Invariably, every blog post about Quantum of Solace news still turns into a debate about the title. It might be better if we all agreed to just call it “Bond 22″ and be done with the whole thing.
I like the title. The most apt comparison I’ve read is to The Silence of the Lambs. Doesn’t make a lick of sense until you’ve seen the movie, and even then it’s a little fuzzy. But so evocative, and now so common that nobody stops to question it.
My favorite Bond site, CommanderBond.net, whipped up an article called “Quantum of Confusion” shortly after the title was announced. I recommend a full perusal for anyone who is still baffled by the title, but here’s an excerpt:
You see, our journalistic friends, the vast majority of Bond fans approve of this title because they not only understand the definition of Quantum of Solace, they understand the heart of it. There is no sex, death, and greed in this title, but that was the pre-Casino Royale Bond. There is love, grief, mystery, intrigue, introspection, and poetry within these three words Mr Fleming put together nearing on a half century ago. Bond fans know these are elements of this Bond that the team of Broccoli and Wilson finally have brought back in to sync his literary namesake. You see with this re-thought James Bond character it is not necessary to understand title going in—just as you weren’t expected to understand Silence of the Lambs—the understanding should be on the way out of the theatre.
Bravo, Mr. Fleming, Bravo.
Anyway, I’m mostly here to talk about the new trailer.
Like most teasers, it’s far too fast-paced for me to form any kind of coherent review without a frame-by-frame analysis. However, here are some initial thoughts:
1. Getting a bit sick of the “M vs. Bond” trailer structure. Their conflict should not be the focal point of the series. In the books (and early films), the relationship between the two men was a backdrop; I’m not sure if changing M’s gender was instrumental in this sudden focus on the two characters, but I don’t like it. We know she’s there and she doesn’t approve of him. I know that her monologues always summarize Bond’s emotional state very neatly, but is it really necessary? Reminds me, not pleasantly, of similar monologue in GoldenEye.
2. Bond girl Gemma Arteron is rocking a bit of an Audrey Hepburn look. I like it.
3. Hopefully, there will be more of a genuine emotional center to the film than this trailer implies. If Casino Royale was any indication, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.
Check it out, and draw your own conclusions. See you at the theater this November 7th!
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