Quantum of Solace is the followup to the surprisingly effective reboot of the James Bond franchise, starring Daniel Craig. What made the reboot so intriguing was its explicit focus on the character of James Bond – on his motivations, his emotions, and his flaws. But while Quantum of Solace does a few things to return to the idea of “James Bond The Character” it is, primarily, a typical cliché-filled action mystery movie which substitutes quantity for quality. Ultimately, while mildly entertaining, the film fails to recapture the sense of purpose and meaning conveyed in its predecessor. Put simply, this script – outside of its tech and contemporary political references – could have found a home in any incarnation of the James Bond franchise.

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Overview

“Casino Royale” is an evolution in the James Bond franchise. That isn’t to say that the film completely jettisons the typical Bond formula of spies, beautiful women and plenty of action. And it’s not to say that this is a flawless film. But it certainly seems as though the ingredients were mixed together with an eye for a more intelligent, mature narrative than your typical Bond fare. Indeed, it is the exploration of Bond’s complex psychological makeup that is as much a focus as is the twisting plotline. The end result is a film that has plenty of flashy action for traditional Bond viewers and just enough depth to the characters to allow viewers to delve deeper into the story – if they choose to do so.

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