Quantum of Solace (2009, MGM/Fox)
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Reboots and remakes have been all the rage in Hollywood for several years now — name a venerable film franchise, and chances are it’s either already been taken back to the beginning or a reboot is already in the works. Just the word “reboot” has become enough to provoke a Pavlovian eye-rolling response among movie lovers, and although that’s easy to understand — nobody, least of all Rob Zombie, needed to turn the counter back to zero on the Halloween franchise — it’s sometimes the smartest decision a producer can make.

Consider, for instance, the Bond movies: Never as smart, sexy, or entertaining as they were supposed to be, the 007 films had descended into bloated self-parody by the end of the Brosnan era. Although they always made money, they were expensive, predictable, and not very good — something highlighted by sleeker, leaner modern spy flicks, like the Bourne series. MGM’s decision to reboot Bond was greeted skeptically — as was casting Daniel Craig in the iconic title role — but both moves were vindicated with 2006’s Casino Royale, a bloody wonder of a film that tore away Bond’s lifeless smirk and gave the trademark wit and glamour of the series something real to hang its tux on.

Having given fans their first blonde Bond, the producers opted to break another tradition with Quantum of Solace, adding the series’ first direct sequel to the franchise. Every other Bond movie stands on its own, but Solace picks up moments after Royale left off. This means, of course, that Solace will be more enjoyable for those who have seen Royale — which kind of sucks, really, but it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if Solace was a better film.

You learn everything you need to know about Quantum of Solace in its first 15 minutes: The film kicks off with a typically badass action sequence, perhaps the most spine-rattling opener in the entire franchise. Director Marc Forster does a fine job of balancing between old-fashioned Hollywood style and the trendy quick-cut hand-cam aesthetic popular with more recent, Bourne-influenced action flicks, getting the audience to feel the impact of a high-speed chase over a crowded Italian highway without the aid of Dramamine. It is, in a word, awesome — and it segues directly into “Another Way to Die,” the stupid theme song performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys. That’s the 22nd Bond movie in a nutshell: Equal parts streamlined action and total hooey, it staggers between globetrotting derring-do and clumsy exposition, bogged down by a plot that manages to be both annoyingly convoluted and paper-thin. It’s the type of movie that’ll leave you befuddled if you turn away for more than two minutes — between all the double-crosses and knotty dialogue, if you really want to understand what’s going on, you almost need to take notes. (more…)