MOVIE REVIEW - Quantum Of Solace

It's Daniel Craig's second installment of the James Bond series this weekend. This one is a sequel to Casino Royale, it's called Quantum Of Solace. What does that mean? Who knows, sounds good though.

In the last Bond flick, 007 has been reinvented by Craig and the new producers. Gone are the catch phrases, the tradition, and to be honest, most of the fun that was the trademark of Bond movies for so many years. But times change, fans like action only now, and that's what you get in QOS. Action from start to finish. Chase scenes, shooting scenes, and fight scenes a plenty. Bond has become less charming and more violent now. He has lost most of his sense of humor, and so have his movies. But as thye story dictates, he's been a bad mood for a couple of years now.

QOS, is told with the usual backdrop of international espionage, with plenty of world travel, and a story that is complicated, so don't go to the snack bar or the bathroom. There's intrigue, global warming, an eco-message, murder, oil, water, and attempted coups too. And of course there's a nice swipe or two at the American government, who are they really, and of course they are no real match for 007 or the British.

QOS is not a bad movie by any measure, but it now falls into the category of every other quality action movie out there. The elegance, class, romance and the humor of not taking this stuff too seriously has really been erased. QOS is deadly serious. The very thing that has always separated Bond from the pack, has been shelved for the time being. Plenty of action, some are very herky-jerky and chaotic, and some hard to follow. At times it takes on a video game pace. Although a wonderful air born chase scene with Bond at the controls of an old DC-3 aircraft is the highlight of the movie.

James Bond has had to keep up with the times and cater to what a new audience wants...I think. I will tell you, that if you haven't been to a Bond flick in a few years, it's very different than Pierce Brosnan. Daniel Craig sure looks the part, but I don't know if he's a good Bond or not. There's not much acting, but plenty of stunts and action sequences. Footnote too, the famous opening sequences and credits are very good. The song that is sung by Alicia Keys, is not. My gosh turn the sound down will ya?

Quantum Of Solace, Bond reinvented. If you're a fan of Bond's past, you'll may have to reinvent your Bond fever as well. You will have to keep up with the times as much as 007 has.