QUANTUM OF SOLACE

Run time: 106 min

After the credits rolled I read the caption "James Bond will return". Well, he surely has to return since after the hard action and fast pacing chase I was left with the most nagging question I ever pose for any Bond franchise ever: "What is Quantum organization anyway? What do they want, and, what happened to Mr. White after he escape?"

The plot is okay, the action scenes are superb. I can understand the twist and subtle sarcasm at imperialism and hypocrisy aided by powerful countries, the double standard of the U.S. and A, the transformation of Bond from a darker spy to a...well....more darker than ever as he finally shut his emotion. After all of that, still, the audience was left dumbfounded trying to figure out why does there is no explanation on Quantum organization.

Am I dreaming, or this Bond franchise has transform itself too hard until there's no Bond element left at all and only leave us with Bond himself (and he didn't even say his famous catchphrase at all, in case you waited for that magic moment). No Q, no fancy gadgets, no vodka and martini, plus he didn't sleep with Camille (shocking eh?). Don't even mention the end, it was an anti climax.

However compared to Babylon A.D. High School Musical trilogy or Hannah Montana concert videos and tons of Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan interpretation of 007, this one stand above all and manage to inject some dry and bleak humor between M and Bond plus a certain degree of realism by fast pacing edit which remind us of Jason Bourne (Coincidence? Not really, the producer use the same person who choreographed Bourne in this film), although not above Casino Royale.

Hint to audience, better watch Casino Royale first to understand what is going on here. I already watch Casino twice on the DVD but still doesn't feel satisfied with Quantum. Are they planning for another sequel?

What about the theme song? Gosh that was awful, it felt as if Alicia Keys is shouting to a wall and Jack White tries so hard to pound the wall. Definitely unmemorable.

Gosh, even the melancholic Casino Royale has an open climax ending. Perhaps years from now, people will like Quantum more and they should make another sequel to this, the first Bond trilogy!