I saw QUANTUM OF SOLACE for the first time in Helsinki, Finland on Monday, October 27th at 2 PM local time (4 PM UK time). I saw it a second time today, Wednesday, October 29th at noon local time in Helsinki, in a second press screening for Finnish journos. Yesterday, I attended a very memorable International Press Junket of QUANTUM OF SOLACE at The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London, with Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko and Marc Forster.
I needed two days – and two screenings of QUANTUM – to fully clear my feverished brain, to fully make up my mind about the film. I liked it very much the first time, and I still feel the same. I’m so relieved that the initial reaction hasn’t diminished at all, on the contrary.
WHAT WORKS REALLY WELL:
Whoa, this is a TALL order indeed. I liked almost everything about the movie. Daniel Craig really OWNS the role of Bond now, for years to come. Although his physical prowess was very much in evidence already in CASINO ROYALE, in QUANTUM OF SOLACE he’s like a juggernaut; absolutely relentless, possessing lightning-fast reflexes and a special forces training with the BRUTALITY that comes with the years of eliminating your opponent. All the aforementioned qualities make Craig’s 007 a more or less invincible opponent in QUANTUM OF SOLACE.
The Action – “DBS and the Alfas” and the “Siena Foot Chase” – are so breathless in their execution, that almost everything that follows feels like an anti-climax. Well, ALMOST. The Boat Mayhem and The DC3 Dogfight weren’t as effective to me, but I shouldn’t complain too much. They’re perfectly fine as they are.
The DBS. ‘Nuff said. For me personally, the most covetable sports car in the world. Although I do prefer the “Casino Ice” color in CASINO ROYALE instead of QUANTUM’s dark grey metallic. Therefore I’m asking you, ladies and gentlemen, why oh WHY do they have to demolish this awesomely beautiful automobile in both Bond films??? Let’s hope for a less… “impactful” drive with the DBS in Bond 23, eh?
The Acting. Fortunately, Forster knows exactly how to extract the very best from his actors. This is really Daniel Craig’s tour de force. He simply couldn’t be any better. Judi Dench does some of her finest acting in this film, with great lines for M which didn’t feel forced to me. I was surprised how much I ultimately liked Mathieu Amalric’s Greene. I mean, he’s a creepy little (read: diminutive) SOB (just wait and watch how cowardly he fights at the end), but oozes menace with those sinister, bulging eyes of his. I was elated to see both Jeffrey Wright (Leiter) and Giancarlo Giannini (Mathis) return. Both of the characters bring a lot to the table, despite the few scenes they have. My heart swells of warm camaraderie for these cool geezers.
The Direction. Marc Forster’s direction may be the finest yet in a Bond movie. The jury’s out, and I bet my patooties that this very issue will be argued and debated upon ENDLESSLY at this forum. (I absolutely loved Martin Campbell’s work in CASINO ROYALE, however. It may well remain the best Bond movie EVER. Yes, it is.) The intercutting and cinematography of Siena/Palio and Bregenz/Tosca are nothing less than breathtaking, elevating QUANTUM OF SOLACE to a fantastic new standard in film-making. Yes, so what if Forster has stolen a little from THE GODFATHER? (If you do steal, steal always from the best, the experts always say.) The ultimate execution of QUANTUM OF SOLACE will also elevate Forster’s own access to even greater scripts ‘n’ specs in the near future.
The Music. Yes, I’m a big, big fan of David Arnold’s. He deserves the kudos, once again. This score differs from CASINO ROYALE, but the atmospheric, ambient and action beats are also reminiscent of CASINO. Hearing “Vesper’s Theme” once again gave me goosebumps. I love how Arnold incorporates various ethnic elements and slivers of the “Bond Theme” into the score. The hairs on my body stood up, when the studio logos came on the screen at the beginning, and you hear that DARK KNIGHT-like cue (“Time To Get Out”) – a low hissing menace gaining momentum – it really suspends your expectations of seeing the first new Bond movie in two years to an almost ecstatic anticipation, before the DBS and Alfas BLAST into action… Pay also attention how Arnold uses considerable Barryesque urgency in the buildup to the Bregenz/Tosca sequence – no wonder I’m playing “Night at the Opera” over and over in my iPod until my ears ring. A cracking score, please keep up the fab work, Mr. Arnold. You’re truly one of THE Keepers of the Bond flame.
The Cinematography/Editing/Production. Simply On The Ball. On The Cojones. Brilliant. Bravo, gentlemen.
The Graphics. I la-la-like the Main Titles quite a bit. All in all, MK12 has done a terrific job, as could be expected. Amazingly enough, I don’t miss Daniel Kleinman as much as I thought I would. Just watch how the typography changes with each location title – simply gorgeous, evocative and brilliant. Also, that “holo table” at MI6 makes me want to call up MK12 to ask, how I can buy one? Puh-lease?
The Ending. Bond and M. And Vesper, in a way. Plus some clever but sparse words. Brilliant in its simplicity. He NEVER left, remember.
WHAT WORKS LESS WELL:
The Song. Well, I’m still not ecstatic about the theme song. However, I readily admit that the song becomes almost palatable, because the Main Titles are so darn good. Not better than CASINO ROYALE, mind you, but different. They use Dan’s Bond, the PPK and austere desert imagery to evocative effect. (Not to mention those s-s-semi-naked ladies!)
Elvis. I think the character of Elvis is a bit too underplayed. A Bond henchman seldom gets a plausible backstory, but here I would’ve been satisfied of a single good line determining his and Dominic Greene’s friendship a little better. Anatole Taubman is absolutely fine, almost cherubic in his performance. But the character somehow feels utterly expendable. (Sorry, Elvis lovers.)
The Women. Both Fields and Camille are OK, but merely OK. Just “merely” shouldn’t cut it, not after Eva Green's Vesper. Don’t even think that these women are up to Vesper’s golden standard. They simply aren’t, but that’s also partly due to the writing. These characters just don’t have properly fleshed out “story arcs” like Vesper’s. (Few ever will have in the Bond series, I fear and suspect.)
The End Climax. Nothing much to fault here, except it plays a bit too much like LICENSE TO KILL in a friggin’ design hotel. It could’ve been WAY more original. But I do fancy the shot of Bond and Camille locked in a tender embrace. It evokes of Bond and Vesper in circumstances, where that kind of a gesture is perfectly understandable. Bond offers protection for Camille, without any thought of sex.
Final Thoughts. Wowzer. This isn’t easy – and I am indeed putting my noggin on the axe block here – but I give the new Bond movie FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS. It’s certainly not perfect, or without its flaws. But what really works, works like gangbusters. QUANTUM OF SOLACE evokes of LICENSE TO KILL and ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE in the best possible ways. I’ll see the movie a third time very soon, at Odeon Leicester Square – my fave cinema in the whole wide world – on Saturday November 1, at 9:30 PM. (If you attend the same screening, look out for a robust bald guy with a goatee. And his elegant blond lady.). All in all, QUANTUM OF SOLACE promises all us hardcore Bond fans a great future with Dan Craig as 007. I’m sure the new movie will grow on more even more. And it’ll make one HECK of a Blu-ray, come March 2009. Bond 23, you can’t come too soon for me…
Edited by QuantumM66, 29 October 2008 - 09:42 PM.
