The Red and Black

Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Out & About

[Click to enlarge]

"Quantum of Solace" is the first James Bond film I've ever seen.

Though I'm usually not interested in the action-packed operations of the gun-slinging Brit and his harem of shapely groupies, I'll admit, the franchise has come a long way since 1962.

No one in the theater could argue that the action scenes in "Quantum" weren't spectacular.

Within 10 minutes of the opening credits, my eyes were darting across the screen, trying to keep up. It is obvious that director Marc Forster spent an exorbitant amount of time meticulously crafting every swing, kick, punch, jab and leap.

Daniel Craig (Bond) executed each brilliantly.

The perilous stunts performed by Craig earned him high regards in my book.

If those cutting-edge stunts looked familiar, it's because Dan Bradley, second unit director of "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum," was hired to work with Craig on his most challenging feats.

A near fatal injury on set put a hold on filming for a few days, but stunt co-coordinator Gary Powell insists the incident was a testament to the realism of the action.

Craig is a superb actor. Throughout the film, he maintained the blithe, debonair attitude that is so fetchingly Bond.

Gemma Arterton, as Agent Strawberry Fields, and Judi Dench, as M., also gave impressive on-screen performances.

However, as a big fan of method acting, I can't say I was impressed with Olga Kurylenko's cheesy, soap opera depiction of Russian-Bolivian agent Camille Montes.

The casting directors of "Quantum" were obviously so overwhelmed by her hotness that they didn't realize she couldn't act.

"Quantum of Solace" is a great movie, period.

Number 22 fits perfectly into the collection of the greatest film legacy on the planet.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools