Quantum of Solace
posted November 5, 2008 8:33 AM
Daniel Craig seduces for the second time in Solace
With Daniel Craig now firmly establishing ownership of 007 on his second outing, the franchise looks safe in his hands for further global domination at the box office. Tightly scripted, it delivers handsomely on spectacular set pieces in exotic locales from the Italian Alps to arid planes of Chile.
The breathless antics may be more Jason Bourne than James Bond but that doesn’t prevent 007’s latest excursion from exerting a fierce grip that never really lets go of your senses from the traditional opening car chase—this time in the Italian Alps—to the closing scenes across the arid plains of Bolivia.
There is no time to reflect on the implausible aspects of the plot or to lament the lack of time for proper romancing or relationships between Bond and his female cohorts; apart, that is, from Judi Dench’s steely matriarchal M who worries her normally trustworthy protégé may have gone “wild.” Once one challenging burst of physicality is over then it is on to the next one at breakneck speed for Craig, whose muscular physique is only on show romantically in one discreet scene of dalliance.
Although this may be Bond as action hero, Craig has enough presence with his firm jaw and blue eyes to infer a brain at work, as well as brawn, as he countermands orders from MI5 for the global good.
It is worth recalling that this is Bond number 22, making it the longest running film franchise in movie history. Director Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball) does a decent job of continuing to give Ian Fleming’s creation a breath of new life—and its streamlined running time of a crisp 106 minutes (much shorter than Casino Royale's 147 minutes) should please theatres trying to cram in as many shows as feasible.
Forster is strong on the set pieces: memorably, one takes place during a performance of the opera Tosca in the Bregenz Opera House while another has Bond bailing out of crashing plane without a parachute. Even before the roller coaster is properly under way there’s a fantastically energetic sequence against the backdrop of the famous horse race in Siena.
Writers Haggis, Purvis and Wade have no compunction about displaying their hero’s sheer callousness of intent as he dispatches agents both friendly and evil, although for some tastes the narrative line may be lacking in substance.
Against Bond’s all-pervading dominance it is difficult for the rest of the cast to make their marks yet. French actor Mathieu Amalric emerges strongly as a corrupt tycoon trying to overthrow the Bolivian government behind a smokescreen of green credentials. Olga Kurylenko, too, is in there with more than a shout as the feisty local trying to avenge the deaths of her family, while the excellent Italian veteran Giancarlo Giannini returns briefly as Mathis, a close confidant of Bond. As a more typical Bond girl, Gemma Arterton dispenses a disarming brand of cool chic.
Craig doesn’t have all that many opportunities to turn on the fatal charm but when he does there are willingly compliant victims, such as the airline check-in girl who does just as she is told. With Daniel Craig making the running, who wouldn’t?
Distributor: Columbia Pictures / Sony
Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Almaric, Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini, Gemma Arterton and Jeffrey Wright
Director: Marc Forster
Screenwriters: Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade
Producers: Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson
Genre: Action/Adventure
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content
Running time: 106 min.
Release date: November 14, 2008
23 Comments
Leave a comment
Anonymous said:
I Love this movie its truly brilliant
November 8, 2008 12:29 PM
jejakasby said:
I have to see this movie.
I love Daniel Craig
http://jejakasbykisah.blogspot.com/
November 8, 2008 2:08 PM
lucky rahadian said:
i like this movie..
very-very good...
congratulations to daniel craig...
i'm wait next movie 007...
JAMES BOND
November 9, 2008 1:17 AM
paul nkwocha said:
i love the movie'its cool?u guys did a good job
November 9, 2008 1:52 AM
sandy said:
Daniel craig is real bond .great work...james bond.
November 13, 2008 2:04 AM
don said:
I thought it was rubbish! Like watching a preview of the video game (which was heavily plugged in the pre film advertisements)you could almost predict the game levels as each chase or fight took place. Clearly this is where the money now lies.
November 14, 2008 5:58 AM
Jonathan said:
I'm actually looking foward to this movie I have never been a big bond fan nor have I gone to the movies to see a bond movie but this one looks interesting. Great review.
November 14, 2008 12:16 PM
rachel said:
love
November 14, 2008 6:56 PM
Krishan said:
Daniel Criag did a excellent job.
November 16, 2008 6:14 PM
Have you people ever seen any of the original Bond films? said:
This was a fun flick, but it is sad that they want to replace the Bond style with Jason Borne fights and filming. Why don't they make a new agent...why change the formula that has made Bond the longest running movie dynasty of all time? (See Roger Eberts great review, I almost enjoyed it more than the movie). The style is almost missing, and this bond is often more lucky than good. I want a smart, superior, super-spy (and President for that matter). Not a guy who wins by an inch, but who has already won by a mile before the contest even starts. It's all about the style by which he choses to win! The origianl Bond was so good he prided himself on always letting the villians know he is going to win and rubbing it in their faces throughout the whole movie. We already know he is going to win, he will never die, and he gets the girl (all of them). For cring out loud, let him do his work with some style next time...please give us some fantasy with Bond and less brutal, boring reality.
November 16, 2008 10:26 PM
Have you people ever seen any of the original Bond films? said:
This was a fun flick, but it is sad that they want to replace the Bond style with Jason Borne fights and filming. Why don't they make a new agent...why change the formula that has made Bond the longest running movie dynasty of all time? (See Roger Eberts great review, I almost enjoyed it more than the movie). The style is almost missing, and this bond is often more lucky than good. I want a smart, superior, super-spy (and President for that matter). Not a guy who wins by an inch, but who has already won by a mile before the contest even starts. It's all about the style by which he choses to win! The origianl Bond was so good he prided himself on always letting the villians know he is going to win and rubbing it in their faces throughout the whole movie. We already know he is going to win, he will never die, and he gets the girl (all of them). For cring out loud, let him do his work with some style next time...please give us some fantasy with Bond and less brutal, boring reality.
November 16, 2008 10:31 PM
ryan said:
going to see the movie in 30 minutes, await my review from an English guy, although Bond I am not, yet!
November 21, 2008 4:50 PM
mina mousa said:
that's anice film
November 23, 2008 3:55 AM
yugi adhari nugraha said:
jemes bono is vary-vary guuuuuddd...
ow ora ngerti,, karo film iki..,,,
daniel'y hansom-hansom abis,, gtu loh....
wadon'y ayu kabeh,,,...
ana nu neked ora...????
November 24, 2008 6:38 AM
ajcinq said:
awesome movie
November 24, 2008 2:40 PM
farli_salim said:
tai jamesbond
November 30, 2008 2:02 AM
Éric said:
Wrost jame bond movie ever
December 2, 2008 1:48 PM
Anonymous said:
Nice film, won't win any Academy Awards but it's a solid Bond film in my book. Craig is excellent, but it's the supporting performance by Judi Dench that really won me over. She's the best thing to happen to the Bond franchise yet.
December 19, 2008 2:58 AM
David said:
You call this a Bond movie?
where are the gadgets and the slick one-liners? Where's the naughtiness that Sean,Roger and Pierce potrayed?
DC is a good actor...but he's a good choice for Rambo or Kickboxing...certainly not Bond
December 26, 2008 8:37 AM
slim shaddy said:
too violent for james bond class
December 29, 2008 3:16 AM
James Hartley said:
Daniel Craig is too serious for my liking, he should loosing up as in towards the ladies. But the movie was off the hook......
January 3, 2009 8:01 AM
firon said:
siip tenan tpi kakean gelod
January 15, 2009 12:51 PM
fintan :) said:
lucu mister
February 17, 2009 6:34 AM