The Most Underrated James Bond Movie Was Made During the Writers Strike (original) (raw)

Published May 8, 2023, 4:30 PM EDT

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Fans of the James Bondfranchise have largely walked away from and forgotten Daniel Craig's_Quantum of Solace_, but if they give it a second chance, they'd find that it's the most underrated James Bond film to date. Quantum had the daunting task of following up Casino Royale, the film that many consider to be the best Bond outing. Not only that, it's one of the many films of its time that fell victim to the 2007-08 writers' strike. The filmmakers behind Quantum point to the strike as the reason behind many of the film's supposed faults, but really, its bare-bones story is actually what makes it so refreshing. Daniel Craig'ssecond outing as England's iconic spy is the leanest and meanest in the entire series, deserving a second look from both fans and its filmmakers.

Quantum of Solace was directed by Marc Forster and released in November 2008. It's one of the few modern examples of a quick turnaround between Bond movies, coming only two years after Casino Royale's 2006 release. This short gap of time was exciting for fans, but difficult for the filmmakers, particularly because of the writers' strike. Some say the script for Quantum was turned in two hours before the strike began, others say that the film went into production without a finished script, but either way, the filmmakers were not happy with the film's script as they were gearing up for shooting. Daniel Craig even had to help out with the writing process because of the team's inability to hire a writer to help fix up the script. Forster tried to use his limitations to craft a 70s-esque revenge thriller, a Bond film that would be heavy on the action and light on the story. With a standalone 007 adventure, this might not work so well, but given Quantum's place in the franchise, a revenge thriller is honestly perfect.

'Quantum of Solace' Picks Up Where 'Casino Royale' Left Off

Daniel Craig playing a game at the casino in 'Casino Royale'

Image via Sony Pictures

Casino Royale ends on a major downbeat note with Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) betraying Bond and drowning soon after, leaving him angry and desperate for answers. That film ends with Bond shooting Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) in the leg, and Quantum picks up moments later following 007 leaving the scene with White captured in the trunk of his car. Not only is Craig's second Bond film one of the few direct sequels in the franchise, you could basically just cut the two films together as one massive epic spy tragedy, and you wouldn't be missing any information.

Bond's rage doesn't fade as the movie goes on, either. Daniel Craig is great in all of his Bond movies, but this one might ask the most out of him. He's royally pissed the entire movie! It's an interesting case of the character not being the charming spy that we've come to know. Instead, this Bond is grieving and out for revenge. Understandably, Forster and Craig didn't originally want to make a direct sequel to Casino Royale. (Most James Bond movies are standalone stories, anyway.) That said, Craig's first Bond movie ended with more questions than answers, and with its lead in an emotionally complex place. It's hard to imagine that movie's follow-up being anything other than a revenge story. It may be a bit bleak by the franchise's standards with a more emotional and enraged Bond than fans are used to, but it's the only way this story could have been told.

'Quantum of Solace's Action Is Massively Underappreciated

quantum-of-solace

Image via Columbia Pictures

Quantum matches Bond's anger by having some of the most intense action in Craig's run as 007. It came out right after the Bourne movies got everyone in Hollywood excited about shaky-cam action scenes. This is a practice that most people look back on poorly, but Quantum was one of the few movies that did it well. People act like you can't see any of what's happening in this movie's chase scenes, shootouts, or fistfights, but that's not really the case. It's one of the few examples of a tastefully used shaky cam. With Bond being as ruthless as he is in this movie, a more aggressive filming style just seems to fit right.

There are plenty of action scenes in Quantum of Solace, but the movie is most riveting during its chases. The opening chase with Bond evading those trying to reclaim Mr. White is absolutely fantastic. Cars are zooming down tight roads that cut up next to long drop-offs into the ocean, with the vehicles bobbing and weaving around others. It's a visually arresting scene, both in terms of its breakneck action and beautiful scenery. The movie might peak with its opening, but there are a few other great chases as well. There's a wild plane chase over the Atacama Desert that ends with Bond and Camille Mentes (Olga Kurylenko), Quantum's female lead, jumping from the plane and plummeting into a canyon. This movie even has a great boat chase, with Bond and Mentes cutting around a packed marina while Quantum henchmen ride their tails. The vehicles are filmed in medium to close-up shots, making you feel like they'll crash at any turn. The intensity never ceases!

Okay, Dominic Greene Isn't a Great Villain

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Image via Columbia Pictures

How does Quantum of Solace's villain stack up? Usually, a Bond movie is only as memorable as its villain... something Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) is not. Amalric isn't bad in this movie because he's doing the best with what he's given, it's just that his villain character isn't really intimidating. He certainly is slimy and a perfectly despicable character, but it doesn't quite work as a Bond villain. There's no way that he could ever physically outmatch Bond, nor does he seem like he could outsmart him. You're left wondering how this guy ever ended up as the leader of Quantum in the first place. Speaking of Quantum, it's just not that very interesting of an organization. Not that we need another SPECTRE-like plan for world domination, but Quantum's goal to control Bolivia's water supply isn't all that exciting. They couldn't even give him a fun physical trademark like most Bond villains! If there's any downside to this film, it's Dominic Greene.

'Quantum of Solace's Theme Song Is Exciting

quantum-of-solace

Image via Columbia Pictures

More than anything, there's an argument to be made that the best part of Quantum of Solace is its killer theme, "Another Way to Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys. These days, we've been plagued with dreadfully boring themes from both Sam Smith and Billie Eilish. Both of these musicians are incredibly talented, but they seem to be trying to recreate Adele'ssomber theme for Skyfall. "Another Way to Die" has been considered by many to be one of the worst Bond themes, but that couldn't be further from the truth! Jack White brings a fantastic groove to the track, with his signature fuzzed-out guitars and break beat drums filling out the soundscape. On the other hand, Alicia Keys' vocals and piano provide the classy touch that the song needed to give it that 007 finish. It's mysterious, it's triumphant, and most importantly, there's life to it! Aren't these movies supposed to be exciting?

We're living in a post-Spectre world (the worst Bond movie!), so it's well past time that Quantum of Solace gained a second life. It's easily the most underrated film in the franchise and hated way too much for being as simple as it is. But isn't that what makes it great? Sometimes for better (Skyfall) and sometimes for worse (once again, Spectre), Daniel Craig's run would go on to release three slow-burn (by Bond standards), lengthy movies with more complicated storylines than ever before. He just might be the best James Bond that we have, and this movie is a testament to his ability to play the character in his darkest form. Here's hoping that more people catch on to the vengeful ride that is Quantum of Solace.