I'm usually not a huge fan of chauvinism, or of violence, or of material excess, but, as these are some of the defining components of the James Bond films, I've learned to cope with them.
Bond is supposed to be a bad ass. I think we can all agree on that, no? He's also not supposed to get so damn involved, emotionally speaking. That's the beauty of this character: he's NOT REALISTIC. He doesn't get caught up with those pesky feelings that plague the rest of us. In real life, people die and other people grieve. In James Bond's life, people die and Bond lights a cig and moves on. The sheer bravado and lack of realism of the Bond films make them perfect escapist fantasy. When life gets us down, we can watch Bond kick ass, take names, and fuck the hottie. And we feel better, at least momentarily.
Although Bond kicks ass in Quantum of Solace, he doesn't exactly take names and he most certainly doesn't fuck the hottie. QOS Bond is a dreary, sullen, depressed insomniac with no sex drive. Even his ass-kicking is mechanical and lackluster. And it's not Daniel Craig's fault! Nor is it necessarily Marc Forster's fault. It's the fault of a dull story bogged down with sentimentality and poorly-placed vengeance. Vengeance does not belong in a Bond film, nor does sentimentality. Yet those two things appear to be the driving forces behind the entire plot of QOS.
Okay, I get that Bond's OTL was supposed to be Vesper Lynd. Can't we just establish that and move on? Must we burden ourselves with Bond's endless pining for the dead girlfriend? What happened to the dark, punchy, cheesy humour? What happened to the complex, intrigue-laden conspiracies, full of Russians and coups and decoys and assassins? What happened to Bond bedding every bit of skirt that crosses his path? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SWEET CARS?? After the Aston-Martin's brief appearance, the only car we see Bond in is A FORD MINIVAN. Yes, a minivan. Bond has been completely uncooled.
I will say this for QOS Bond: he wears a mean half-zip track jacket. I like my JB best in a tux, but I respect a man who can wear a track jacket with such style and aplomb.
I've never been a champion for mansome manliness in movies (with the exception of 300), but Bond is supposed to be the epitome of masculine cool. He should embody everything that most (read: all) regular men are not: good-looking, stylish, charming, intelligent, physically fit, competent, calm, collected, unfeeling, sexually adroit, and indestructible. So when he's not all of those things, he's, well...lame.
Quantum of Solace
2/5 stars
Whomp whomp.
