Quantum of Solace

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Germangirl
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Post by Germangirl »

http://movies.sky.com/review/quantum-of-solace

Yet this is a Bond firmly of the moment. Whiplash editing, a sharp script (again courtesy of Paul "Crash" Haggis) and a careful expansion of what made Casino Royale such a winning hand means that 007 is in as good as shape as he was back in 1964.
The top notch acting in the Weisz/Craig/Spall 'Betrayal' is emotionally true, often v funny and its beautifully staged with filmic qualities..

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Germangirl
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Post by Germangirl »

The best so far :D



Quantum Of Solace Review October, 2008


MAGNUM OF SOLACE

QUANTUM OF SOLACE

a spoiler-free review by Ajay Chowdhury, editor Kiss Kiss Bang Bang magazine,

the publication of the James Bond International Fan Club

The sophomore Bond film is always tricky terrain for the 007 incumbent: audience curiosity has been sated by the first film and this time they really need to want to come. And when your debut is film is the highest grossing and most critically lauded film in a series spanning 46 years, you really need to pull something out of the hat. Luckily, Daniel Craig is the tip of the talent iceberg in the 22nd Bond film from Albert R Broccoli's Eon Productions. Quantum Of Solace is an extraordinarily good thriller and a progression in terms of style and story. It is this marque of quality that will give the cinema-goer a magnum of solace when they watch Bond back in action. And they'll want to. Again. And again.

Sequel Royale

In Quantum Of Solace, James Bond 007 is out on his own and out for revenge. This sequel royale opens with a thrilling "Crashed-in" Martin chase along lakeside autostrada and an excavation cut beneath the surface of Northern Italy where Bond is quarry in a quarry. This sequence is breathtakingly economical and Bond ends it in cheer-inducing fashion. Bond then enters glorious Sienna, Italy and delivers a vital piece of intelligence straight from the end of his last outing. Though the chase is over, the ride is about to begin. We are now in the murky depths of the intelligence world: a man you think you can trust is just another way to die. In an artful cross-cut sequence set against the Palio horse festival, Bond doggedly pursues an opponent from the depth of the sewer system of the city, to street level and finally to the terracotta rooftops in layered chase of shocking intensity. We then go to London , here, a city of rainy tower blocks and big anonymous, grey buildings housing Minority Report-style intelligence tech. Le Chiffre's laundered money turns a whisper of love to a whisper of hate in Haiti . Here, we are introduced to Camille and Dominic Green. The former is a mysterious Bolivian beauty with an agenda of her own drawn from her tragic past and the latter is ostensibly a man with plan to save the world before it withers and dies. Bond then gets battered and bruised on a brutal boat chase. This scene ends with a delicious moment of Terence Young-ery! Bond uncovers an international conspiracy and a nebulous organization called "Quantum" which leads to a unique, floating production of Tosca in Bregenz , Austria . This setpiece, where 007 smartly inserts a spike in the spokes of Quantum's plans, is a stylish standout moment: Hitchcock + Coppola = Forster. We then return to Latin America , namely Bolivia where Bond lets Agent Fields take him down to where he's going and nothing seems real. He uncovers a conspiracy involving the toppling of the Bolivian government and the domino effect of Quantum's influence in South America . Quantum, with the aid of sexed-up CIA dossiers and a poodle-like British Government, will inadvertently impose the exiled dictator General Medrano upon a people. However, there is a twist in the tale of which Jake Gittes and Vilos Cohaagen would be proud. We are then treated to an aerial battle pitching a lumbering old school transport against a sharp fighter plane in which Bond is outgunned but ultimately not outmanoeuvred. A mysteriously strange desert complex is the setting for the denouement: an elemental finale involving fire and water and the ruthlessly ironic resolution of the characters' personal dramas. There is philosophical coda which maps the journey of Bond's psyche and exemplifies the theory of the Quantum Of Solace (the title remains unsaid in the film).

Rolls Royce Heritage

Marc Forster's films to date represent a very respectable body of art. Monster's Ball led to Halle Berry winning a well-deserved 2001 Oscar ® for Best Actress, an award which helped power the 2002 Bond film Die Another Day to become the highest grossing Bond of its day. 2004 saw the release of Finding Neverland starring Johnny Depp and Peter Pan-creator, J M Barrie - a splendid film which showed Forster could handle the British idiom. In 2006, his careful, quirky philosophical comedy, Stranger Than Fiction, was released and a year later, he directed the epic, spiritually-moving masterpiece The Kite Runner. In the past, this would not have been a typical Bond director's CV but in this golden age of Bond, producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have made a creatively brave choice. It has succeeded in spades. The melding of the Forster family with the Eon family has yielded a film which is respectful of the Rolls-Royce heritage of the series.

