The Case for Solace

Really, the Embassy Cinema is one of the most perfect places in the world to see a big screen flick like the latest James Bond entry, a Quantum of Solace. The size of the screen, the size and comfort of the chairs, the almost overwhelming sound system and the atmosphere of the place all add to make any movie an experience, and blockbusters feel worthy of the name.

A pity then that a Quantum of Solace is actually a fairly dull entry. There are lots of action sequences, but nothing as jaw-dropping as the "over the scaffolding" chase in Casino Royale; there is no real humanisation of the Bond character through a strong female off sider or love interest; and the humour is fairly sparse on the ground.

To be honest, the threat posed in the movie (I won't spill here, but it is very much not another deadly Goldeneye satellite) is no laughing matter, and is also not really a "last minute save" kind of issue either, so there is no real sense of urgency to things.

But that is not to say the film is bad - it is a great fairly brainless action flick, picking up threads loosened in the last film and building on those, and the action sequences themselves are still impressive. Daniel Craig as Bond is still brilliant, though Judi Dench still blows everyone else off the screen when she appears in her M glory. And, for better or worse, there are no seedy jokes about any of Bond's conquests.

So rating this one is going to be difficult. I have to say I enjoyed it, but a few days later, I can barely remember it. Mind candy perhaps, but lots of fun.

Verdict: No idea what the title of Quantum of Solace is meant to mean, but then, that kind of sums up the movie: fairly impressive sounding and looking, but with only a small bit of substance behind. 004 out of 007.