Quantum of Solace

The new James Bond movie kicks off with a ferocious car chase wherein Bond struggles to get the upper hand. He leads his pursuers around narrow winding mountain roads and, not surprisingly, experiences a number of close calls. I kept waiting for Bond to engage some Q-section gadgetry on his Alfa Romeo to take out his opponents -- machine guns, oil slicks, and so on.

But not this Bond. He has but his raw nerve and wits to get him out of this scrape, and I realized that this is the new Bond. Bond retooled. A tough, layered and resourceful secret agent who doesn't need to rely on techy gadgets to save his skin.

And I like it.

Quantum of Solace is a new Bond adventure, yes, but ties in heavily with Casino Royale. Quantum builds on the story told in actor Daniel Craig's initial outing as 007, and as such this film does not stand well on its own, which is its weakness. That said, director Marc Forster (The Kite Runner, Finding Neverland) delivers everything audiences have come to expect from Bond films: spectacular chases, beautiful women, twisted plots and a tough handler who is never quite sure what 007 will do next. M, played since the Pierce Brosnan days by Judi Dench, is a delight, and Craig as Bond continues to develop the character he created for Casino Royale.

Quantum does not surpass its predecessor by any means, and I would recommend screening Casino Royale before seeing this one, as the plots are intertwined. As a sequel, screenwriter Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash) neatly carries on the plot threads established in the previous Bond film and wraps things up nicely in the end. His builds a story about trust and betrayal that has merits worthy of the dramatist that he is. And as Bond film, Quantum delivers enough to earn it a place among the better bonds in the pantheon.

***1/2 out of 5