Forster Family

A number of people belong to the Forster family. Director of Photography, Roberto Schaefer, has created a subtle palette that binds the film with visual unity and some lovely subliminal storytelling (blood red fruit and broken, blood-like glass). The multi-level chase in Sienna reflects the complexity of what lies beneath the surface. The beige and blue of the desert setting reflect the isolation of Bond and his steely-eyed resolve. Long-time Foster editor, Matt Chessé (working here with Richard Pearson) has really given us a uniquely edited James Bond film. Short bursts of intense high octane action are interspersed with location detail. Like melody and counter-melody, this works. Though one of the shortest Bond films (106 minutes), the deep, textured storytelling, evinced through vignettes, make the film feel like a rich, cordon bleu meal. One appreciates the feast but one needs time to digest it. Art-house Forster has said that he was initially reluctant to take on such a huge franchise film but it was Schaefer and Chessé who convinced him to change his mind and become part of film history. Thanks chaps! Kevin Tod Haug, the visual effects supervisor has also worked with Forster, has tweaked reality with CGI to intensify the action. This is clearest in skydiving sequence where the lead actors seemingly skydive into a desert sinkhole (an unused script idea from GoldenEye). Rounding out the Forster family, is the work of MK12, the title design artists. Daniel Craig walks around a desert landscape shooting, while silhouetted nudes form patterns around him and a naked girl emerges from beneath the sands of time. MK12 also contribute to the creative title cards announcing the location of each chapter in the film in unique fonts.

Top Notch

The Eon family are on top notch form too. Writers Paul Haggis and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade have fashioned a satisfying sequel. The mystery story of corporate oligarchies misleading the American and British governments to control the world's most precious resource without care of the negative economic and ecological consequences is a terrific comment of the concerns of the Zeitgeist. The domino effect sought by Quantum resonates in yet another continent torn apart in the past by CIA and MI6 machinations. The Euro-centric geopolitical spin is a daring Bond first. Judi Dench's superb M (a real plot-centric character in this film) is given two wonderful moments. One is where she tries to wake up an ethically-slumbering Foreign Secretary (nicely etched by Tim Pigott-Smith) and the other is where she asserts she doesn't give a **** what the CIA thinks! The recent Bond films have kept the British end up with nuggets like these. Giancarlo Gianni as Rene Mathis paints out the shades of grey one has to peer through in this deadly, duplicitous world as well as the joy of life (his lady friend, Gemma - Lucrezia Lante Della Rovere - is gorgeously pithy). Taken from the words and spirit of Ian Fleming, this performance is simply marvellous. His character's arc is this film's soul and the most emotionally charged in the film. He almost steals the film. Jeffrey Wright's subtly upstanding Felix Leiter strives to work within uncomfortable parameters of his duty. He is the American conscience of the film. Gregg Beam (in a lovely, oily performance by David Harbour ), CIA section chief and the CIA are the butt of some playful digs. One senses that the team (Paul Haggis was fresh from his powerful In The Valley Of Elah) was keen to explore the thematic possibilities writing a contemporary global spy thriller affords. Themes of what lies beneath the surface of people, land, regimes, motivations are visually conveyed by the settings. This is a film about layers and the complexity and consequences of one's choices. By the end of this film, 007 eschews his licence to kill: he has learned something. When the film is humourous, it is intelligently funny. Craig bites through some wonderful one-liners. In, sadly, one of the few examples of Bondian flair and panache, Bond enters a hotel and utters the funniest line of the film in Spanish ( No hablo español ? - don't worry, there are subtitles!).

High Scores

David Arnold's score is a more subtle, less bombastic affair, informed greatly by the South American location. He is good at providing local colour, working with other musicians from the region. The James Bond theme is kept to a minimum (saved for the end titles again). The score is in keeping the meditative, introspective tone the film has at times. It is a shame he was not given a chance to write a song for any part of the film. A sliver of the instrumental version of Another Way To Die is heard in Haiti . The controversial theme song is performed with dirty, funky passion by Alicia Keys and Jack White. Replete with ominous piano/string major chords, playful lyrics punctuated by the Memphis Horns, this is superfly, funk, soul Bond. It is not pastiche and is another example of Quantum Of Solace pushing the Bond envelope.

Old Eonians And New

Other notable old Eonians returning include stunt co-ordinator Gary Powell. The action is very original and exciting. A vertiginous fight in a Sienna chapel is an excerise in knuckle-whitening suspense that would make the performers of Cirque du Soleil wince! Chris Corbould's special effects work (often in camera) add excitement by being unobtrusive aiding the believability of the action. The sound design of the award-winning team led by Chris Munro is aurally creative, helping establish the reality of the location and including some audacious, Robert Altman-esque over-lapping dialogue (the original use of subtitles is a Bond first). Casting director, Debbie McWilliams' fine eye really goes a long way to adding verisimilitude
(Chile and Panama substitute for Haiti and Bolivia ). At this point we must mention a certain Michael G Wilson who lounges seedily in a Haitian hotel and the reappearance of a Universal Exports cover name that a previous web-fingered Bond villain would recognize! Oh, and by the way, the gun-barrel is back!

