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So it’s out there. Quantum of Solace hit the UK cinema screens on Friday 31st October, the wait was finally over. The internet was awash with reviews. Our opinion at www.TotallyBond.com is, if you ask ten people you’ll get ten different answers.
Having seen the movie, and looked at a wide cross-section of reviews we found ourselves posing the question; what is a James Bond film anyway?
The critics would have us believe that A + B + C = James Bond film. Gadgets, girls, pithy comebacks, Bond does this, says that, saves the world; all representing irrefutable elements of the genre. Bond fans fall into two camps. In the first camp are those who agree with the A+B+C formula and do not believe it can be classified as “a James Bond film” unless our dinner-suited hero smoothly outwits and out-gadgets the villain bent on world-domination. For a good few years most Bond fans firmly resided in this camp. Bond was renowned for having the most lavish locations, the most cutting-edge equipment, the most breathtaking stunts. The movies stood out. There was nothing wrong with the formula, particularly when it was formula one.
However there is a second camp, for whom Die Another Day represented an all-time-low in James Bond movie history. Hailed as the triumphant beacon, heralding 40-years of the franchise, crammed full of references and homages to the previous 19 movies, Die Another Day finally achieved the self-parodical status that Bond fans had always feared; an unrelenting collation of thin scripts, gadgets at which even the most ardent fan would baulk, and heavy over-reliance on computer-generated-imagery. The elation that used to electrify the atmosphere during the journey home from a Bond film had been replaced by the tedious inevitability of disappointment. So something had to radically change. And so came Casino Royale. Returning to basics, the movie stripped away the expected elements; the foregone conclusions; the formula, if you will. This radical change could have gone either way, and fortunately it went the right way. Everything about the movie, although a total contrast from what we’d come to expect, was right for Bond. It was as though the makers were once again James Bond fans themselves, something that had been absent from Die Another Day. The “camp 2” Bond fans loved it, and so did a good percentage of those in camp 1, which brings us to Quantum of Solace.
Quantum is a sequel to Casino Royale. It picks up almost exactly where Casino left us, and it does exactly what it should do; it evolves. The introduction of Bond, his ascension to “00” status, the start of his self-discovery, is now all in transition. Motivated by a paradox of revenge and self-denial Bond takes us on a quest to uncover the organisation behind Vesper Lynd’s death. Firstly, the way the movie is filmed is nothing short of staggering. The direction ranges from urgency and panic to beautiful almost avant-garde sequences married with totally unexpected incidental music. The locations are stunning, and diverse. In a total departure from the classic picturesque landscapes and scenery, we are afforded glimpses into the backstreets of South American villages, we are reminded that nature is fickle when we see the beauty of the Chilean coast juxtaposed with the merciless cruelty of the desert. But for all the contrasts between old and new Bond, the traditional elements are still present. 007 still drives an Aston Martin, he still flies Upper Class, a “gadget for every occasion” has been replaced by a reliance on wits and improvisation, however he still has the most up-to-date “toys” available in the shops today, albeit with subtle MI6 modifications.
As the movie continues and develops, we are introduced to the villains. Gone are the highly-funded psychotics wishing to take over the world. Today, Bond moves in a world of businessmen with their well-respected public faces concealing lucrative schemes being hatched behind closed doors, in league with the most influential and powerful of their contemporaries, even managing to convince governments that it is prudent to let them go about their business. But even then, the traditional elements are still there. The villains have a side to them that is that little bit darker than dark. You would believe that they are on the edge of mal-adjustment, and that psychologically their aims go slightly further than mere profits.
Bond himself is still not the “superspy” we have become accustomed to over the last 45 years, but then he shouldn’t be. The film is still a retrospective. One would expect Bond’s experiences to shape him, building on the uniqueness and ability we have seen so far. He is still not “James Bond” as we know him, and rightly so. Throughout Quantum, Bond realises that objectivity is a more sound basis for judgement than revenge. He advantageously uses his ability to charm the opposite sex, and he also starts to appreciate the value of friendship. We see the blunt instrument become more human by the end of the film, but still highly dispassionate. His relationship with M is superb. Through a combination of criticism, guidance, and at times exasperation M could almost stand for “mentor” as she trusts her judgement, and against the odds shows faith in 007. He remains cold, tough and resourceful. Still a rough diamond, but one in which M can see true value.
Quantum of Solace exceeds expectations, because it differs from them. A James Bond film should be traditional but still en vogue. Bond fans in the first camp will probably hate this film. There is no comedic repartee, there is limited gadgetry, less of a caper-esque feel about it. Bond fans in the second camp will love it. It emphasises that the makers are once again making good films in the tradition of the British spy genre, instead of just trying to out-do themselves and make everything bigger and better. Ultimately a James Bond film is one which wins-over James Bond fans. It is that simple. Quantum Of Solace proves that in a cynical world, what ultimately transcends escapism and over-the-top thrills, is style. And let’s face it, nobody will ever do it better than Bond. |
