Quantum of Solace: Review By Rama's SCREEN

Nov 9th, 2008 by Rama's SCREEN
You Don't Have To Worry About Me!
  • OVERALL
    4.0
    GREAT
  • Story
  • Acting
  • Directing
  • Visuals
QUANTUM OF SOLACE is the first Bond sequel movie ever and even though it may not be in the same character-driven level as Casino Royale, in a way it serves as a rite of passage, a transition that would eventually lead us to the usual… typical James Bond that we’re familiar with. The quick lavish action sequences that come and go at least every other 10 minutes are not as heart-pounding as I expected them to be but they’re entertaining nonetheless. And unlike its predecessor, QUANTUM OF SOLACE wastes no time in playing mind games.. it’s more about ’shoot to thrill’.

You can tell that they’re really prepping this character to become the Bond that we grew up with. Whether it’s the womanizing part, or that he depends heavily on technology, or the fact that he can kill heartlessly anyone who gets in the way of his mission. He even cares less about respecting a dead colleague.

It always fascinates me how he manages to escape or chase after somebody through a neighborhood which he’s never been to before but he does it like he’s known the route and the obstacles all his life. The Bond portrayed in QUANTUM OF SOLACE isn’t so vulnerable anymore, you’re starting to get the feel of his invincibility.

I think Director Marc Forster has done a decent job of bringing Bond back to the fans. Forster is known for his arthouse films but QUANTUM OF SOLACE is anything but dramatic, it has no romance anymore and it’s in a much faster pace than Casino Royale, the runtime goes to prove that.

But the movie does have its flaws, in my opinion. The opening act seems to wanna try to copy that same excitement we felt when we were left in awe by the amazing stuntwork in Casino Royale’s opening chase scene which involved playing with heights. This, however, is a bit on the mild side. It’s still not easy to pull but I wouldn’t call it much of an adrenaline rush.

I’m not really sure if I enjoy the filmmaker’s way of presenting some of the action sequences but maybe that’s Forster’s artsy habit kicking in. You’d see an action scene but at the same time the flashes of clips would often go back and forth from that to an event that’s going on at the same time whether it’s an opera or a town ceremony/celebration.

I salute Daniel Craig for compensating what he lacks in his looks with the outstanding ability to meet the physical challenges at hand. You can see in the expression of his face that here’s a man who just wants get to the bottom of this but circ*mstances would force him to become someone he never thought he’d be but in the end he’s able to control his.. urges to exercise his license to kill, if you will.

There are some things worth noticing, pretty impressive if you think about ‘em. Apparently MI-6 computer power is extraordinarily advanced beyond our time, it’s like watching the movie Minority Report.

James Bond is back and once again he fights on land, water, and in the air. Actor Mathieu Amalric is menacing as the first Bond villain who doesn’t have weird, freakish characteristics,.. he’s got some crazy one-liners.

And last but not least..there’s an interesting tribute to 1964 Sean Connery’s Bond classic GOLDFINGER.

Do you like this review?

Comments (22)

  1. 007: James Bond

    This is a Good Review

    4 years agoby @00722jamesbondFlag

  2. GK

    not me.

    4 years agoby @indianajonesFlag

  3. The Cryptkeeper

    Who is the asswipe that clicked "not helpful"?

    4 years agoby @americanpsychoFlag

  4. slysnide

    "The Dark Knight" dvd will be released 1 day earlier in the UK. Yet it wasn't released theatrically until 1 week after it came out in the U.S. & 8 days after it came out in Australia. (random data to compare U.S. with U.K.) lol!

    4 years agoby @slysnideFlag

  5. GK

    ?

    4 years agoby @indianajonesFlag

  6. Rama's SCREEN

    Congratulations to A-J

    and yes it was out earlier in the UK

    Europeans get lucky some time, I remember they got to see Iron Man earlier than we did this year.

    4 years agoby @ramasscreen-comFlag

  7. slysnide

    So it was out earlier in the UK?

    4 years agoby @slysnideFlag

  8. GK

    ok.just wanted to tell you.oh if you did not know A-J
    wrote it first.forgot to say good review.

    4 years agoby @indianajonesFlag

  9. Rama's SCREEN

    I know I'm not the first to write the review of QUANTUM OF SOLACE

    And I'm okay with not being the first.

    Just as long as I can share my opinions on the movie with you guys, that's all that counts.

    And I hope you guys get to see the movie soon enough, it was really that good.

    First, last, middle, who gives crud if you think about it.

    Just like how Obama is the first Black US President
    That's cool and all
    but what matters is how he does his job as the leader of the free world.

    Rama's SCREEN
    www.ramasscreen.com

    4 years agoby @ramasscreen-comFlag

  10. RavenX5 God of Light

    great review,your lucky.......NOT THIS TIME T_T

    4 years agoby @hackx9Flag

  11. GK

    You know you are not the first 1 to write the 007 review.

    4 years agoby @indianajonesFlag

  12. Phatlightning

    you son of a bitch, you would get to see this early.. lol. Nice review.. i'll be seeing this opening night, like the rest of us 'nobodys', haha

    4 years agoby @sxers2k1Flag

  13. Rama's SCREEN

    Nope... just advance screening.

    I wish I lived in the UK though..
    I've been there before years ago, what an awesome country,

    My favorite rock band is OASIS and my favorite soccer team is ARSENAL.

    Rama's SCREEN
    www.ramasscreen.com

    4 years agoby @ramasscreen-comFlag

  14. Moviemaster75

    do u live in the UK?

    4 years agoby @moviemaster75Flag

  15. Rama's SCREEN

    Good point, Slysnide.
    Thanks for the reminder

    Most of the freaky weird characteristics in previous Bond movies were indeed mostly traits owned by the henchmen.. not necessarily the main villain.

    Rama's SCREEN
    www.ramasscreen.com

    4 years agoby @ramasscreen-comFlag

  16. slysnide

    Daniel Craig certainly does NOT have the look of Bond, but at least he can pull it off. I suspected that this installment as being the first sequel would delve more into the transition of 007 becoming the Bond we grew up with. And you seem to confirm that.

    Usually it's the henchman who have the freakish or interesting characteristics like Oddjob, Jaws, Baron Samedi, Nick Nack, Rosa Klebb, Mayday, Zao, Xenia Onatopp, Mr. Stamper, Renard, etc. I can only think of Dr. No's gloves, LeChiffre's bleeding eye, Emilio Largo's eyepatch, and Trevelyan's scars when it comes to lead villain freaky traits. Okay, well that's a bit of a list too, but you get the picture. I like that though. Keepin' it real this time around.

    4 years agoby @slysnideFlag

  17. Rama's SCREEN

    Connery is the best Bond, no doubt.

    you're right about that one

    4 years agoby @ramasscreen-comFlag

  18. The Lost Girl

    Don't get me wrong - I love Brosnan, just prefer Connery. lol

    4 years agoby @trinity7694Flag

  19. The Lost Girl

    Rama - I had guessed that you would be the first to get a review up for this, since you are fortunate enough to get to see films before they are released to us less fortunate ones. lol Anyway, as always, great review. Only 4 stars tho? I've been a Bond fan a long time and it's good to hear they are moving the character back to his original personality, pre-Brosnan.

    4 years agoby @trinity7694Flag

  20. MovieNerd

    You are so lucky you already got to see this. But anyway good review.

    4 years agoby @nickoFlag

  21. The CryptKeeper

    I'm jealous. lol

    good review.

    4 years agoby @catwomanFlag

  22. JR

    good review, i look forward to this!

    4 years agoby @supbitchFlag