Notable newcomers to the Eon and Forster fold are costume designer Louise Frogley who gives Bond a cleaner, more casual look. Her constumes help convey the Bolivian locations well. Glamour is restricted to a few scenes in this film but (working with Tom Ford), Bond is dapper but deadly as ever. Dan Bradley, as 2nd unit director, has made some innovative changes and decisions. Bourne-esque in places, yes, but Bondian too, he has helped create some set pieces that work by being intense but not overlong. Above all, the action feels original and unseen hitherto by cinema audiences. Oscar-winner Dennis Gassner's production design is kept to a human scale and geometrically pleasing shapes fill the frame. His best set is the Bolivian hotel whose black and white hotel interior perfectly augments the chess board manoeuvres and visual arresting moments set within it.

Character Driven

The cast is intriguing. Mathieu Almaric is a sinister executive of Quantum and Enron-esque in his morality. The notable actors enjoys his rather under-developed part with aplomb. Joaquín Cosio as a similarly underwritten General Medrano is a meaner, dirtier man with a backstory linking him to the leading lady, Camille played with gutsy gusto by Olga Kurylenko. A novel characterization for a Bond film, she has a parallel story to Bond's and they both seek the titular emotional comfort. Her damaged beauty potentially could help restore 007's faith in women but ultimately their characters share a brief, frustratingly unconsummated, journey for this film. Gemma Arterton brings both light and dark into Bond's world in an engaging turn. Incidentally, her character's first name is one of the most subtle and clever jokes in any Bond film. Jesper Christensen as Mr White lurks effectively again in the shadows and is the catalyst to this story. Anatole Taubman as the tonsurely strange Elvis does not really register and Rory Kinnear as Tanner is merely functional in the absence of Michael Kitchen.

Indelible Impression

Most reviews have started off with Daniel Craig as James Bond. Of course, after all the film-makers and co-stars are given their due, he really is the most visible strength to this movie. Front, centre and core of this film, 007 is a wounded yet healing man of action. His physically energetic performance captures a man living on the edge of his life but his soulful turmoil is even more effective. While Craig presents a determined, tough and brutal Bond, he is also is terrific at hinting to the personal demons his chosen profession forces him to deal with. This is a less naturalistic performance than his debut but no less artistically pleasing. Craig's Bond cauterises the yearning melancholy, post-Vesper, with ruthless dedication to duty. He is extremely witty with the little humour he is given. Daniel Craig further stamps his mark on James Bond and gives to 007 the inner life that is a rich seam of Ian Fleming's writing.

Motion pictures are the most collaborative and expensive yet powerful art form in the world today. It is hard to delineate credit because the whole is a combination of the parts. No review would be complete without noting the hugely talented contributions of producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli who have dared to take Bond beyond boundaries thought possible. Marc Forster has made an indelible impression on the series and this boutique Bond delivers on so many levels. Casino Royale was like the fourth film, after Dr No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, before the lava of creativity had cooled to the crust of formula. Quantum Of Solace is the fifth, equal but different entry to that series. Don't think you'll know about Bond XXII from what you have gleaned so far. Experiencing is exhilarating: the audience might lean right while the film turns left. The film is a stunningly original entry in suspense cinema and more revelatory for the surprises and twists contained in it. Quantum Of Solace, the esoteric, epigramatic title of one of Ian Fleming's most richly human James Bond short stories is now, appropriately, the title of the most richly human James Bond film.
The top notch acting in the Weisz/Craig/Spall 'Betrayal' is emotionally true, often v funny and its beautifully staged with filmic qualities..

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Germangirl
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Post by Germangirl »

Feels, I am on a roll with reviews, maybe no one is interested in, but post them anyway :twisted:


From Radio 1's James King.

Quote:
First things first - if you're gonna check out Quantum Of Solace when it releases on 31st October, you could do worse than spinning through 007's previous outing, Casino Royale, beforehand. QOS takes no prisoners when it comes to carrying on the story of Vesper Lynd, Mr White and Le Chiffre, the action kicking off just an hour after the last pic ended.

That made me love it all the more. This Bond flick is a lean, mean fighting machine. Crap dad gags are kept to a minimum in favour of ruthless, brutal action, globetrotting from London to Haiti, from Switzerland to Bolivia whilst a poutier-than-ever Daniel Craig relentlessly tries to track down the mysterious bad guys that killed the woman he loved.

Audacious highlights include a high tension action scene with an operatic backdrop, Bond's masterful seduction of posh civil servant Fields (Gemma Arterton) and, of course, the drama packed opening titles, Jack and Alicia's "Another Way To Die" ripping up the speakers when played at cinema level volume.

