Gunfire, shattering glass, and a pulsating car chase in a mountain tunnel announce the arrival of Bond (Daniel Craig) in Quantum of Solace.
This time, 007 finds himself being pulled into Bolivia at a time when a coup d’état is being planned and a businessman with a nefarious motive is offering help to the rebel general in exchange for a piece of oil-rich land. There’s a deadly cartel named Quantum, which is so secretive that the British intelligence, M16, has not even heard of it, whereas Quantum agents have infiltrated the former.
Sadly, another major superhero has fallen into the darkness, in a film that is very grey.
In a world where none can be trusted, Daniel Craig’s character is coldblooded and kills by instinct. Expressing insensitivity and detachment, Craig throws a dead friend in a trashcan, and continues on his way. The actor pushes himself to his physical limits too, leaping into the air and doing gymnastics on the ropes in a two-piece suit.
On the other hand, neither of the two main antagonists—a general who stages the coup and a key Quantum member who negotiates a deal with him—come across as particularly ‘bad’ people; they are shown simply doing what stereotypical people in their respective professions are wont to do. Blurring the line further, the CIA does business with ‘the bad guy’ duo, and as part of the deal, the key member wants ‘the good guy’, Bond, to be bumped off!
Of course, unlike the characters in the previous Bond films, this one is the closest to the original character in Ian Fleming’s novels. The central idea of the script is reminiscent of one of Roman Polanski’s masterpieces. The dialogues have flair and bring out the classic British wit.
Visually, this sequel to Casino Royale is a treat. There appears to be an infinite number of cameras all over the place, capturing images from every possible angle during the action scenes. The editors would have had a splendid time playing around with the lavish stock of footage. The pace sweeps you along forcefully.
Even at crucial moments, Marc Forster refuses you the liberty to absorb everything that’s before your senses. Some informative dialogues too are uttered too rapidly. At a running length of just over a hundred minutes, you’ll feel like you’re watching a trailer in slow motion. Your eyeballs will be glued to the screen.
