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QUANTUM OF SOLACE (PG-13)

Plot Summary: James Bond is back to his rebellious super-spy antics, this time trying to answer questions about a covert, evil super-organization and seeking personal vengeance along the way.

Reason for the Rating: Intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content.

One thing you can always count on about James Bond movies is that there will, inevitably, be more to come. The James Bond franchise has been successful for more than 30 years, and regardless of the particulars, they’re a formula you can count on. The actors may be different; the bad guys may be bent on world domination for different reasons, and Bond’s hair color may even change along the way, but there will always be another chance to see 007 in action.

What you don’t count on when seeing these movies, however, is continuity. It shouldn’t matter how many you’ve seen or how closely you’ve followed Mr. Bond through the years; you can join in the fun at any point along the way and not feel like you missed a beat.

With Quantum of Solace, the latest installment in the Bond series, this formula changes a bit because Quantum of Solace is very much a sequel. It's completely tied to the previous Bond movie, Casino Royale, which introduced current star Daniel Craig as the new James Bond. In that movie, Bond was a more emotionally driven Bond than ever before, and the loss and betrayal he experienced then is a central focus for Quantum of Solace. I won’t give anything away, but I will say that if you haven’t seen Casino Royale you probably should before you watch Quantum of Solace. I actually did see Casino, but even so I wish I had watched it again before seeing Quantum. It would’ve helped me enjoy this new Bond film a lot more.

That being said, Quantum of Solace isn’t too bad. It’s a bit of a return to form, in that Bond is mostly back to his old self—no more lovesick puppy dogs here.

The film begins with Bond (Craig) in the middle of a stunt-filled car chase, and the screen is full of non-stop action from then on. The MI6 is trying to track down leads to a mysterious organization that is wreaking all kinds of havoc upon the international spy scene. All they really know about the organization is the previous damage it has caused, but they quickly discover that the organization has people everywhere who are working evil on its behalf. It’s up to Bond to find answers. Of course, with 007, it always becomes more complicated than it should. In this case, Bond is determined to seek revenge along the way.

In Quantum of Solace, Bond is not quite the emotional basket case he was in Casino Royale, but he’s definitely driven by his anger. As he moves to accomplish both his goals, he travels around the world, gets tangled up with beautiful (and disposable) women and powerfully corrupt corporations. He even manages to get in lots of trouble with Agent M (Judy Dench) and the rest of MI6. And as I said before, the action is constant. But it’s all in a week’s work for James Bond.

Unfortunately, that’s about all the synopsis I can provide, because the specific details of this film’s plot are pretty muggy. Although Bond is less emotional this time around, the movie still seems like it’s trying to take everything to a deeper level. Unfortunately, it never quite pulls that off. Many questions are raised, but few are really answered. I’m guessing that the next movie in this series will tie up some of these loose ends, but in the meantime, Quantum of Solace lacks substance. Luckily, it makes up for this lack in action, but a truly good action movie should make sense and have closure, even as it excites. (See the Bourne series for examples of this.)

In the end, Quantum of Solace should satisfy Bond fans. It’s got all the necessary ingredients: action, violence (so leave the small kids at home), beautiful women, surface-level romance, and even a cheesy Bond joke or two. It is missing some of the classic Bond-film gadgets and gizmos, but other than that it meets the criteria. Non-Bond fans might find it to be a bit of a Bourne film rip off—and a less effective rip off at that—but I suppose the same could be said of most spy dramas. And at least this one has the beloved Bond. James Bond.

FAMILYFANS RECOMMENDS:

If you’re a Bond fan, this movie will probably satisfy you. If not, don’t waste your time.

AFTER THE SHOW: 

• Many of the characters in this movie are driven by revenge. Why do you think this motivates them so much?

• What does the Bible teach us about revenge? How could Bond benefit from this teaching?

• What are some ways that James Bond could’ve done his job well while also respecting those in authority over him?

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