Mathieu Amalric is suitably slimy as yet another megalomaniac bad guy - although the panto days of cat-stroking baldies are long gone - whilst the sultry Olga Kurylenko smartly matches Bond when it comes to being a rogue player out for revenge. They sizzle, making the male/female duet of the theme tune even more relevant.

At 106 minutes this is streamlined, super slick action - yes, even more Bourne-like than ever but with a panache that manages to both hark back to 007's 60s heritage at the same time as being slap bang on target with its onslaught of bling gadgets. A slam dunk then, Bond squaring up to his cinematic rivals with balls the size of an elephant and making a case for the the super spy's best movie ever.


http://www.radio1movies.com/2008/10/jam ... -revi.html
The top notch acting in the Weisz/Craig/Spall 'Betrayal' is emotionally true, often v funny and its beautifully staged with filmic qualities..

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advicky
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Post by advicky »

Quantum of Solace ****

Reviewed by Neil Davey
Stars Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Gemma Arterton, Jesper Christensen,
Tim Piggott-Smith, Rory Kinnear
Written by Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis & Robert Wade
Certification UK PG-13 | US PG-13
Runtime 106 minutes
Directed by Marc Forster

As promised at the end of Casino Royale, James Bond has indeed returned. And, we're pleased to report, to much the same level of quality as Casino Royale. There are flaws — which we'll get to shortly — but overall Quantum of Solace continues Daniel Craig's believable, gritty reinvention of the character (you can genuinely believe the Governement might send him to foreign countries to kill people) and throws him into an all too believable scenario against a shady, deeply secret organisation with its fingers deep in powerful pies, bypassing politics and democracy to control economies, governments and resources. And only one man can stop them. Obviously.
As a first for the Bond franchise, Quantum... is a sequel, picking up around an hour after Casino Royale finished. This isn't a cynical ploy to sell more Casino Royale DVDs, but an opportunity to explore the conspiracy that left Vesper dead and Bond seeking revenge. As such, it gives Craig more chance to develop his character's steely-eyed motives and the makers the chance to go deeper than usual with the story. Cynics might suggest that the success of Bourne has coloured the new Bond and they might be right (and on that subject, just how cool would a Bond / Bourne pairing be?). But when the results are this dark and satisfying, does the ancestry really matter? Accordingly, after the obligatory opening action sequence (a car chase through the narrow streets of Italy) the film settles down to digging deep into the above-mentioned, formerly secret, all powerful cabal, sends Bond around the world — and into the path of the beautiful, similarly vengeful Camille (Kurylenko) — and reveals the allegedly eco-friendly Dominic Greene (Amalric) as the leader of this powerbroking organisation.

Greene makes a surprisingly effective Bond villain. He's a diminutive, pen-pushing administrator rather than a megalomaniac but such is the world: when the end comes, it seems more likely it'll be an accounting decision rather than the result of a power-crazed leader pushing a button. His modus operandi is also deliciously dull. Not for him the moon-based laser, theft of satellites or stolen nuclear weapon. Instead Greene goes the overpriced, immoral utilities blackmail route.

The biggest change here though is the welcome return of humour as Quantum... contains a surprising number of laughs. Happily, this isn't in a raised eyebrow, Roger Moore innuendo-heavy manner but via a genuine sardonic wit, mostly from Judi Dench's M but occasionally from Craig. There are also some neat twists to the Bond conventions, from the complete absence of the "Bond... James Bond" line to another very droll take on the vodka martini.


So, to the flaws. Forster, best known for Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland, can't do action. He can certainly do drama, and the straight acting scenes here positively crackle, but action? Hmm. The opening car chase is mostly filmed in tight close up and features the sort of jump cuts that will terrify epileptics. The result is borderline incoherent, which is a great shame, and the same problems mar a potentially great aerial fight later on. The other major flaw is that Craig is very hard to understand sometimes. Sound problems? Mumbling? Hard to tell but it can be distracting. However there's still enough quality here to make up for the shortcomings. The screenplay is terrific, the stunts are mostly old school (and so much more convincing as a result), David Arnold's score is a knockout and there's at least one "tribute" to old Bond movies with the unusual demise of Gemma Arterton. As with Casino Royale, the quality of the acting, particularly Craig, Dench and Amalric, is excellent - and it's still refreshing to be able to say that about a Bond film.Oh, and Camille is possibly the best "Bond girl" ever, a well drawn character rather than just the usual eye candy with a sexual innuendo for a name.

