Quantum of Solace [DVD] [2008]

Daniel Craig hasn't lost a step since Casino Royale--this James Bond remains dangerous, a man who could earn that license to kill in brutal hand-to-hand combat… but still look sharp in a tailored suit. And Quantum of Solance itself carries on from the previous film like no other 007 movie, with Bond nursing his anger from the Casino Royale storyline and vowing blood revenge on those responsible. For the new plot, we have villain Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), intent on controlling the water rights in impoverished Third World nations and happy to overthrow a dictator or two to get his way. Olga Kurylenko is very much in the "Bond girl" tradition, but in the Ursula Andress way, not the Denise Richards way. And Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, and Giancarlo Giannini are welcome holdovers. If director Marc Forster and the longtime Bond production team seem a little too eager to embrace the continuity-shredding style of the Bourne pictures (especially in a nearly incomprehensible opening car chase), they nevertheless quiet down and get into a dark, concentrated groove soon enough. And the theme song, "Another Way to Die," penned by Jack White and performed by him and Alicia Keys, is actually good (at times Keys seems to be channeling Shirley Bassey--nice). Of course it all comes down to Craig. And he kills. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com

Disc One • “Another Way To Die” Music Video • Theatrical and Teaser Trailers

Disc Two • Bond on Location Featurette • Start of Shooting Featurette • On Location Featurette • Olga Kurylenko and the Boat Chase Featurette • Director Marc Forster Featurette • The Music Featurette • Crew Files Behind-the-Scenes Clips

Daniel Craig returns as Ian Fleming's most famous creation in Quantum of Solace, the first film in the James Bond series to follow directly on from the previous entry. Continuing where Casino Royale concluded, Quantum of Solace finds Bond on a perilous mission to uncover the truth behind the betrayal of his beloved Vesper, while keeping one step ahead of M (Judi Dench – Mrs Henderson Presents, Shakespeare In Love), the CIA and a shadowy organisation fronted by the diabolical Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly, Marie Antoinette).

Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright – Basquiat, Oliver Stone's W) and the dubious Rene Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini – Black Belly of the Tarantula, Seven Beauties) also return for this high octane sequel directed by internationally-renowned German filmmaker Marc Forster (The Kite Runner, Finding Neverland). Though Quantum of Solace takes its gritty and uncompromising lead from Casino Royale, many of the series' hallmark ingredients are present, including a bevy of beautiful women which includes Gemma Arterton (St Trinians, Rocknrolla) and Olga Kurylenko (Le Serpent, Hitman), and a post-modern music score from series veteran David Arnold.

Stills from Quantum of Solace (click for larger image).

James Bond returns	Judi Dench as ‘M’	Olga Kurylenko
Mathieu Almaric	Judi Dench, Jesper Christensen and Daniel Craig	Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter
Olga Kurylenko	Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis	Daniel Craig and Jeffrey Wright
Jeffrey Wright and Daniel Craig	Olga Kurylenko