Quantum of Solace

Ah, James. How does a former super-spy designed to fight Cold War villainy keep modern audiences entertained and captivated? First you revamp the entire genre starting with a comparison to what audiences respond most: intelligent action propelled by character-driven story lines. Simple enough, right? Not so much.



Quantum of Solace picks-up where the last James Bond left us in Casino Royal. The series was revamped with a new, more intense James, Daniel Craig, and inspired by a need to tell the origins of how one becomes a secret agent with a license to kill. The action sequences become more elaborate and sophisticatedly real. The series became more dark, more real, and somehow promised to compete with every action series out there.



Easy enough. Not so. While Casino Royal promised a new direction, the ability to keep up with its commitment has once again stranded the super spy in action hero limbo.



For all intents and purposes, Quantum delivers on the action. A little too much. From the very start the action sequences are long and intense. And I mean needing a defibrillator and a cigarette intense. Much appreciation goes out to the cast and crew for delivering so much to a genre that once needed invisible cars to get us from point A to point B.



But for all the action, the story dwindles. Our Bond is tough, smart and savvy, but the transition from action sequence to action sequence, disguised as a story, or hell, even a plot, is lost. It's almost as if our dear James is so worried to keep up with the Jason Bournes, the Transporters, the superheros, that he's lost touch with what people really love about him: he's a spy. He has to investigate and gather clues to get to those bad guys. Believe me, people like to feel a part of the story by understanding how you arrived to the bad guys. In this Bond, he seems to know where they are at all times and just goes in for the kill. And boy does he rack up the body count.



For what it's worth, an action movie, Quantum delivers above and beyond. As for a spy drama, let's hope the next one is a little more in-tune. Kudos to Daniel Craig for bringing Bond to a whole new level of badass and for Marc Forster for bringing beautifully shot landscapes and technically marvelous action sequences to the sliver screen. But as far as delivering on what began a couple of years ago, that shot heard around the world has long since been muffled. ***C***