An official sequel to 2006’s Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace finds 007 (once again played by Daniel Craig) hot on the trail of the organization which blackmailed and was responsible for the death of the love of his life, Vesper Lind (Eva Green). After interrogating a man known only as Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), Bond and M (Judi Dench) soon realize that this organization is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined, operating unbeknownst to MI6 and the CIA and one that, according to White, has people “everywhere.”
When one of those “people” turns out to be a trusted member of MI6, Bond’s investigation and quest for revenge goes global where he crosses paths with a woman named Camille (Olga Kurylenko), on a revenge mission of her own, and an environmentalist named Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric). Another member of the secret organization that killed Vesper, Bond uncovers that Greene is conspiring to take total control of a major natural resource in Bolivia while forging a deal with an exiled General (Joaquin Cosio) to overthrow that country’s government.
Royale worked as well as it did because it had a great cast, a solid screenplay and a director (Martin Campbell) that understood that it was character and story development that drove the movie, not just stunts or pyrotechnics. Royale brought the spy series back from the franchise dead (thank you, Die Another Day) and in the process set it apart from other Bond flicks, promising to take the series in a new, exciting direction.
While Campbell’s film gave fans hope that the franchise had found new life, it was also pretty obvious that the bar had been raised, perhaps a bit too high, for the next film to live up to. After all, having Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel as its source material gave Royale a major advantage, one its follow up would not have. And as we all know that when it comes to any sequel, one’s expectations should always be kept in check. With the follow up to Royale, however, it was understandable if one kept their hopes high since the producers, screenwriters and several cast members that helped shaped Royale into a winner would be back.
Unfortunately, Royale’s director would not. There are many filmmakers working in film today that might have been able to make the screenplay work (after several more revisions). Marc Forster, he of Finding Neverland and Monster’s Ball fame, is not one of them. To his credit, the Swiss filmmaker does find the emotional strength in the film’s quieter scenes and does a fine job directing his cast. Craig excels once again as Bond, nicely conveying the agent’s loss and quest for revenge. He is backed by solid support from Almaric, Kurylenko and returning Royale cast members Dench, Jeffrey Wright (as Felix Leiter) and Giancarlo Giannini (as Mathis).
But when it comes to the action elements of the production, Forster is creatively in way over his head. While they work a little better on the small screen, the action in Quantum remains the most disappointing aspect of the film, reminiscent more of a Jason Bourne film than it is a Bond epic. Action in a James Bond film is usually well-choreographed, exhilarating and most importantly, fun. The action in Quantum isn’t thrilling nor is it fun; it’s borderline grim and thanks to shaky camerawork and hyper-active editing, headache-inducing.
Quantum of Solace is a passable, if minor, entry in the Bond cannon that works best when it’s quiet. Unfortunately, that isn’t often during its relatively short 106-minute runtime. The film feels more like the third act for another motion picture than it does a movie with three acts of its own (Seeing Royale beforehand isn’t recommended. It’s required). The next time our favorite British agent returns (as the credits promise he will), hopefully we’ll see more Bond, James Bond and less Bourne, Jason Bourne.
While the film was decidedly middle-of-the-road, its Blu-ray presentation is not. The Blu-ray of Quantum of Solace is one beautiful-looking and sounding disc. The 1080p/AVC/MPEG-4 encode offers rock solid black and contrast levels, the varying color scheme and flesh tones that are presented just right, while picture detail is razor-sharp. Film grain is present throughout, but is never overwhelming. If there is any video noise, DNR, artifacts or edge enhancement to be had, I didn’t notice it. In fact, the only complaint I would have about the picture is that one or two nighttime scenes display the slightest bit of black crush.
The 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio is also first rate. Bond films, at the least the ones from Goldeneye on, have always been a sonic blast (sometimes a little too much so). Solace, with its non-stop bullets, explosions and car chases, is no exception. With an LFE track to back it up, the film’s sound design spreads nicely across all channels in both the front and back. Despite all of the sound effects and music pouring out around it, the center-channel dialogue comes across as clear as a bell. 5.1 Dolby Digital tracks in French, Spanish and Portuguese are also included.
When Casino Royale hit Blu-ray two years ago, it arrived with a supplemental section that was lacking to say the least. Solace proves to be more of the same. The bonuses are minimal, worth only watching once and are of the ‘puff-piece’ variety, which all but guarantees that there will be another edition in the near future. The extras, all presented in 1080 high-definition (AVC encoded), are as follows.
Bond on Location (24:45) – A somewhat decent behind-the-scenes promotional feature that takes a look at location shooting and features interviews with cast and crew.
Start of Shooting (2:54) – A brief look at the first days of the film’s production.
On Location (3:14) – Another brief glimpse at the production, this one covering filming on location. A majority of the material here can be found in the “Bond on Location” feature .
Olga Kurylenko and the Boat Chase (2:14) – The actress’ first day on the set, which happened to be the day the big boat chase was being shot.
Director Marc Forster (2:45) – The cast waxes poetic on working with the Swiss-German filmmaker.
The Music (2:36) – Composer David Arnold and musicians Jack White and Alicia Keys discuss the film’s opening title theme and music score.
Another Way to Die Music Video (4:30) – The title says it all, and the video is as bland as the song itself. At the very least, couldn’t they have included a few clips from the movie?
Crew Files (45:30) – A collection of 32 short interviews with various production crew members that were created for the film’s website in the six months leading up to the film’s theatrical release. While it is interesting to hear from crew members you normally don’t see interviewed, like the Set Nurse, these snippets aren’t long enough to really make too much of an impression.
Trailers – The film’s teaser (1:51) and theatrical (2:23) trailers are included, both in very nice looking 1080p HD and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Trailers for Valkyrie, Australia and the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still are also included and are in 1080p HD and 5.1 surround.
Gritty, mean and perhaps a bit too lean in the script department, Quantum of Solace is the working definition of a mixed bag. It never drags and is entertaining enough to warrant a recommendation. Still, one can’t help but lament what could have been had a little more care had been applied to the story, and if the producers hired a director who could handle action as well as he does actors. The Fox/MGM Blu-ray disc is also a decidedly mixed bag. While it looks and sounds terrific, the bonus materials are rather lacking. For those who liked the film but could care less about extras, go forth and purchase. For those who want a comprehensive look at the production included with the movie, I recommend a rental. James Bond will return to cinemas soon, and he’ll drop off a more comprehensive Blu-ray edition of Quantum of Solace while he’s at it.
-Shawn Fitzgerald
