All I can say is that the new Bond films are pure genius. Daniel Craig is the perfect James Bond, Paul Haggis is a brilliant writer, and Marc Forster (surprisingly) is a fantastic director. Although I will admit sometimes it's far-reaching, it is still a good film.
Bond is back, and with a smoldering vengeance. Quantum is the first direct sequel to a preceding Bond film, and it picks up just an hour after Casino Royale ended. Quantum has everything a good Bond film needs: hot cars, Bond babes, chase scenes, and awesome villains. Plus, it has a little something extra: substance. With Daniel Craig we get to see a side of Bond that we've never seen before. We see the flawed, dark assassin that 007 was trained to be. He's a little bit heartless, he has a few issues, but he doesn't let that get in the way of his work.
Throughout Quantum, Bond is seeking revenge on whoever was responsible for his love Vesper Lynd's death. Eventually, it leads him to a multi-billion organization known only as Quantum. Quantum is led by the villain Dominic Greene, who's basically a warlord of sorts. His plan is simple: starts wars and sit back to reap the benefits. And does this under the guise of a humanitarian corporation.
Mathieu Amalric is absolutely thrilling as Greene. He isn't your conventional Bond villain. He's not bald, he doesn't have a eye that cries blood, and he doesn't plate people in gold. But he is wholly frightening. His performance is that of a man who has power through business, and who poses as the ally when really he is the completely psychotic enemy. His diminutive, wormy character contrasts well against Craig's buff bad-ass Bond. He is joined by a Bolivian general named Medrano who aids him in his ghastly plan, as well as a pretty unique sidekick named Elvis. Yes, you heard right...Elvis.
The Bond girls in Quantum are as different as they come. The first is MI6 agent Strawberry Fields, a no-nonsense redhead sent to retrieve Bond from Haiti. She is a good refreshing take on the Bond girls of this generation: young, fashionable, and funny. Fields has a few comic moments with 007 that (of course) lead to her seduction. The second Bond girl is Camille, a woman that is joined by Bond in his quest to defeat Dominic Greene. She is using Greene to get to General Medrano who killed her family. Typical Bond revenge story. Olga Kurylenko who plays Camille does that tough-girl thing well without getting on your nerves.
Then we come to the man himself: Daniel Craig. Who new that the perfect James Bond would come in a blond, blue-eyed, 5'11" indie actor? We sure didn't. But he is fantastic in this film. And it's not just because he looks great in itsy-bitsy swim trunks (although he does get brownie points for that.) Craig trained for months to do all his stunts on both Casino and Quantum. And he suffered for it. Dislocated shoulder, stitches to the face, broken ribs, sliced-off fingers-- it seems as if there's a price to pay for good acting. But not only does he kick ass physically, he does it with his acting as well. As I've said before, he brings actual substance to the Bond character-- we see his dark side, we see his sentimental side, and we see him severely pissed off. So kudos to you Daniel Craig! Congratulations on being able to hold that balance between sexy and smart.
So, onto the stunts. This is one of those high-paced films that doesn't leave you saying "Now what was that all about?" There is an actual need for the car chases, the boat chases, and the foot chases that place themselves oh so wonderfully throughout this 2-hour adrenaline ride. The pacing is quick, but not in a way that makes you feel bloated with action. There's dialogue and then action, dialogue and plot, then dialogue and action again-- this formula is hard to pin down, but when you get it right, it's a slice of cinematic fried gold.
So there you have it! My take on the new Bond film Quantum of Solace. It's in theatres now, so go and see it people! It's a good date movie, or just a good movie to go see in general. What are you waiting for? Scoot!
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