There is an enigmatic quality to Quantum of Solace. This iteration of Bond is rather elusive. I've probably seen 'Quantum' half dozen times now, and each time I am hard pressed to recall exactly what it was about, or what happened. Ordinarily I'd consider that a horrible sign. Yet I keep coming back to watch it. And for the most part I enjoy it. Maybe this is because Quantum operates in a haze. The film unfolds in the midst of Bond's grief and desire for vengeance following the events of Casino Royale (the tightest and best Bond film). As such, loose ends must be tied off, and Bond feels himself fated to a singular pursuit of vengeance, despite the consequences, despite the worthiness of that cause. Quantum is caught between a reckoning with the past and a desire to move Bond's story forward. The filmmakers wrestle with it, as does 007. The result is a messy, exciting, gorgeous, emotionally stunted, cryptic, weirdly tangential blockbuster. The movement of the story mimics Bond's single-mindedness. He operates with brutal efficiency, a recklessness born from anger and grief. The film drives home the point that Bond's own actions tend to bring about the destruction of those closest to him. Still, in his unwavering loyalty to M and country we catch a glimpse of goodness wrestling to the surface of a tormented soul. Quantum stays true to its opening chase sequence. It hits the gas early and rarely gives you a moment to stop and take a breath. The action is original and well-choreographed, and the scenery is vibrant and dripping with lavish detail. Olga Kurylenko captivates, and Judi Dench brings us home. Quantum is a flawed movie, but I keep coming back to it. Each time, I find a new nugget to chew on: some action sequence to appreciate, some line of veiled dialogue clarified, some subtle motivation understood. And at the very least, there are beautiful cars, beautiful scenery, and beautiful people to appreciate. It's hardly an excellent movie. Casino Royale that precedes and 'Skyfall' that follows are surely better. Then 'Quantum' may be viewed as a necessary stopgap in 007's story. It gives us a bit of closure to one chapter, and a tantalizing glimpse of the next, but is necessarily compromised and has trouble existing rightly on it's own merits.
Review of Quantum of Solace
