Quantum of Solace (2008, Marc Forster)
Quantum of Solace, the 22nd James Bond film, is the first verifiable sequel entry into the Bond canon, hot off the heels of the hugely successful, highly refreshing dose that was Martin Campbell’s Casino Royale. Campbell introduced us to a less-polished, edgier, more psychologically complex Bond, and taking the reins for the second ride is Marc Forster, helmer of Oscar darlings Monsters Ball and Finding Neverland.
Catching the hayride for a sequel is never an easy task, yet in considering that Casino Royale is held by many to be Bond’s best outing, Forster’s challenge is daunting at best. Quantum of Solace is a curiosity in many respects, not only for its 106-minute running time (making it the shortest Bond film), but for its adherence to many of the maligned and tired tropes of previous Bond films, although still managing to deliver enough thrills to entertain. Simply, Quantum of Solace is a disappointing follow-up to Casino Royale, but this is hardly surprising, or terribly detrimental.
From the opening minute, Solace is action-packed and frenetically paced, taking little time for a breather in its first half. From a car chase, to a run-and-gun pursuit, to a speedboat chase (among many more), Bond (Daniel Craig) causes bedlam in over half a dozen countries in well under two hours, yet the whole affair can’t help but feel rather empty. Well-staged as the numerous chases are, Forster feels a tad lost in the shuffle, doubtless better suited to painstaking and contemplative dramatic pieces. There are numerous instances where Forster fails to focus fully on the action as he should, causing disorientation tantamount to the (comparatively unwarranted) criticism leveled against Paul Greengrass in the latter two Bourne films.
Bond’s downtime is as minimal as possible in Solace, causing him to appear as little more than a blue-eyed Superman at times, particularly as Forster rarely lingers on any infliction of injury (contrary to Campbell’s attempts previously). Bond is dealt (and deals) far more punishment in Solace than in Royale, yet Forster never resolutely capitulates this reality, instead content to push the picture along at a daunting pace, in which Bond is considerably harder to identify with than he was in Royale.
This is not to say that Solace is a poor film, because as an action film, it works far more than it does not. Aforementioned complaints considered, Marc Forster has an eye for the picturesque and the vibrant, and even in the action scenes, there are shots of commendable ingenuity (namely as Bond and an assailant are sent crashing through a glass roof). Furthermore, Solace relies largely on organic action and stunt work, making sparing use of CGI. Thus, as a sequence of glorious set pieces, Quantum of Solace is certainly an austere action picture, although marred by a disinteresting accompanying narrative.
Bond’s quest to avenge the death of lover Vesper Lynd takes a back seat to a middling and rudimentary villain, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), who seeks to stage a coup in Bolivia for his own mysterious means. One must commend Marc Forster for opting not to adorn Greene with any grotesqueries (a crime that even Royale is guilty of), yet Amalric’s character is neither menacing nor particularly intriguing in any way. We realise his interests soon into the film, and beyond that, there is little complex or remotely unique about him, all the more the shame for Amalric, who performed so well in last year’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and deserves better.
It seems to be recurrent throughout Solace that the cast give their best efforts, yet their characters are either undeveloped or simply left to percolate without anything to galvanise them into action. The Bond girls, Gemma Arterton and Olga Kurylenko, cement this perfectly – Kurylenko’s character parallels Bond in the most routine of means, in also looking to avenge a loved one, and it’s difficult to see what purpose Arterton’s “Fields” character serves at all.
As hard as the supporting cast try, kudos must be meted out in greatest measure to Daniel Craig, who remains the most pronounced constant carrying over from Royale. Craig’s steely screen presence and snappy delivery mitigate the thug-like brutality of Bond, making his cause, in spite of all of its disproportionate destruction, something one can root for.
At its conclusion, Solace feels like the difficult middle entry into a trilogy – it is eager to prove its worthiness as a sequel, yet remains compelled not to give enough away for the sake of what is to follow. Solace, at times, does not feel like a Bond film, but more a robust Summer action picture – it is Craig who gives the film much-needed gravitas, and Forster’s coverage, whilst occasionally hampered, is mostly solid and commendable for a director so seemingly out of his depth. Although expectedly failing to meet the highs of Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace is higher-minded than most action pictures, features stellar performances (from Craig in particular), and given the film’s break-neck pace, it is certain to say that you will not be bored.
Rating: 7/10