Quantum... may not pack the same punch as Casino Royale but then that film was following on from Die Another Day, arguably the worst Bond ever. Quantum... follows perhaps the best Bond film ever, so it couldn't possibly maintain that sort of pleasant shock value. However, the fact that it's pretty much on a par should be cause for celebration. For the record, James Bond will return - and on this evidence that's a very good thing indeed.

http://www.screenjabber.com/quantumofsolace
advicky
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Post by advicky »

Quantum of Solace - Review

Review by Jack Foley
IndieLondon Rating: 3 out of 5

FROM its breathtaking opening car chase along the winding roads of the Italian lakes, through its breathless rooftop chase in Siena, right down to its speed boat mash-up on the invitingly blue crystal-clear waters of Haiti, Quantum of Solace quickly establishes itself as an action movie of high pedigree. And that’s just the first 30 minutes!

But while Bond proves himself perfectly capable of existing (and mixing it) in a Jason Bourne world, this 22nd 007 adventure then fails to make the most of its ample opportunity. Rather than achieving a fine blend of high-concept thrills and intelligent emotion, Quantum seems content merely to continue blowing stuff up.

Marc Forster’s film is a lean, mean movie that’s cold-hearted and utterly ruthless in cutting to the chase. But given that the director was brought in because of his proven track record with developing character (Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner, Stranger Than Fiction, etc), it’s a curious thing that Quantum of Solace is surprisingly short on them.

Picking up 20 minutes after the events of the far superior Casino Royale, the film finds James Bond jetting off on a global mission that’s part fuelled by his desire to gain revenge for the murder of Vesper Lynd, the woman he loved. The problem is, the men responsible form part of a shadowy organisation with links everywhere. And their latest figure-head – Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) – is intent on toppling the Bolivian government, installing a dodgy dictator and exploiting the country’s water supply for his own commercial gain.

Drawing on environmental concerns as well as power, trust and betrayal, the screenplay for Quantum of Solace – again co-penned by Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade – is rife with possibility, but lacking in gripping exposition. With the emphasis clearly on action, you start to wonder whether a director’s cut may be earmarked for the future, when plot-holes are plugged and adversaries are made more flesh and blood.

Almaric’s Greene, for instance, hints at being a ruthless manipulator, but is never given the time to build a credible threat to the far more physical Bond, while his henchmen sport bad hair-cuts, bad attitudes but little in the way to suggest they have what it takes to be part of such a ruthless secret organisation.

Of the women, Gemma Arterton appears fleetingly – and irritatingly – as an agent called in to intercept Bond, but who inevitably beds him (and pays the price for doing so), while Olga Kurylenko’s Camille is a far more credible partner with a similarly burning desire for revenge. It’s interesting that Bond only gets to kiss her, fleetingly.

But the organisation itself is never really exposed as amounting to that much, while suggestions of moles and a higher agenda and reach are never fully realised. There’s no sense that Bond is fighting insurmountable odds.

A lot of the action, too, feels as though it’s trying to keep up with Bourne, rather than surpass him. It is spectacularly brutal and – particularly early on – thrilling. But even at its best – such as the rooftop chase or hand-to-hand apartment fight scene – it’s hauntingly reminiscent of Paul Greengrass’ benchmark setter (a tracking shot of Bond leaping from a rooftop, onto a balcony and into an apartment particularly so).

Thank heavens, then, for Daniel Craig, who continues to make the role his own and invest Bond with a steely determination that’s befitting the physicality of the action sequences. Craig’s 007 is a wounded beast intent on revenge and there’s little room for emotional conflict to cloud his agenda. His piercing blue eyes exude a confidence and sexuality that add to his apeal, but they equally mask an ice-cold assassin. Woe betide the men who get in his way, especially now things are personal.

Craig makes Bond an enigmatic presence; someone that looks equally at ease in a tuxedo or a T-shirt, supping Martini’s or breaking bones. You’ll want to know more about what makes him tick, or how far he’s prepared to go, even though – again – Forster’s movie doesn’t really develop his persona in the same way that Casino Royale did.

That said, Forster does include some nice nods to entries past – a Bond girl sprawled on a bed, dripping in oil (Goldfinger) as well as a licence revoked (Licence To Kill) – and ends things on a nicely dark note that suggests there’s more to be drawn from this particularly story.

But having re-captured our imagination with Casino Royale, and left us pumped up for more, Quantum of Solace doesn’t leave quite the same kind of lasting impression. It’s a hugely enjoyable ride, and Craig continues to be brilliant, but you may still feel more risk-taking is needed before 007 can emerge from the shadow cast by one of his contemporaries.

http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Revie ... ace-review
advicky
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:37 pm

Post by advicky »

film review
editor’s review

Quantum of Solace is a high pedigree action movie but doesn't leave the same lasting impression as Casino Royale.
3/5

What's the story?
James Bond (Daniel Craig) jets off on another global mission that's part fuelled by his desire to gain revenge for the murder of Vesper Lynd, the woman he loved. The problem is, the men responsible form part of a shadowy organisation with links everywhere. And their latest figure-head - Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) - is intent on toppling the Bolivian government, installing a dodgy dictator and exploiting the country's water supply for his own commercial gain.

