JPF Home Page Forums Creative Arts Forums Acting, Theater, Film and TV Forum "GAC Review""QUANTUM OF SOLACE"/ D.Craig/O.Kirylenko/J.Dench

Remember "Casino Royale"? Well, QUANTUM OF SOLACE picks up "1 Hour Afterwards". Same "James Bond" (Daniel Craig): NO "Mr. Nice-Guy with The Wisecracks" (So I of-course MISS Sean Connery, my Fave of all the Bonds-Batch.) Craig-Bond has a Nasty Habit of Teminating ALL the Usual Suspects..on his way to avenging the death of his double-crossing lover, "Vespa" (Eva Green).

Vespa's of course, missing in this one, but two Major Characters from the previous flick return: "M", Bond's "Handler" is again well-handled by Good Ol' Venerable Judi Dench. And Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Dwight) is back as Bond's American Counterpart, CIA Agent who's not Always on the Good or Bad Guys' Side, (just like Real-Life agents today!) Another Good Ol' Bond-Chum, Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini) also comes to Bond's aid, when the Chips are Down (As they Often ARE)..in a movie that has a Car Chase, A Boat Chase, A Plane Chase, and Bullets A-Flyin' on a VERY Regular-Basis! (But-of-Course!)

Along the (Expected) Way, Bond has More-Than-Friendship with the very-fetching Strawberry Fields (Glenna Arterton), but Main Heartthrob, Camille (Olga Kirylenko) spends most of Her Screen Time ALSO avenging (Her Family's Untimely-Demise) so Bond eventually settles for a peck on the cheek..for Multiple Rescues.

Prepare for a NOT so-usual Gimmicky-Weapon-Laden, "Shaken Not Stirred" James Bond here...(This One Bleeds..regularly!) Visually, though, there ARE the Great CARS, BOATS, and BUILDINGS to be seen..& Smashed-Up. (No Disappointment in that Dep't.)

Along the way, Bond discovers a REALLY Bad-Guy, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Almaric)who has a secret agency SO-Efficient it's even got several of M's agents working for it. Greene's out to control Bolivia's water supply..& eventually..the World's.

And..Greene uses Camille for bait...as the action rolls through Italy, to Haiti, to Bolivia. M eventually begins to wonder if Bond is a Double Agent..& by Mid-Movie, his Career gets VERY Sticky. (It's hard to swashbuckle with all your Credit Cards cancelled...) How WILL he Survive?

Opens with a nice Artsy-Buncha Titles, & a New Theme Song by Alicia Keys and Jack White. (You won't see the USUAL Bond Theme "Opener" & Graphics 'till the Credit Roll...) Now THERE's a "Twist!"

Director Marc Foster keeps things happening FAST (& CLOSE!), and writers Paul Haggis & Neil Purvis keep it a Biff-Pow-Cliff-Hanger the Majority of the Running Time.

Rates a "7 1/2-Outta-10"--Lots of Violence, Intrigue, A Wee-Bitta Opera, & More-Than-Sufficient Flying Bullets & Buildings. This Latest Bond reminds me of Alexander Putin..Short, Scary, & ALL-Business. Great Sights, Great Fights...Enjoy!

JMO..Keep-or-Sweepit!
Big Hugs,
Stan

Hi, Stan.

I did catch by chance one of those movie-reviews TV shows that talked about this one. They had four critics on, asking each one which was their favorite Bond movie, Bond actor, Bond girl, Bond villain, &c. The only thing all four agreed on was this was *not* their favorite Bond movie. Each one said their favorite Bond movie was a different one of the old Sean Connery ones. (Two of 'em did say their favorite Bond girl was the one from "Casino Royale," though.) I got the impression this one might make it to cable/satellite TV pretty fast (there is a channel we get that shows Bond movies every weekend).

Joe

G'Mornin' Bro Joe!

Yep, I concur...I think the "Classic" Bond Flicks were those with Sean Connery in 'em. He had the Charm, the Moves, "Q", and the great, Imaginative Weaponry behind him to pull it all off. (Even the Villains came off as More-Ingenious, methinks...)

A poll I barely got a glance at said "Ursula Andress" was the sexiest Bond Gal of all time...tho the 2 in this one weren't exactly UN-sexy..nope, not at All! (Tho the Main Babe has some rather Serious SCARRING on her back..which, try as I would, I never heard a Reason for it..so maybe it's, sadly, real?)

I went to this one seeking a fun, exciting, evening's "Gettaway"..&, as-expected, It Delivered. But as to whether the Latest Bond Flicks can ever top some of the Previous Ones (& there already are..So Many!), that remains to be seen.

Hollywood loves a Re-make...&, just as Kid Listeners probably prefer Michael Bolton's "When a Man Loves a Woman" to Percy Sledge's Original...The Kids'll for-sure Enjoy THIS Bond Flick & maybe-later pick up on its Predecessors.

Thanks for Your Kind Visit & Words, Amigo! (Oh..for me, the Biggest Omission in THIS one is ya don't get to hear "Bond, James Bond"--It was SUCH a Signature Line..but like I mentioned, THIS Bond's All-Business!

Best Wishes & a Big Guy-Hug,
Stan...Just Plain Stan

Stan, I heard the critics comment on that, too. And the missing "classic" Bond Theme Song. I 'spect that means we'll see 'em back in the Next Bond Flick.

War Story as an aside. One of the songs in the original "Shrek" movie my daughter was taken with was "I'm a Believer," which was done by some group called (I think) Smashmouth. She was shocked to find out *I* liked it--and even more shocked when I told her it was a hit when *I* was a teenager, by a group called The Monkees.

Joe

HIDee Again, Bro!

Ya DO get the "Classic" Theme + Tunnel-Vision Intro Bit..BUT it's At The End, & segues into the Credit Roll. (Different..Yes~)

I've yet to READ a Bond Novel..but supposedly Ian Fleming had a very Trigger-Happy Bond in his Books. "Licence to Kill" used to be Bond's Slogan, if ya remember...so I think The Effort was Made to return Bond to his "Roots" in this Baby.

& yep, kids get So Emotional when ya mention Their FAVES were a Part of OUR Childhood/Teenage Years..only had different (& We, of course think BETTER) Artists doin''em. An OMIGAWD Moment!!!

I kinda miss hearin' Smashmouth...their lead singer allus sounded like Vin Diesel singin'-away..on steroids~
That Monkees' Hit...think Neil Diamond penned that Baby...Great Hook/Great Song.

Merci Pour Your Kind Vistite, Amigo!
(Headin' out with "Last Train to Clarksville" roarin' in mah Brain this AM!)
Big Guy-Hug,
Stan