Throughout Bond movie history, one thing has remained constant: the plot of each new entry in the series has jack all in common with the others. Quantum of Solace immediately breaks with tradition by featuring a story that picks up 20 minutes after the last one. It even explains why Vesper Lynd betrayed Bond. Sort of.

As Daniel Craig returns in the series’ first direct sequel, a number of predictable complaints will be made:

- “It’s not as good as the last one!”

Of course it isn’t. Ever tried photographing a especially gorgeous sunset, or capturing a particularly sprightly wild animal? Twice? It isn’t easy the first time. You can shock our systems once by reinventing Bond with Daniel Craig. Inevitably our systems will be shocked again once the next Bond rolls around. If Bond was changed every movie, we’d stop becoming shocked and beg to see the same actor twice. Get over it.

Also: Casino Royale was not a great movie. It was a great Bond movie. There’s a difference.

- “It’s a lousy title!”

It’s unwieldy, yes, but:

A) Quantum = a small increment or parcel into which many forms of energy are divided; solace = to console, soothe, provide peace. Makes sense, given the ending of Casino Royale;

B) It refers to a super-secret secret agency, QUANTUM;

C) Many Bond titles don’t make a lot of sense anyway.

- “Daniel Craig is not as good as (insert previous Bond)!”

People are still complaining about this?

- “The action sequences are incoherent!”

Actually, that one’s me. Here’s the odd thing: the Bourne movies have been fingered as the source of this modern tendency to utilize dozens of quick cuts within a two-minute period, which I’ve chalked up to bad directing (and it is) but am now having to accept as the modern norm. Indeed, Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction) hired Dan Bradley, the second unit director of the Bourne films, to helm the second unit of this movie, and it’s the second unit director who handles the stunts. So Forster cut everything this way on purpose.

And yet… during the Bourne films I always knew exactly what was going on. Paul Greengrass would show us Matt Damon running, followed by a crowded subway tunnel, followed by a display that told us what time it was, followed by a bad guy pursuing, followed by a… you get the idea. We still experienced the action along with Bourne; the picture on screen was augmented by a second one inside viewers’ heads. Quantum of Solace has no such mastery of montage. Instead we’re basically given a few snapshots (with less than half a second to look at them) after missing the action.

“The title song sucks!”

Imagine something written for Amy Winehouse and performed by Pete Doherty. On the upside, the animated sequence that accompanies it is terrific.

Simply put, enough of Casino Royale’s rough edges remain to give Quantum of Solace the same gritty feel. The action sequences (when you can follow them) are creative, and the villain (played by French actor Mathieu Amalric) is refreshingly realistic. Judi Dench is nearly given a full supporting role. And the location work (except for the villain’s headquarters, oddly enough) is spectacular. Like Royale, Quantum of Solace is very good – for a Bond movie. It will not, however, win the series any converts, and I feel obligated to mention that during at least three action sequences, I had no clue what was going on.






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