Quantum of Solace: Review By Saul

Nov 10th, 2008 by Saul
'You don't have to worry about me' After seeing this movie we do, mr. Bond.
  • OVERALL
    3.0
    WORTHY
  • Story
  • Acting
  • Directing
  • Visuals
This newest Bond is highly anticipated, no one needs to tell you that. Great trailers, great Bond, a lot of promotion. Especially after the brilliant Casino Royale this just had to be great. With Daniel Craig is just can't be otherwise, can it?

Well, it is otherwise. It is a letdown. A total letdown. Casino Royale got it all: actors, storyline, location, humor, cool action sequences.

Quantum of Solace has cleary focused on two factors: location and action. And a lot of location and a lot of action it is. From the first seconds to the last minute: it is all action. Nothing wrong with the action, but there is something really wrong with the story.

The first half of the movie you had no idea where Bond was after, why he was killing all the people and the only thing you knew was something about a organization who did bad things. And Bond hates bad things and that's why he goes to all kind of places to eliminate 'baddies' with a stonecold face. He is clearly not enjoying himself en neither is the public.

The action is well done, but the montage is very poor. The acting is done, but doesn't come to is rights due to the extremely weak storyline. The visuals are good, but never amazes because of the fast editing.

Bond fights like a Bourne and the whole 'revenge' thing is actually just some weak excuse to make a movie that almost purely excists out of action. Certainly not something I had expected when I heared Marc Foster (Kite Runner, Finding Neverland) did the directing and had some great plans story-wise.

Second half of the movie does get better...a lot better. Bond slowly gets his mood back, Olga is getting a bigger role, action gets more exciting and the story get a bit more of real body. The most interesting scenes are all in the second part of the movie. Emotional layers, story, real thrilling scenes and good conversations are all in that part. The story finally makes some sense, the revenge thing is finally getting clear and the whole 'Quantum organisation' discovery felt like a distraction of what they did want to tell. Funny how you can wish that they had made the shortest Bond ever even shorter.

Conclusion: dissapointing, but thanks to the second half not a disaster. Daniel Craig is still awesome as Bond, but the montage ruins his coolness. Die Hard 4, Bourne Ultimatum; yes, it's a pity, but they are better.

So when you go to the cinema: set low expectations story-wise, don't watch Casino Royale right before watching this one and look out for some great scenes in the second part of this movie and you'll walk out of the cinema only a little bit dissapointed;)

3/5

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Comments (16)

  1. Saul

    You're right about that. They said that themselves in interviews (the director and others), that they wanted to reinvent the series even more. But for me it more felt like stripping down the formula then enriching it. Why change a winning formula when everyone still likes it?

    4 years agoby @saulFlag

  2. T.Clark

    There was plenty of action in Royale, but I think this movie has changed too many things that Royale tried to accomplish, and I haven't even seen it, yet. It'll be a good movie, but I think it'll go down a different path than what Royale set in place. Royale succeeded in trying to make Bond more character driven, more realistic. QoS, being a direct sequel, should follow that, and I don't think it will.

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  3. MovieBuff

    I like action in my Bond flicks. I thought Casino Royale was great... very character driven with a good plot and storyline.... BUT..... the action was scarce.

    I LIKE ACTION. Give me Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, For Your Eyes Only,... and all those movies with about six or seven great action sequences. Bond is a badass.... why have him talk and talk and talk..... and talk. Shoot some guys down, ski down a mountain slope on one ski, hang on to a helicopter with one arm, go scuba diving with killer sharks,... that's what I want. Bond at his best.

    THANKS TO THIS HELPFUL REVIEW, I CAN NOW ANTICIPATE MY BOND ACTION EVEN MORE!!!! Thanks Saul.

    4 years agoby @moviebuff123Flag

  4. slysnide

    I thought "Moonraker" was good.

    Similar reviews by pros are plaguing the web.

    I'm actually talking about this with AgentVis on myspace right now.

    I'll find out on Saturday Morning if all goes as you say Saul.

    4 years agoby @slysnideFlag

  5. T.Clark

    Right...

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  6. The Dark Knight

    I said it Jokingly Not being totally serious lol

    4 years agoby @thedarkknight23Flag

  7. Phatlightning

    nice review.. but to be honest, action is basically what I want out of this bond.. the last movie was pretty limited in comparison to other bonds... so I'm pretty excited to see some hard core bond. They formed the previews around a "revenge" factor, and with a resume like bonds, all the man knows how to do is inflict pain. You didn't say anything about the car chase but I'm looking forward to that a whole lot, also I hope to see a few more "bond-gadgets" that are so notorious to the previous bond films and not really Casino Royale.

    good review, I just think from what you wrote I will be very satisfied with this bond.

