the solace of bond

I was not able to resist seeing The Quantum of Solace on Friday, even while drowning in school (sort of like blogging at this moment). And yes, the reviews were spot on. The film itself was spotty in many places and not quite as introspective as its predecessor or its title might suggest. It held itself together much better than most action movies, although Bond movies generally fare quite well in that respect with the exception of Die Another Day and Never Say Never Again (who the hell casts Rowan Atkinson in a Bond movie?). The action scenes were plentiful and much too short. Contrary to popular belief, most Americans don't have ADD even if they are popping ritalin, and I resent movies that blithely assume otherwise. Even action flicks don't get a pass on that one. The plot was much less gripping in Casino Royale, the gadgets nonexistent except for a groovy touch screen that was less cool than CNN's on election night. Daniel Craig was excellent, perhaps even more so here than in Casino Royale. The rest of the characters were fine but nothing out of the ordinary. Once again, I seem to have shot myself in the foot with my high expectations.

Funnily enough, I don't actually remember Casino Royale except that it was good, the opening parcour scene was the highlight, and Mads Mikkelsen was the villain. Like Batman Begins, I don't think Casino Royale is terribly special. Granted, I love this new approach to James Bond (which hero/superhero hasn't gotten a makeover in the last ten years?) and the grittiness that's infused into every remake. Anyone who knows me knows that I love this Bond. Cold, efficient, acerbic, and rough beyond the edges. It's charming to see a softer Bond in Casino Royale brutally transform into a darker version of himself who's completely indifferent between killing and maiming his enemies. Both Bond films owe much of their credit to Daniel Craig, especially Quantum of Solace, which would have folded without him.

For the longest time, most of the population including myself couldn't figure out what 'Quantum of Solace' really meant. Of course, its literal translation is measure of comfort, but it's much more than that. It's the spark that is fundamental to any relationship, the bit of deep affection (different from love) that one person sustains for the other. And yes, people delight in extinguishing that quantum of solace in each other, not always consciously and sometimes without intention, but it happens nonetheless. Rip it away and the whole thing goes. The result is a deep sense of being broken beyond repair and feeling complete indifference and bleakness where hatred doesn't even exist anymore. Stepping back from my melodramatic soapbox, this movie is not remotely soulful and much less delicate than Casino Royale. However, I love the notion that Bond does regain his Quantum of Solace (I'm not sure that it would be possible in real life), and that idea alone makes up for many of the movie's other shortcomings.

I loved Olga Kurylenko's character Camille, although I couldn't exactly point to above average acting as the cause. Camille is just the right blend of toughness and vulnerability. She takes herself much more seriously than other Bond girls and tenaciously asserts her independence. And her hand to hand combat skills kick ass. I liked the idea of an emotional relationship between her and Bond rather than the requisite bed involved. The other 'Bond girl' (I shudder when I say that) was completely and utterly unnecessary, not to mention what must be the worst pick-up line ever...Moreover, I have to say that I wasn't a huge fan of M in this movie. She should be in the background because no scriptwriter in this era has ever written anything remotely decent for a female director in a spy organization (Pam Landy, Bourne, anyone?).

Quantum of Solace might have benefited from longer scenes. It was much too lean, even for an action movie. In that respect, Casino Royale was definitely better paced. However, there were a few scenes in Quantum that really stood out for me. The most vivid and absolutely stunning scene is where Bond and Camille walk through the desert. His dusty black suit and her black dress against the yellow-white background is stunning in a way that is both overwhelming and understated at the same time. There are only two colors (Thank God she's not a redhead), ochre and black, but the imagery is so paradoxical, rich and desolate at the same time. I would go back just to see that scene.

Goodness, I've realized that I've written a generally positive review about a movie that was only slightly better than average. What is the world coming to? Maybe I need to watch it again just to be clear.