Yes, the allure of the beloved Bond, James Bond, may be his smooth skills as an agent of the British Secret Intelligence Service. It may be his jet-setting jaunts as he tracks down vicious villains or his daredevil deeds amid his frequent women-wooing. Yes, Bond is badass - but don't forget, he has feelings, too.
Beginning with a dynamic car chase in which Bond (Daniel Craig) weaves his Aston Martin DBS V12 around Siena, Italy, "Quantum of Solace," the 22nd Bond film, is very much the action-packed film its producers promised it would be. But aside from the luxury and adrenaline, "Quantum" succeeds most in its portrayal of a flawed, vulnerable Bond as he faces precarious allegiances and the personal albatross of a former lady love, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green).
"Quantum," the sequel to 2006 box-office hit "Casino Royale," follows a wayfaring Bond as he encounters a corrupt environmentalist, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), and the mysterious organization he works for, Quantum. In typical Bond fashion, he visits exotic locales, such as Port Au Prince, Haiti, and Bregenz, Austria, slowly learning Greene's nefarious plans to acquire South American land for access to a key natural resource. With the help of new Bond girl, Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman connected to Greene by her own circumstances, Bond dodges guns and fire to overcome personal and bureaucratic battles.
The film continues right where "Royale" leaves off, after Lynd betrays Bond. Bond has subsequently captured Mr. White for interrogation. This takes a little remembering but is not terribly difficult or confusing. "Royale" received wide acclaim in 2006, earning a total U.S. gross of more than $167 million, according to The Numbers, an Internet movie database. The film was no doubt a memorable tour de force and currently has the highest box-office gross out of all 22 Bond films, which certainly gives "Quantum" something to live up to.
That said, "Royale" had a lot going for it that "Quantum" doesn't: the controversial hype of a fresh new Bond, an active love interest and a fairly sexy plot involving the hedonistic thrill of high-stakes poker. "Quantum" helps connect the dots from "Royale" but lacks a real flavor of its own. "Quantum" might as well be tacked onto "Royale" to create the ultimate four-hour Bond indulgence.
Still, "Quantum" continues to do what "Royale" did best - merge action with an emphasis on character and plot. Essentially, it avoids the glamour of the Bond franchise by concentrating less on his high-tech gadgets. State-of-the-art technology is cool, but tacky espionage goodies can strip the reality of any film by replacing it with an overbearing corniness.
Instead, there is an evolving depth of thought and rich acting in "Quantum." Major human themes of kinship, deception and culpability pervade the characters, especially Bond, throughout the film. Over a glass of Italian wine, Bond's close ally, Rene Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini), solemnly warns Bond: "The villains and the heroes get all messed up."
Even the opening title sequence is introspective and sets a curious mood for the film. A roving silhouette of Bond (his gun in hand, naturally) stealthily saunters through a shadowy and golden desert. The cascade of dunes reveals a woman's protruding hips as a tessellation of women's silhouettes emerges from the sand. The isolation of the desert combined with the sultry figures hidden in the sand almost feels symbolic of the hidden uncertainties Bond will face throughout the film.
Indeed, Bond, cold and brutal with his signature Walther P99 pistol, is simultaneously haunted by his emotional betrayal in "Royale." Bond subtly alludes to it, whether in the form of denial or mere reflective silence. Craig's austere facial expressions and tough exterior once again reinforce his viability as an appropriate Bond, but more importantly, they complement his character's quiet vulnerability in the film.
"Quantum" definitely lives up to the badass Bond reputation by incorporating close-quarter combat and dynamic chase scenes, but it is by no means the best Bond film. It simply enhances "Royale's" previous successes with its emotional depth of character. The film shows that while the iconic Bond can do some serious damage, it is still possible to sit down with the man over a martini and talk a little about life.
You can reach this staff writer at rluong@theeagleonline.com.