    4 years agoby @sxers2k1Flag

  8. Saul

    Reaction@Agent VIS

    Thanks for the comment!;) Yeah, I've seen the movie in the Netherlands. The release date is 6 november there and I went to the movie two days ago with a friend. I review a lot of movies, I also reviewed Casino Royale at the time (all in Dutch, English is a bit more difficult to write) and I loved in. I went into the cinema's after reading reviews that said it was a 'dissapointment, but still great. And that the story wasn't really good, but acceptable'. I really set my expectations kinda low, and still was dissapointed in the movie. The director only had five weeks to edit and that shows. The story in the first half is just absent or as I wrote, just some excuse for action, action and action. The movie had some great scenes, fights and idea's, but that actually made it more painfull: it could have been so much more. So much more cooler if you really felt the pain of Bond.
    And you're right, I'm no Bond hater;) Not at all.

    I did reviewd it with the intention to warn people. Extremely hyped people will always see their wishes come true, but the normal cinema goer that likes Bond and is excited about this movie must set his expectations low so the movie comes out better afterwards. Hmm...that's where my English falls short in explanation, but the thing you said about anticipating is what I meant;)

    I still have mixed feelings, cause I like Bond very much and I liked some last scenes (although the showdown was also a bit of a letdown) and Olga of course. So it's hard to judge the movie just as a movie. But as a movie and compared to other similair movies, I just can't do otherwise than rate this a 3/5. I'm sure many of you will get a 3.5/4 out of it, but 4/5 is too high for me.
    And again; thanks for the comment.

    4 years agoby @saulFlag

  9. 007: James Bond

    I cliked Helpful.

    4 years agoby @00722jamesbondFlag

  10. The CryptKeeper

    hey, the helpful worked... unless someone else clicked it.

    4 years agoby @catwomanFlag

  11. The CryptKeeper

    I agree, Vis. I clicked Helpful, but it doesn't work for me for some reason. I just can't figure how a Bond film can go wrong.... though there was Moonraker...

    4 years agoby @catwomanFlag

  12. T.Clark

    Wow, look at all the half-assed comments on this review...I almost thought I was at a retard convention

    Saul, I take it you've seen an early screening of the movie, yes? This is a very detailed review for you to say otherwise...or maybe you live in the UK. Either way, by the sounds of it, you've seen the movie. I hope you didn't make all this up or else I'll regret this comment.

    Now, have any of you seen the movie? Didn't think so. For you people to give this review 2, count 'em 2, thumbs down, is bull. I HAVE read other reviews of reliable sources that say the film is not as character driven and more set on action than Royale.

    And he's not a Bond hater. idk if you were joking with that comment or if you were serious, but I don't care, I'm gonna say this anyways cuz SOMEONE must think so if you gave the review 2 "not helpfuls." That's just someone not facing the facts, cuz this IS a helpful review about HIS opinion. If it was one paragraph, I'd think dif. but it's long. Now, back to the other point: he clearly states he loves craig as bond and loved Royale. He's not a hater, he just thinks this wasn't as good as Royale, and so do other pro critics

    Based on reviews, I'm going into the theater with it in mind this won't be all about story and it prob. won't be as good as Royale. I'll also go in anticipating it. I'm going to click "helpful" but the site has so many glitches, it prob. won't compute.

    Good review...if it's not bull sh*t

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  13. The Dark Knight

    Get smart was OK 3 1/3 stars I think Its cause I expected more but its a comedy thats what you get

    4 years agoby @thedarkknight23Flag

  14. The Dark Knight

    OMG such a hater!

    4 years agoby @thedarkknight23Flag

  15. Josebond007

    I dunno but I read that this was a great movie!! Not as good as Casino Royale I agree but I think what made Casino Royale so special was that there was a long time with no Bond films since 2000 or 2001, plus a new Bond? I think that's why it was so huge!!! But I thin this film is going to be good.

    I haven't seen it yet but what I had read I read that it is good. I hope to write a review and please let me know what you think!

    4 years agoby @josebond007Flag

  16. The CryptKeeper

    really?

    4 years agoby @catwomanFlag