Mastidon's Spoiler-Free QUANTUM OF SOLACE Review!!

Merrick here...
Our man Mastidon is back, continuing one of several write-ups/reports/interviews from the premiere of QUANTUM OF SOLACE. This film definitely has flaws, but the more I think about it the hornier I get for it - thanks in no small part to director Marc Forster's slick, invigorating, relentless style. I 100% agree with Mastidon's assessment that one really needs to see CASINO ROYALE again before seeing QUANTUM; there were several instances in this new film when I couldn't recall specific CR details that were being referenced, which was distracting and frsutrating. Here's what Mastidon has to say.


Hey guys, Mastidon here with my review of THE BOND ULTIMATUM, err I mean QUANTUM OF SOLACE. This review is spoiler free. Spoiler version to follow. The pictures below were taken by Merritcat on the night of the premier. More to follow with my cast interviews.... First let me begin by saying that this is the first true Bond sequel. I am well aware that other Bond movies continue stories from past films. However, this is the first film that requires you to not only have seen its predecessor, but to have seen it recently. Several plot points continue straight from CASINO ROYALE with no explanation of events or characters. Quantum is not really a new film, but just the second half of Casino. It opens 1 hour after Casino ends. I highly recommend you watch Casino again shortly before going to see Quantum otherwise you will probably miss some things.

Daniel Craig

I have seen a few comments about this film like "Bond is dead". Bond is definitely not dead, but the gadgets are. When Bond first appeared in the 60s, in order to achieve the computing power of my cell phone you would have needed a decent sized warehouse full of equipment. In the 70s and early '80s, high tech was still an infant and out of the hands of most consumers. The gadgets started going wrong when tech toys became common place in the home. Each film had to have more spectacular toys than the last in order to satisfy the fan base.

Judi Dench

The problem is tech was moving too fast to make anything exciting and new. This all came to a head in a desperate attempt to stay ahead of the curve with the invisible car. But really, where else could they have gone? The car was their last ditch effort at toys and it clearly didn't work. This was the moment the gadgets died. Today they are demoted to background devices. Nothing too fancy, just a prop but certainly not part of the story. If anything they have become a Sony ad in a Bond film. They are dead, time to move on. Bond has evolved into a Bourne style film that is far closer to a reality based action film than a science fiction one. Ian Fleming's' original intent was to give you insight into this covert world. Who is this spy James Bond and how would he be if you met him on the street? The only way possible, cold and calculating. He is a guy who would kill you in an instant for looking at him funny. He lost the love of his life and now he is out to find out who took her from him stopping at nothing and leaving nothing but dead bodies behind. The villain in this one, Dominic Greene played by Mathieu Amalric, doesn't seem menacing or evil.

Mathieu Amalric

No blood dripping from his eyes. No pointy metal teeth. In fact, on the surface he seems like a guy you want to get to know as he seems to be somebody doing some good in the world. This too is a major shift in the Bond universe. Taking today's world and making a villain who will scare the hell out of you when you compare him to similar people in power at this moment in time. Are the people we let lead our countries and who run our major corporations evil at the core? Is there some unknown organization controlling them? This thought alone should keep you up at night and is the reason this is probably the scariest villain to date. I couldn't write an unbiased review without having to mention the evil known as product placement. Quantum crosses the line here. One scene in particular is a giant airline ad - not to mention the endless shots of Sony logos. And since when does James Bond drive a Chevy? The action is everything you would come to expect from a Bourne film. Fast paced with quick shots. Never letting you take a breath. I don't know how many times I jumped during the opening sequence alone. Simply jaw dropping. Worth the price of admission just to see that. The story is clearly secondary to the action. Keep in mind that the back story was already setup in Casino so the focus shifts from intrigue to adrenaline. One complaint is that a couple of times during the film I noticed the effects were CGI and not live action, pulling me out of the Bond universe and putting me back into my seat in the theater. I haven't forgotten about the Bond babes. As hot as ever, with my choice being Gemma over Olga.

Gemma Arterton

Lots more detail on them to follow in my spoiler review. It has now been just under 48 hours since I have seen Quantum and I really can't stop thinking about it. I have to revise my original opinion of is it as good as Casino from absolutely, to almost for the sole reason it can't stand on its own. It is a non-stop action thrill ride guaranteed to entertain and satisfy. Mastidon will return.