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DVD Review: Quantum of Solace

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Quantum of Solace (2008)

For some reason Quantum of Solace, the most-recent outing of super-spy James Bond, got lukewarm reviews when it came out in theaters. I’m not sure why that was since I actually quite enjoyed it and even thought it was an improvement over 2006’s Casino Royale.

Picking up right, more or less, where that previous movie left off, Daniel Craig once again stars as the new stripped-down and highly intense version of Bond the first movie introduced us to. He’s on a mission to not only uncover some shadowy, nebulous organization that specializes is toppling governments and exploiting natural resources but also to - although he doesn’t admit as much - to avenge the death of Vesper, the girlfriend he lost in the previous installment.

The nature of the plot doesn’t really matter though. Quantum of Solace needs to be viewed as the second half of a single film, one who’s primary purpose is to introduce this version of James Bond and give him a mythos of his own as someone who is emotionally damaged and brutal in pursuit of his goals, which often seem personal but which also have the advantage of meshing nicely with those of Queen and country.

Watching Craig as Bond is even more enjoyable this time than it was in Casino Royale. We know better who this guy is now and can read more into his aggressively passive expressions. It’s also more interesting to see him in the movie’s series of chases and action sequences. I found myself thinking over the course of the movie that he reminded me of Indiana Jones in how he escapes not because of some master plan he’s worked out, but instead because he just happened to survive from one moment to the next, not thinking about anything beyond the next ledge he’s going to leap to and he’ll figure out the next move once he’s there.

There’s never really a moment that doesn’t work in Quantum of Solace. Not only are the action scenes great to watch but the quieter moments (if you can call them that) - especially the ones with Dame Judy Dench as M - are pretty good as well. Dench is basically given the same two things to do over and over again - scold Bond and remind him of his duties or look up information based on Bond’s latest discovery - but she sells them with her usual class and talent.

Quantum of Solace comes with a host of bonus features on the two-disc special edition DVD, including:

Bond on Location: All about the exotic locales and how they play into the story of the movie.
Start of Shooting: Very brief featurette about the shooting of the movie.
On Location: More about the settings. Not sure why this wasn’t just rolled into the 20+ minute first bit.
Olga Kurylenko and the Boat Chase: Covering one of the key action sequences in the film.
Director Marc Forster: How the man behind the camera did on his first time out.
The Music: Self-explanitory
Crew Files: Likewise.

As I said, Quantum of Solace needs to be viewed as the second half of a single story and it works as just that. Well worth checking out.

Originally posted on:Chris Thilk

Posted Wednesday, March 25, 2009 9:01 PM by ChrisThilk | with 0 comments

DVD Review: Being There

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Being There (1979)

Have you ever watched an acrobat and marveled at the control they have over their bodies? Just sat there and been amazed at how they can move their limbs in ways that you just can’t considering you count every time you don’t trip while walking up the stairs as a massive, massive success?

That’s kind of what it’s like watching Peter Sellers in Being There.

If you’re unfamiliar with Being There here’s a quick synopsis: A simple man named Chance serves as the gardener for an old man in Washington, DC. Chance has never left the house and has the intellect of a child, as well as being able to neither read nor write. One day the old man dies and Chance is cast out, only to find himself taken in by another rich old man who thinks Chance is some sort of nuts-and-bolts genius who’s able to take the most complex situation and reduce it down to its core elements. As part of that Chance winds up meeting the President, being quoted in newspapers he can’t read and making lots of influential friends who don’t realize he’s that slow.

The movie, in all honesty, kind of hits that same joke over and over again. With anyone else playing the role of Chance it likely wouldn’t work nearly as well as it does with Sellers there. He brings it an incredible amount of genuine emotion that other actors simply couldn’t. It turns the character from someone to be pitied into someone you come to respect and root for.

Being There received a bare-bones DVD release back in the early days of the format but now it’s gotten a Deluxe Edition release as well as appearing on Blu-ray. Even so, the only new addition to the disc is a “Memories of Being There” featurette that has interviews with the cast and crew. It’s worth watching but it might not be up to a “Deluxe” labeling.

Still, Being There is a classic film that deserved a better release on disc and I’m glad Warner Bros. has provided just that. Definitely recommended.