What we say
From its breathtaking opening car chase along the winding roads of the Italian lakes, through its breathless rooftop chase in Siena, right down to its speed boat mash-up on the invitingly blue crystal-clear waters of Haiti, Quantum of Solace quickly establishes itself as an action movie of high pedigree. And that's just the first 30 minutes!

But while Bond proves himself perfectly capable of existing (and mixing it) in a Jason Bourne world, this 22nd 007 adventure then fails to make the most of its ample opportunity. Rather than achieving a fine blend of high-concept thrills and intelligent emotion, Quantum seems content merely to continue blowing stuff up.

Marc Forster's film is a lean, mean movie that's cold-hearted and utterly ruthless in cutting to the chase. But given that the director was brought in because of his proven track record with developing character (Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner, Stranger Than Fiction, etc), it's a curious thing that Quantum of Solace is surprisingly short on them.

The script - again co-penned by Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade - draws on environmental concerns as well as power, trust and betrayal, but while it's rife with possibility, it lacks any really gripping exposition. So much so, in fact, that you may start to wonder whether a director's cut may be earmarked for the future, when plot-holes are plugged and adversaries are made more flesh and blood.

Almaric's Greene, for instance, hints at being a ruthless manipulator, but is never given the time to build a credible threat to the far more physical Bond, while his henchmen sport bad hair-cuts, bad attitudes but little in the way to suggest they have what it takes to be part of such a ruthless secret organisation.

Of the women, Gemma Arterton appears fleetingly - and irritatingly - as an agent called in to intercept Bond, but who inevitably beds him (and pays the price for doing so), while Olga Kurylenko's Camille is a far more credible partner with a similarly burning desire for revenge. It's interesting that Bond only gets to kiss her, fleetingly.

But the organisation itself is never really exposed as amounting to that much, while suggestions of moles and a higher agenda and reach are never fully realised. There's no sense that Bond is fighting insurmountable odds.

A lot of the action, too, feels as though it's trying to keep up with Bourne, rather than surpass him. It is spectacularly brutal and - particularly early on - thrilling. But even at its best - such as the rooftop chase or hand-to-hand apartment fight scene - it's hauntingly reminiscent of Paul Greengrass' benchmark setter (a tracking shot of Bond leaping from a rooftop, onto a balcony and into an apartment particularly so).

Thank heavens, then, for Daniel Craig, who continues to make the role his own and invest Bond with a steely determination that's befitting the physicality of the action sequences. Craig's 007 is a wounded beast intent on revenge and there's little room for emotional conflict to cloud his agenda. His piercing blue eyes exude a confidence and sexuality that add to his apeal, but they equally mask an ice-cold assassin. Woe betide the men who get in his way, especially now things are personal.

Craig makes Bond an enigmatic presence; someone that looks equally at ease in a tuxedo or a T-shirt, supping Martini's or breaking bones. You'll want to know more about what makes him tick, or how far he's prepared to go, even though - again - Forster's movie doesn't really develop his persona in the same way that the far superior Casino Royale did.

That said, Forster does include some nice nods to entries past - a Bond girl sprawled on a bed, dripping in oil (Goldfinger) as well as a licence revoked (Licence To Kill) - and ends things on a nicely dark note that suggests there's more to be drawn from this particularly story.

But having re-captured our imagination with Casino Royale, and left us pumped up for more, Quantum of Solace doesn't leave quite the same kind of lasting impression. It's a hugely enjoyable ride, and Craig continues to be brilliant, but you may still feel more risk-taking is needed before 007 can emerge from the shadow cast
by one of his contemporaries.

http://film.orange.co.uk/OrangeFilm/qua ... fullReview
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bumblebee
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Post by bumblebee »

Thanks advicky for posting this review. The writer touches on the two things that have concernced me about QoS:
  • Trying to emulate the Bourne-trend and over doing the action.
    Gemma Atterton
I've yet to read a bad review for Daniel and that is pleasing.

I have no doubt that the film will blow me away, regardless. :?
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Post by Daskedusken »

Thanks for posting the review, advicky.

I'm pretty sure I'll get blown away no matter what the reviewers say...
"Love anyway. Live anyway. Choose to part of this anyway”
advicky
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:37 pm

Post by advicky »

bumblebee wrote:Thanks advicky for posting this review. The writer touches on the two things that have concernced me about QoS:
  • Trying to emulate the Bourne-trend and over doing the action.
    Gemma Atterton
I've yet to read a bad review for Daniel and that is pleasing.

