shot or jumps out of a burning building.
Yes, the action is non-stop. Like the beginning of "Casino," we're treated to a long fight that sweeps through an exotic location as fast as Bond's gunshots. In "Solace," Bond leaves a longer trail of bodies and he's chastised by MI6 for his recklessness. Bond leads an edge-of-your-seat boat chase in the blue of the Caribbean in classic style and eventually finds his way into other explosive situations. The locations in this Bond are even more exotic to the eye and cinematically gorgeous as well. It's too bad some of them get caught in Bond's wave of destruction.
Like previous 007 films, I expected Solace to have a twisted, convoluted plot that unraveled only after I'd seen the film several times. I enjoyed the cloying mystery of putting all the pieces together. "Solace" however delivers a straight forward, somewhat predictable plot that felt like bits and pieces from Bond's diary. The scenes are brief and don't feel as if they connect. There is no clear plot line to follow, only a series of fight scenes and brief encounters with new characters that don't amount to much in the end. It feels hollow, as if we just got a taste of Bond's latest exploits and not a full-length documentary. Neither Bond nor the main female character Cami have a clear purpose and for that, the entire film suffers. I left feeling like I saw a popcorn action flick, not the intellectually engaging Bond mystique that I'm used to.
After watching "Solace," it's clear that Bond films don't work as sequels. They should be episodic and linked only by the ever sassy M and her most dashing agent. Bond is unpredictable and thrilling when he has no ties to the past. Hopefully, we'll see more of that 007 in the future.
by Christie
One of the most enduring, action-packed franchises in all of cinema is that snappy dressed, husky-voiced James Bond. Every time a new Bond movie shoots into theaters, I get excited. In my lifetime I've watched two Bonds on the big screen: Pierce Brosnan's super-smooth playboy marksman and Daniel Craig's buff, rough around the edges double o. So far, I like Craig's portrayal of the vulnerable beginnings of Bond. "Casino Royale" was my favorite Bond movie to date. Unfortunately, "Quantum of Solace" doesn't live up to its high-stakes predecessor.
This is the first sequel of the Bond films. Whispers of Vesper and the tragic betrayal of "Casino Royale" permeate the story. It's strange to hear Bond lamenting over a woman, but this film also sets up the callous Bond that we've seen in later years. In "Solace," Bond still hasn't shut off his emotions. He carries the wounds with him every time he takes a punch, makes a shot or jumps out of a burning building.
Yes, the action is non-stop. Like the beginning of "Casino," we're treated to a long fight that sweeps through an exotic location as fast as Bond's gunshots. In "Solace," Bond leaves a longer trail of bodies and he's chastised by MI6 for his recklessness. Bond leads an edge-of-your-seat boat chase in the blue of the Caribbean in classic style and eventually finds his way into other explosive situations. The locations in this Bond are even more exotic to the eye and cinematically gorgeous as well. It's too bad some of them get caught in Bond's wave of destruction.
Like previous 007 films, I expected Solace to have a twisted, convoluted plot that unraveled only after I'd seen the film several times. I enjoyed the cloying mystery of putting all the pieces together. "Solace" however delivers a straight forward, somewhat predictable plot that felt like bits and pieces from Bond's diary. The scenes are brief and don't feel as if they connect. There is no clear plot line to follow, only a series of fight scenes and brief encounters with new characters that don't amount to much in the end. It feels hollow, as if we just got a taste of Bond's latest exploits and not a full-length documentary. Neither Bond nor the main female character Cami have a clear purpose and for that, the entire film suffers. I left feeling like I saw a popcorn action flick, not the intellectually engaging Bond mystique that I'm used to.
After watching "Solace," it's clear that Bond films don't work as sequels. They should be episodic and linked only by the ever sassy M and her most dashing agent. Bond is unpredictable and thrilling when he has no ties to the past. Hopefully, we'll see more of that 007 in the future.