Spring Break
'Solace' has harsh tone
by Justine Root
Arts Editor
Arts | 11/18/08
Posted online at 1:38 AM EST on 11/18/08
In the wake of viewing Syndecdoche, New York and a week of dwelling on that film's heavy messages and over-wrought symbolism (SERIOUSLY, WHY WAS THAT WOMAN LIVING IN A HOUSE THAT WAS ON FIRE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND!), I was ready for some lighter cinematic fare. So, I ventured out to see Quantum of Solace, the latest installment in the James Bond franchise and from which I expected (and wanted) little more than two hours of explosions, guns and more explosions.
Of course, being a high-budget Bond film, it delivered on these points. And, while the film is certainly not as good as Casino Royale, its predecessor, it is still acceptable fare for the casual Bond fan. Unfortunately, for those movie-goers who are merely looking for a lighthearted action film and for 007 aficionados, Quantum of Solace may leave something to be desired.
The movie picks up where Casino Royale left off, with Bond appearing as a cold, rage-filled agent in mourning rather than the suave ladies man of past films. A word of warning: For those who have not seen Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace will be a garbled, barely comprehensible mess. For even though I had seen Casino Royale, myself, I still wished I had studied up by revisiting Casino Royale before seeing Quantum of Solace, as the latter makes frequent reference to the earlier release. Daniel Craig, in his second stint as Bond, pulls off his character amazingly well, playing James as a devil-may-care type who undertakes reckless rooftop chases with a certain penchant for self-abuse. This portrayal of Bond effectively sets the tone for the entire film; Quantum of Solace is not a humorous Bond account characterized by the usual whip-smart dialogue and sexual abandon but rather a gritty, dark story of loss and revenge.
And it is with this aspect of the film that the aforementioned aficionados may find fault, especially since the script does not embody this new brand of Bond or even preserve the old edition particularly well-despite Craig's excellent acting, his character barely resembles 007, and the film's female lead, Camille Montes (played unimpressively by Olga Kurylenko), is not so much a dynamic addition to Bond's existence as she is a less interesting version of 007. The villain of Quantum of Solace, Dominic Greene, isn't exactly notable, either; portrayed by Mathieu Amalric, Greene snivels his way through the film without ever doing anything markedly evil, and Amalric's belief that portraying a villain primarily entails opening your eyes super wide for long durations of time in order to look insane doesn't exactly help the situation.
Of course, being a high-budget Bond film, it delivered on these points. And, while the film is certainly not as good as Casino Royale, its predecessor, it is still acceptable fare for the casual Bond fan. Unfortunately, for those movie-goers who are merely looking for a lighthearted action film and for 007 aficionados, Quantum of Solace may leave something to be desired.
The movie picks up where Casino Royale left off, with Bond appearing as a cold, rage-filled agent in mourning rather than the suave ladies man of past films. A word of warning: For those who have not seen Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace will be a garbled, barely comprehensible mess. For even though I had seen Casino Royale, myself, I still wished I had studied up by revisiting Casino Royale before seeing Quantum of Solace, as the latter makes frequent reference to the earlier release. Daniel Craig, in his second stint as Bond, pulls off his character amazingly well, playing James as a devil-may-care type who undertakes reckless rooftop chases with a certain penchant for self-abuse. This portrayal of Bond effectively sets the tone for the entire film; Quantum of Solace is not a humorous Bond account characterized by the usual whip-smart dialogue and sexual abandon but rather a gritty, dark story of loss and revenge.
And it is with this aspect of the film that the aforementioned aficionados may find fault, especially since the script does not embody this new brand of Bond or even preserve the old edition particularly well-despite Craig's excellent acting, his character barely resembles 007, and the film's female lead, Camille Montes (played unimpressively by Olga Kurylenko), is not so much a dynamic addition to Bond's existence as she is a less interesting version of 007. The villain of Quantum of Solace, Dominic Greene, isn't exactly notable, either; portrayed by Mathieu Amalric, Greene snivels his way through the film without ever doing anything markedly evil, and Amalric's belief that portraying a villain primarily entails opening your eyes super wide for long durations of time in order to look insane doesn't exactly help the situation.
Be the first to comment on this story