Movie Review: Quantum of Solace and Rental Queue 6

Quantum of Solace Review B

The entire James Bond series has been following a fairly linear ‘concept’ rule sheet. There are basic necessities every 007 movie needs in order for it to appease its established fan base, while at the same time continue to appeal to newer audiences. The ingredients are simple: sexy lead actor, witty dialogue, interesting plot, villainous antagonist, lots of explosions, fights and gun fights. Even though the film makers have decided to ‘start over’ in the Bond universe, the newest iterations of this beloved franchise do not waver from these guidelines. And that’s a good thing.

Daniel Craig reprises his role as the debonair secret agent, with the same flair for the character like he showed in the previous film, Casino Royale. His eyes also return, stealing souls with their piercing majesty of pure blue glory. I admit, there were a number of moments where I stopped paying attention to the banter and just got lost in those glistening pools.

Anyway.

This movie was a lot more action-oriented, rather than the thrilling plot of the first, so we got to see him doing a lot of running, jumping, and kicking the crap out of any and every thing. It was fun, but he spent so much time covered in dirt and blood, it was hard to connect him with the classy, clean Bond of the past. Of course, the film makers seemed to be aware of this, and put in a rather funny moment of Bond refusing to stay in a run down hotel.

And that’s where this movie loses some momentum. There aren’t as many witticisms and engaging conversations in this one than many of the others. I blame that on the lead actress, the Bond girl of the film, Olga Kurylenko. She is, for lack of a better term, really boring. Almost painfully so. She’s not engaging, wallowing in the damage of her character’s past and not offering anything endearing or… even interesting. She’s flat, which does not allow for Bond to show off his comedic prowess.

But that’s okay, because Dame Judi Dench is there to pick up the slack. Her character, M, and Bond have such a great dynamic, I could literally be content in watching a film with just the two of them talking. She cares about him, and he knows it and thrives on it. They have the best lines together, and their chemistry is top notch. It’s what happens when you get two good actors, even great, and let them do their work. I’m of the mind that Dench is supplying a lot of it, but that’s what makes it amazing.

This newest Bond film is a lot of action all rolled into two hours. James Bon literally fights for his life on land, through motorcycle and car chases, on the sea, ala motorboat chases, and in the air, while piloting a large carrier plane. He also spends a lot of time running and leaping off of things, convincing me that a large part of his spy training came in the form of Free Running. It’s really fun to watch, and there are moments that prompt auditory responses of awe from the audience, but it seems a bit over done. James Bond films, including Casino Royale, have a subtle triumph to them. Where Bond does something simply amazing, the blows everyone away and reminds us why he’s a legend. As much as I loved all the stunts and thrills, that one moment of sheer awesome never seemed to happen.

All my whining aside, this is still a very good movie. Stand alone, without comparing it to any of its predecessors, it is a fun, entertaining thrill ride that reminds me very much, particular the first few chase scenes, of a ride that once graced Great America in California. It was a James Bond ride where the seats moved, and the audience was Bond as he ran through a death defying mission filled with explosions and bullets. Too bad movie theaters don’t build seats like those, because it probably would have been an even better ride than the original.

Whether you’re a fan of the series, or new to the world of James Bond, this film is one worth checking out. I’d go and see Casino Royale first, as the plots do intertwine, but even if you don’t the main story is easy enough to follow.

Rental Queue 6

Casino Royale

Daniel Craig’s first outing as James Bond is a real treat. The story is also referenced a lot in the new one, and it wouldn’t hurt giving yourself a refresher before heading out to the movie theater. The plot is fun, considering it’s James Bond’s first mission, and we get to follow his development as he works his way toward the debonair, deadly spy we’re all so used to. This movie sets up his affinity for fleeting relationships, and offers a look into the first kills of his career.

Munich

This movie has both Daniel Craig and Mathieu Almalric (the baddie in the new Bond film) in its cast list. Of course, the real star is Eric Bana in his powerful performance. The story is intense and based on true events. At the Munich Olympics in 1972 11 athletes from the Israel team were murdered, and this story follows the aftermath of those events as a team of men are assembled to kill the men responsible for that horrific night. Geoffrey Rush also shows up, and subtly makes himself a memorable character, despite his relatively small part.

Pride and Prejudice

Dame Judi Dench has been in many, many good movies. Movies she has been nominated or even won an Oscar for, like Notes on a Scandal or Shakespeare in Love (hey, look, it’s Geoffrey Rush again). Yet I can’t help but recommend this retelling of the classic Jane Austen novel. She plays the rude, snobby, ridiculously upper class Catherine de Bourg, and though she is in only a handful of scenes, she delivers a truly memorable performance. Plus, I’m a hopeless romantic and this newest adaptation of the book has a perfect, beautiful cast that just steals my heart. I’m still waiting for Mr. Darcy to walk across a morning field for me.

Chicago

I recently caught The Secret Life of Bees downtown, and it reminded me that I appreciate Queen Latifah’s work. Since I recommended Hairspray recently, and I don’t like to repeat myself, I’ll go with the next greatest musical movie in her credits: Chicago. Following the story of two murderous song birds, Chicago assembles a stellar cast and thrills in what was one of the first, ground-breaking musical-to-movie creations of recent times. Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger are delightful and really show off some of the talents that we just don’t get to see enough of from them.

Kramer Vs. Kramer

This one is just a random note, but is a film really worth checking out. I caught it on Oxygen recently, but it needs to be viewed without commercial interruption. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep both one Oscars for their performances here, and it really isn’t difficult to see why. This is what acting is, and what it always should be. Plus, if you ever wondered where that scene in Family Guy comes from, where Tom Tucker, after breaking up with Peter Griffen’s mom, is eating dinner with Peter and has to tell him off as he goes for the ice cream in the freezer by standing on a chair, comes from, then you should probably give this film a look.