I have no doubt that the film will blow me away, regardless. :?
It will be good. Daily Mail? Come on. They gave two stars to The Dark Knight too. They miss the Bond things from the movie. But I don't like the Roger Moore type Bond movie. Bond is a cool man who has to save the world. He isn't a clown. I have never understod the critics. Pulp Fiction they say it is one of the best movies of all time. I don't like this movie. If I should watch Pulp Fiction again I feel I'm tortured.
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Post by Germangirl »

advicky wrote:film review
editor’s review

Quantum of Solace is a high pedigree action movie but doesn't leave the same lasting impression as Casino Royale.
3/5

What's the story?
James Bond (Daniel Craig) jets off on another global mission that's part fuelled by his desire to gain revenge for the murder of Vesper Lynd, the woman he loved. The problem is, the men responsible form part of a shadowy organisation with links everywhere. And their latest figure-head - Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) - is intent on toppling the Bolivian government, installing a dodgy dictator and exploiting the country's water supply for his own commercial gain.


http://film.orange.co.uk/OrangeFilm/qua ... fullReview
They don´t even care to write their own stuff :evil: Its the same text as the one before.
The top notch acting in the Weisz/Craig/Spall 'Betrayal' is emotionally true, often v funny and its beautifully staged with filmic qualities..

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bumblebee
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Post by bumblebee »

advicky wrote:
bumblebee wrote:Thanks advicky for posting this review. The writer touches on the two things that have concernced me about QoS:
  • Trying to emulate the Bourne-trend and over doing the action.
    Gemma Atterton
I've yet to read a bad review for Daniel and that is pleasing.

I have no doubt that the film will blow me away, regardless. :?
It will be good. Daily Mail? Come on. They gave two stars to The Dark Knight too. They miss the Bond things from the movie. But I don't like the Roger Moore type Bond movie. Bond is a cool man who has to save the world. He isn't a clown. I have never understod the critics. Pulp Fiction they say it is one of the best movies of all time. I don't like this movie. If I should watch Pulp Fiction again I feel I'm tortured.
advicky - good points. I know when I walk out of the theatre I'll be entranced.
Daskedusken
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Post by Daskedusken »

Win copies of the new book "Bond On Set" charting the production of Quantum of Solace, in the first of MI6's double-oh-seven competitions...

Win "Bond On Set" Books
18th October 2008

BOND ON SET - Filming Quantum of Solace - Photography by Greg Williams
After 21 movies in 45 years, Bond just keeps getting better. Following in the footsteps of 'Bond on Set: Casino Royale', 'Filming Quantum of Solace features movie stills, photographs, and behind-the-scenes info from the 22nd Bond film featuring Daniel Craig. Experience the glamour of film-making on location with premier celebrity photographer Greg Williams and follow the making of "Quantum of Solace". Featuring an exclusive interview with Daniel Craig on the making of "Quantum of Solace" and never-seen-before shots of the cast and creators - spy them shooting spectacular scenes and relaxing between takes. Candid soundbites from the actors and revealing inside information promise intriguing insights into the making of the film. Get up close and personal with the makers of "Quantum of Solace".

Win Copies of "Bond On Set"!
Dorling Kindersley are kindly giving away hardback editions of the new "Bond On Set" book that charts the production of the 22nd James Bond film "Quantum of Solace". To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the question below along with you name, city and country in an email to

In which country did location filming take place that doubled for the snowy streets of Moscow in "Quantum of Solace"?

Terms & Conditions
The competition closes at midnight GMT on 18th November 2008. MI6 will choose the winners at random from the correct answers received. The winners will be contacted via the email address supplied and their postal address will be requested. If a winner fails to respond within 7 days of prize notification, another winner will be chosen until all prizes are allotted. Competition is open to international MI6 readers.


Order UK Hardback
Order USA Hardback

About The Photographer
Greg Williams' trademark style-integrating portraits with reportage-grew out of years working as a photojournalist. In that capacity he covered wars in Chechnya and Sierra Leone. Often working behind-the-scenes in the entertainment industry, Greg has had broad access to his subjects, blurring the line between formal and informal representations of celebrity. His work has appeared in many magazines, including Vanity Fair, Premiere, The Sunday Times Magazine, LIFE, Esquire, Stern and Paris Match. Greg has photographed numerous advertising campaigns, including the posters for Casino Royale.

http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/ ... =&id=02047
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Germangirl
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Post by Germangirl »

QUANTUM OF SOLACE
7/10

Running time: 106 mins
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Tim Pigott-Smith, Jeffrey Wright

Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond was in the longest 007 movie ever made (Casino Royale clocked in at 144 minutes), and now his second is the shortest the franchise has ever seen at a mere 106 minutes. Are Bond fans being short-changed?
Yes and no. After a shaky start in which the film threatens to turn into the Bond Protocol - the influence of the Jason Bourne films is hugely evident as we are assaulted by three consecutive fight and chase scenes which, despite their technical accomplishments, do little to draw the viewer in - things settle down considerably to make this a thoroughly enjoyable and often very engaging piece. So much so that a little bit more would not have gone amiss.
Bond has two things on his mind in QOS: to avenge the death of girlfriend Vesper Lynd and to seek out and destroy new nemesis Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) who is attempting (in a nod to the plot of Chinatown) to control much of the world's water supply under the umbrella of his oh-so-contemporary ecology company. Craig develops his Bond further after his impressive debut in Casino Royale - fewer wisecracks and more grief combine to give the character more depth than we have seen in some time.
Amalric is well-cast as the baddie. A star in France for some time, international audiences may have seen him in the lead role in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and his Greene is oily, charismatic and likely to go mad at any moment. It's one of the film's downfalls that he is not given an outrageously evil moment as he is very much one of those bad guys that it is fun to spend time with. Another negative is his introductory scene, a clumsily written piece of exposition.
But as well as Craig and Amalric there are plenty of good things, notably a couple of classic Bond set design moments. The first concerns the final scene of Agent Fields (Gemma Arterton), with whom Bond has a brief fling, and the second is the finale, set in an ultra-modern hotel complex in the middle of the Bolivian desert. Judi Dench brings her welcome mix of gravitas and world-weary comedy to the role of M, while Olga Kurylenko as Camille is given more depth than the usual Bond girl. Overall there is plenty to keep Bond fans buzzing.
Paul Hurley
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/ ... ntentstart
The top notch acting in the Weisz/Craig/Spall 'Betrayal' is emotionally true, often v funny and its beautifully staged with filmic qualities..

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advicky
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Post by advicky »

Review: Daniel Craig shakes and stirs as Bond

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Phwoar. You can just about hear the collective exhale from the women in the audience when Daniel Craig turns and smoulders at the screen for the first time in the latest Bond movie "Quantum of Solace."

Craig's Bond is not keen on the cheesey comic turns of Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan's smarmy charm. He's a cool killing machine wrapped in a perfectly fitting, crisp suit. He is, frankly, sex on a stick.

Following further in the footsteps of the highly energetic and wildly popular Bourne series, director Marc Foster has upped the ante with a series of bone-shaking stunts.

Craig's Bond is constantly bleeding, always bruised. It's a neat way of externalizing his battered emotional state following the death of girlfriend Vesper Lynd at the end of "Casino Royale."

Bond wants revenge but also needs to balance his loyalty to Queen and country, represented here yet again by the tough motherly figure of Judi Dench's M.

Quantum of Solace starts off with a full throttle chase and the foot is only lifted from the pedal for the briefest of moments during the film.

Bond has grabbed Mr White (Jesper Christensen), the shadowy figure from the end of Casino Royale who is connected to Lynd's betrayal and death.

It's a pity more isn't seen of Mr White, a figure reminiscent of the menacing, chain-smoking "Cancer Man" from the "X-Files" series.

However, he is bound to reappear in future Bond films. This is a point which marks the current films out -- it is the first time the the plot line from an earlier episode has seriously been continued and looks set to keep running. It is a definite strength.

Mr White escapes, but Bond -- quickly piling up the bodies with a ruthlessness that leaves M exasperated -- stumbles on to Dominic Green, played by French star Mathieu Amalric.

Green is part of a mysterious organization called Quantum, who are hellbent on world domination of a type through the destabilization of third-world countries and the annexing of their natural resources.

While Green is the film's main villain, there are a lot of them including a dodgy Bolivian general (Joaquín Cosio) -- a very traditional, too cliched Bond baddie -- who dreams of dictatorship.

He is the link to Bond's prime female helping hand -- Olga Kurylenko's striking Camille, who is also intent on revenge.

Bond fights his way through Italy, Haiti, Austria and Bolivia. There are some incredible scenes, including a head-spinning moment in a plane. It's raw, exhilarating and quite tiring stuff.

Perhaps the best moment is in Austria, when at the opera, Bond coolly breaks into a secret conversation of Quantum's members. It's beautifully shot and more deft than some of the film's racier moments.

There is strikingly little dialogue in the film, which does harm the development of the characters. Bond's brief fling with Gemma Arterton's agent Field is shallow even by the franchise's typically low standards.

Still, this is part of what Bond films have always been about.

While not as engaging as Casino Royale, Craig's captivating physical presence and the all out action will have most fans already looking forward to the next installment.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/10/ ... um.solace/
Daskedusken
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Post by Daskedusken »

James Bond returns to Latin America in `Quantum of Solace`

Quantum Of Solace - 20-10-08

Cinema-goers should find the backdrops in the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace – in Mexico, Panama and Chile – every bit as spectacular as the stunts. Nigel Richardson of The Telegraph reports.

In the late autumn of 1986 I was strolling on Beachy Head when I saw an extraordinary thing. Watched by a crowd of people, an army Land Rover appeared to accelerate over the cliff and fall, in a slow-motion parabola, hundreds of feet to the Channel below.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.mi6.co.uk/news/index.php?ite ... mi6&s=news
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