"Quantum" of disappointment
Matthew Howard
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Life!
A lot has transpired since 1963 when Dr. No was brought to the screen, but James Bond has been a great constant through all those years. One thing that has kept the series fresh has been its frequent re-invention. While the stream of actors has represented the most obvious change; Connery to Lazenby to Connery (again) to Moore to Dalton to Brosnan to Craig; there have been other, less obvious alterations. For most of Brosnan's reign, Bond was trying to go toe-to-toe with supervillians and was surrounded by Jerry Bruckheimer-inspired explosions. With Brosnan's departure, the decision was made to try something a little different. Casino Royale was, therefore, a departure from what 007 had become in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, and a welcome one at that.
It felt new, different and satisfying, but it was really a return to what Bond used to be. From a personality standpoint, Craig is more like Connery than any of the actors who played the part in between. And, from an emotional standpoint, Casino Royale is related to Lazenby's only outing, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Those are the only two films in which the unflappable hero fell in love; both which lead directly into a subsequent adventure in which revenge is served cold. Quantum of Solace (the unfortunate title is taken from the unrelated Ian Fleming short story) is the first sequel in the franchise, beginning only moments after Casino Royale ends.
Quantum of Solace is not as intentionally low-key as Casino Royale, but neither is 007, the indestructible superhero he had become on Brosnan's watch. But there is no Q and therefore no gadgets. The only constant between the Brosnan and Craig eras is Judi Dench as M. Her presence in this installment, while necessary to all Bond films, creates headaches for continuity and, frankly, she spends too much time onscreen. Also, Jeffrey Wright who is Felix Leiter again, sadly representing the only time in Bond history that an actor has returned to play Bond's CIA contact.
It felt new, different and satisfying, but it was really a return to what Bond used to be. From a personality standpoint, Craig is more like Connery than any of the actors who played the part in between. And, from an emotional standpoint, Casino Royale is related to Lazenby's only outing, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Those are the only two films in which the unflappable hero fell in love; both which lead directly into a subsequent adventure in which revenge is served cold. Quantum of Solace (the unfortunate title is taken from the unrelated Ian Fleming short story) is the first sequel in the franchise, beginning only moments after Casino Royale ends.
Quantum of Solace is not as intentionally low-key as Casino Royale, but neither is 007, the indestructible superhero he had become on Brosnan's watch. But there is no Q and therefore no gadgets. The only constant between the Brosnan and Craig eras is Judi Dench as M. Her presence in this installment, while necessary to all Bond films, creates headaches for continuity and, frankly, she spends too much time onscreen. Also, Jeffrey Wright who is Felix Leiter again, sadly representing the only time in Bond history that an actor has returned to play Bond's CIA contact.