My 007 Cents on Quantum of Solace ...

Let me start by saying that as a woman whose affinities lie solely with soppy romantic movies that have left too many tissue boxes empty over the years, I have a very exclusive spot for James Bond in my heart. No one can make my pulse race and my temperature rise the way those three magical numbers…007 can!
When Daniel Craig first appeared as the possible new James Bond, people naturally questioned his ability. Afterall, change is hard and Craig did have some giant… or should I say fabulous shoes to fill. Would he or would he not live up to the expectations of the millions of Bond fans worldwide?
Then Casino Royale happened and Craig was an instant hit with many. We loved this new intense yet charming Bond.

Alas for many, the gadgets got fewer, understandably so since this movie went back to the beginning when ‘Q’ had not been introduced yet and the physical action got more but finally, here was a Bond who could be suave and yet get down and dirty to kick some ass!

Craig shone as the new face of 007. Its two years later and it is time again….
When I saw the first posters of Quantum of Solace, I had some serious butterflies in my tummy. Along with the rest of the world, I waited with bated breath for this visual treat to hit the big screen.

It promised to be bigger, better and spectacular!

So when the big day came, a friend and I literally charged to the nearest cinema hall to get tickets. Nervous yet excited, we held on to our seats and watched…
I know what you’re wondering….

Was it worth all the madness?

Well…yes and no.

The story starts off where Casino Royale ended. It is hours later and a fast action packed car chase later, a rather heartbroken Bond (Daniel Craig) successfully captures Mr. White ( Jesper Christensen). An interrogation by ‘M’ (Judi Dench) and Bond causes Mr. White to reveal that the organization that was behind the blackmail of Vesper is far more widespread and complex than they could ever imagine. Forensic intelligence leads Bond to an MI6 traitor in Haiti where he mistakenly gets introduced to gorgeous** Camille (Olga Kurylenko) who in turn leads Bond to **Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a major force within the mysterious criminal organization known only as “Quantum”.

I know what you’re wondering….Was it worth all the madness? Well…yes and no. The story starts off where Casino Royale ended. It is hours later and a fast action packed car chase later, a rather heartbroken Bond (Daniel Craig) successfully captures Mr. White ( Jesper Christensen). An interrogation by ‘M’ (Judi Dench) and Bond causes Mr. White to reveal that the organization that was behind the blackmail of Vesper is far more widespread and complex than they could ever imagine. Forensic intelligence leads Bond to an MI6 traitor in Haiti where he mistakenly gets introduced to gorgeous** Camille (Olga Kurylenko) who in turn leads Bond to **Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a major force within the mysterious criminal organization known only as “Quantum”.
As Bond’s mission leads him through Austria, Italy and South America he discovers that Greene who is conspiring to take control of one of the world’s most important natural resources is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano( Joaquin Cosio), promising to give him control of Bolivia in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land. Driven by the raw desire to take revenge for the sake of Vesper, Bond carries on, hand in hand with Camille in an effort to unravel Greene’s evil plans and stop Quantum in its tracks.
As for Daniel Craig(read the actor's interview to Longislandpress and Reelzchannel), I must say that he played his character beautifully although I’m not sure I like this rather boring Bond who is constantly sulking **and walking around, **enraged, killing everyone. Sure, he aches for his lost love and seeks revenge and it was nice to see his vulnerable side, but I would have liked to see his character grow…

Watch an interview of charming Craig with Carrie Keagan here.
Ukranian born actress, Olga Kurylenko (Here's what she had to say about being the newest Bond girl. Also watch her interesting video interview here) and English actress, Gemma Arterton fit the bill for quintessential Bond girls****. Both are gorgeous and ooze sex appeal by the truckloads. The only problem I saw was the lack of chemistry between Olga and Craig. And while my hopes rose for just a bit when Craig and Gemma hooked up, it was just as quickly shattered when she was brutally murdered.
We see more of Judi Dench (video interviewon the relationship between Bond and M) in this movie which is always a positive. I loved that even though Bond infuriates her through most of the movie, she finally seemed to trust him toward the end. Mathieu Amalric did a wonderful job of being the queasy, creepy villain. I just wish his character was more vicious. He was almost too easy to defeat.
Marc Forster, director of brilliant movies like Finding Neverland and Monster’s Ball fell short for me in this one. Read what he had to say about the journey to creating his first Bond movie to Firstshowingand Cinemablend. Also watch an exclusive video interview.

While some scenes in the movie were spectacular, specially the Tosca opera scene and the climax, others leave you equally baffled like the car scene in the beginning which is filmed too fast and too close to really tell what’s happening until it’s over. Infact, a lot of the movie felt that way. There was too much happening and the story line was confusing to say the least. Blink once and you would have travelled the world with no knowledge of how and why. The movie had its moments but I wish the audience had been given enough time to savour them.
All in all, it was a good effort **by Marc Forster but nowhere close to what I would have liked to see. **Few gadgets and no play make Bond a dull boy. Watch it for some exquisite locales, stunning effects and Craig (sans the blue bathing suit this time…Sigh!)

So there you have it, MY two cents on the Quantum of Solace. Sure, some of my opinions may have been a little harsh but what I really want to know is what YOU thought of the movie. Who is your favorite character? Who did justice to their role and who failed to impress. Is Daniel Craig the best Bond yet or do you have another favorite? Do you think they should continue with the Quantum storyline for the next movie or develop a brand new storyline? All this and anything else that you'd like to add...please do!

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