Claiming It Over: Quantum of Solace Ends the Bond Franchise

Officially the 22nd film in the EON Productions franchise on the James Bond name, Quantum of Solace continues the decline of dynasty of classic Bond films. For the first time ever in the entire history of James Bond movies, Quantum of Solace begins mere moment after its predecessor, Casino Royale (2006), left off; not only in terms of plot continuity, but also in it’s diminish quality and charm of the traditional Bond flick. Many viewers know James Bond as the suave, handsome, crime-fighting, ladies man who sleeps with every attractive girl he sees, without obtaining an STD, and fights crime, without earning himself a scratch. Similarly, the Bond tradition is one that has stood the test of time with fresh new Bond films coming out every couple of years since Dr. No in 1962, that continues to entertain the audiences of each generation. However, Quantum of Solace defies each of these timeless qualities, dropping almost of Bond film traditions for a quick cut action overload more like an ADD afflicted child’s mind than a well structured spy film.
The decision of EON Productions to hire on Marc Forster as the director may have sounded like a strong choice for his previously proven work on dramatic (and romantic) films like Finding Neverland and Stranger Than Fiction, had they not tried to balance it out by hiring on Dan Bradley of the Bourne series. The potential of these two was seemingly too much of an expectation to be placed on this film. Instead being treated with expertly coordinated, action packed, thrill sequences and dramatically enthralling segments of character interaction, we are forced to watch jarring editing and bland story lines. Forster’s, despite his previous work, does not pull full emotions out of the characters of either Bond (Daniel Craig) or Camille (Olga Kurylenko). Instead the audience is forced to watch Bond pine over dead Bond girl Vespa (Eva Green, not appearing in this film) from Casino Royale, through the constant mentioning of her death. Rather than have the Daniel Craig actually bring out his pain through his acting, Forster relies on the constant reminder of incessant referencing of the death by the other characters. This made it hard to relate to the characters and therefore taking much of the charm and appeal away from James Bond.
On the other end of the spectrum, Dan Bradley, still hot on the popularity and success of the Bourne series attempts to continue his overused style of shaky cameras and quick cuts in an attempt to portray exciting action sequences. This may have worked well for his previous movies, but the implementation of these techniques in a Bond movie is offensive. Part of the impressiveness of a James Bond film is the use of real stunts with little, or even better yet, no special effect (especially CGI) used. The use of the unnecessary, quick cutting distracts from the action on the screen and takes away from the impressiveness of the actual filming of a live car chase along the Italian cliff side roads. Quantum of Solace had the budget, time, and staff to film the action for real, so it is simply an insult to slice up these precious moments caught on film. Each cut takes more of the believability, activeness, and splendor of the action taking place on the screen, both in terms of the actual stunt being performed as well as the event taking place in the story. At some points the cutting becomes so distracting that it is even difficult to tell the difference between blonde haired Daniel Craig and his brown haired pursuit as they run through the medieval passage under Siena, Italy.
From the opening scene of the film, much of this movie is filled with action scene after action scene, after action scene. Even though Bond films tend to be booked as action packed thrillers, the downplay of the story and overuse of action sequences follows a continuing trend in American cinema in the last few years. There has always been an appeal for spectacle on the scene, from car chases, to explosions, to sex; however, Bond films have always maintained strong balance between story and action. Sadly, these past two Bond films with Daniel Craig have broke from this tradition and instead followed the pop trend of the times. In Quantum of Solace more so than Casino Royale, it felt like the story of the film, which has always played an integral part in the Bond franchise, feels less creative and existent only to show the action sequences, despite it’s being adaptation from another Ian Fleming work.
Whether this attempt at making prequels to the previous Bond and Bond films remains to be seen. Daniel Craig is still contracted for three more Bond films before the absolute fate of the Bond franchise is determined. Quantum of Solace (and Casino Royale) are supposed to be set in a time prior to the other 20 Bond films, during a time when Bond is young, messy, and motivated by revenge; a time where he was fallible, full of testosterone infused rage, and loaded with a trigger-happy finger rather than mind. It is yet to be seen as to whether Daniel Craig will mature into the classic James Bond we all knew before, and if EON Productions will revert back to it’s matured state of production rather than fall victim to the trend of the times. It may be premature to say this now, but Quantum of Solace just might be the “jumping the shark” installment of the James Bond series.


