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Daniel Craig reprises the 007 qualities he showed in Casino Royale |
Unshakeable, stirring stuff from Bond
QUANTUM OF SOLACE
Directed by Marc Foster
Certificate 15
CASINO Royale set a new template for James Bond. Out has gone the creaky global megalomanic hiding under a volcano in the Pacific, guarded by shoot ’em up fodder clad in orange boiler suits.
Instead the films are almost intelligent – sadly, we of course know that Bond will always live to fight another day which dilutes the thrill factor. But there are no Austin Powers moments with Daniel Craig carrying the licence to kill.
Although Quantum of Solace lacks the panache of Casino Royale, it has everything you’d expect from a Bond – crashes, bangs, wallops, tasty car and boat chases, punch-ups and shootouts, and a gorgeous female sidekick who dresses for assignments like she’s heading for a ballroom.
But the real reason this film dashes by is Daniel Craig. He shows his first time out as Bond was no fluke and he has settled comfortably into the black tuxedo.
Craig is the best 007 since Sean Connery, and brings the correct amount of suave charm and killer moodiness to the role.
He looks good, from his too-bright blues eyes to his expressive jaw line (can there be such a thing? Yes, if you are Craig – it’s a crucial part of his Bond persona).
Throw in some grandstand locations and it’s all very nice to gawp at.
This Bond movie pays lip-service to the current geo-political situation. Its flimsy plot is about “regime change” and seedy capitalists working with the CIA to exploit natural resources in the developing world – with the twist that this times it’s water, not oil.
The countries flash by. A super rooftop chase through the Tuscan city of Siena starts the proceedings, with a dash to Haiti, a short interlude at a Viennese opera and then on to Bolivia.
From the Tales of the Unexpected-style dancing girls at the beginning, the Barbara Broccoli production team have ladled on the classic Bond style but updated it for 2008. The downplayed nature of the film – for example, no Q with an array of cool gadgets – shows that on Craig’s watch, Bond has finally thrown off the nonsense.
He is once more a secret agent to be reckoned with. |
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