Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench, Matheiu Almaric

Director: Marc Foster

Screenplay: Paul Haggis

Running time: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Action/Spy



CRITIQUE:

The first official 007 sequel in history has its angels and demons. On this side of the light, it’s a rip-roaring, dizzying, revenge-driven action flick that requires no pity. And on the dark side, it is an impetuously crafted, if not uneven, odyssey into the film’s emotional core. Such was the ground-shaking brilliance of Casino Royale, arguably one of the finest in the franchise, that it completely rebooted the growingly ridiculous spy escapade. So when Daniel Craig landed the role and raised many eyebrows, he then silenced moaners by consolidating a grittier Bond on this side of reality. And perhaps the cliché lay down that sequels should be “darker”, Quantum of Solace deserves the moniker. It is indeed darker, with so many issues burning beneath its shiny commercialism, grittier, rougher and hard-edged. Half an hour in, and we’ve already plunged to an Aston Martin being crashed, people being shot, Bond leaping over rooftops, chasing baddies and beating ‘em up mercilessly. After all, Bourne’s main fight-man Dan Bradley was employed to make the crashing-and-banging more dynamic.


So it shows. There is fantastic editing in here, people. It leaves you breathless and giddy. Bond’s both personal and professional mission seems very urgent as the plot globe-trots (as usual) from Italy to Haiti to London and Bolivia and everywhere in between. And amidst shoot-outs, there’s also a sense of artistry here, showcased in a perfectly-timed opera-accompanied slow-mo chase in Austria. Marc Foster has done a generous job, slicing arthouse into the franchise, but couldn’t quite generate a forceful impact. But to set these elements aside, the main gripe is the development of its plot. The title refers to a ghostly organisation Quantum in which no one knew it exists, not even MI6 or CIA, drifting through scenes without an iota of believability. As Bond blames Quantum for Vesper Lynd’s demise, his journey is an intermittent vengeance saga that you just want him to get to the end and finish his business. Don’t expect for Royale’s stylishness and glamour because they are at day-off here. The quips are still present, thanks to Paul Haggis’ taut writing, and the intelligent jabbering between Craig’s Bond and Judi Dench’s M is masterclass. Even Gemma Arterton’s Agent Fields (sophisticated and effortless) delivers an out-of-kilter yet enjoyable one-liner.


This leads us to Craig as Bond. There is no doubt he is one of the best actors to play Bond, his roguish demeanour makes him all the more a convincing killer, and here in Quantum he is a brute force. This resolute, damaged hero meets the feisty, emotionally wounded heroine Camille in the sultry shape of Olga Kurylenko. Her vendetta for his murdered family sub-plot works, making her an equal ally to Bond, but she is no Eva Green. That’s perhaps because Camille is not a Bond girl; she has her own issues and crosses road with a man who’s fiercely set to bring justice. Surprisingly, it’s the scenes between Craig and Kurylenko that brings the film’s tenderness, as she became Bond’s eye-opener to the art of letting go and the true consequence of revenge.


VERDICT:

Bond is out in rogue and pissed off but Quantum of Solace is a slightly jagged whiplash of an actioner that couldn’t quite nail a forceful storyline. Don’t expect a Casino Royale punch. It will leave you only shaken and stirred.



RATING: B