Quantum of Solace

Old Sample: There Will Be Blood

I have been slow to post the latest reviews I have been writing, so for now I will just post an old sample one I wrote a few years ago for one of my favorite films, There Will Be Blood.  Enjoy (and go watch this film if you haven't already).

            There Will Be Blood is not only the title of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest masterpiece, but a promise given to the audience; indeed there will be blood.  The film depicts not just the greed of man and his desire for wealth and success, but also a battle between religion and money.  Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) proclaims himself that there is an inner drive in him for competition, one that forces him not only to squash his competitor, but disown his adopted son H. W. (Dillon Freasier) when he proclaims he will start his own oil business.  It is Plainview’s inner drive and passion that ignites the film on fire and delivers exactly what it promises.

            Anderson delivers the audience with the sight of not only literal blood but also the blood of the earth, oil.  The opening shot of the film are the hills of a desert in the west during the late 1800’s, followed immediately by a dark image of Plainview deep in a mine shaft picking away at the under layers of the earth.  He has penetrated the surface in a Freudian like sense to satisfy his drive to find silver ore.  However, as he penetrates deeper into the layers of the earth, he eventually breaks the skin and discovers the rich, valuable, liquid store beneath the surface of the earth like blood.  Once Plainview has the taste of oil in his mouth he sets out on a passionate crusade to find the veins of the earth in an attempt to satisfy his unquenchable thirst.  Continually throughout the film Plainview bathes in the oil that spews from the earth in a religious like experience, in which he attempts to share with his son H. W. as he baptizes the young child with a drop of oil wiped on his forehead. 

            In Plainview’s pursuit for oil he also runs across his moral enemy in Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), who shares the same fiery passion as Plainview, just for the Lord instead of oil.  Anderson creates a fierce battle between the Plainview and Sunday, as representative of The All Mighty Lord and The All Mighty Dollar.  There Will Be Blood quickly becomes a statement of capitalism versus religion.  Plainview and Sunday take turns publicly humiliating and attacking one another socially, psychologically, and physically throughout the film.  Each lashes out at the other when they enter their opponents’ ring.  Plainview physically beats Eli Sunday when he approaches Daniel asking for money, and forces him into a puddle of oil as if baptizing Eli in the same way Daniel often does himself.  This action is only to be replicated by Eli when Daniel forcibly baptized in order to obtain the land he needs and Eli not only baptizes him in holy water, but also proceeds to beat Daniel under the guise of a religious cleansing.

            The emphasis of the land as a character is shown in the Malick-like beauty and emphasis placed on the landscape in long shots and takes.  Often times, much of the frame is filled by the massive Texan countryside that seems to dominate over the proportionally smaller actors in the film.  It is also no surprise that it is not until the last act of the film that the characters ever spend any real time inside, even though Plainview is a rich man, and the boss, and is not required to be outside in the thick of it.  It is not until the oil dries up and Daniel Plainview starts to fall apart that he confines himself indoors, neglecting the mother like figure that has provided him with everything he achieved.

            It is also in this last act where Plainview is confined to the artificial walls and light of his mansion that the audience is greeted with the literal promise of blood.  In an epic climax the two men, Eli and Daniel, have their final epic showdown in the bowling alley of Plainview’s mansion.  Just as when Daniel needed to come to Eli for help and Eli made him declare what he was least willing to admit (that he abandoned his son), now Daniel forces Eli to proclaim what he really is despite his defiance (that he is a false profit).  In both cases, it takes the other to force each of them to admit to the world what they really are; Plainview is a money hungry capitalist willing to give up family for profit, and Eli is false profit exploiting the faith and belief of many for his own personal reasons.  In doing this Anderson reduces each competitor to the same level, degrading them to their lowest possible form.  It is then when Anderson truly delivers on his promise as Plainview breaks the skin of Eli Sunday’s skull, allowing for the gushing of blood from the young man’s head, like oil from the earth.  At this point Daniel Plainview is able to conclude the film for Paul Thomas Anderson in a self-reflexive manor as he declares simply, “I am Finished.”

There Will Be Blood