Following up on a lead takes James Bond to Haiti, where he learns that environmentalist Dominic Greene is plotting to overthrow the Bolivian Government in exchange for a plot of land.
Followed by Bond, Greene heads to Austria, making a deal with the CIA to turn a blind eye to the coup; they assume the land he has been promised contains oil. In Austria Bond eavesdrops on a meeting of the secret organisation Quantum, which he interrupts prompting members to depart. Things get complicated though when Bond is involved in a gunfight and the bodyguard of an advisor to the British Prime Minister is killed.
Refusing to return to London, he in stead goes rogue and, with aid of Rene Mathis, heads back to Bolivia where he discovers the real reason for Greene’s interest in the land. Hunted by MI6 and the CIA, 007 meets Felix Leiter in a bar, where he learns that Greene and General Medrano, meeting at an eco-hotel in the desert, are about to finalise details of the coup. Bond sets off for the hotel, aided by Camille, who is on her own mission of revenge…
What we say
Casino Royale was always going to be difficult to follow, but Quantum of Solace was stillborn thanks to the writers strike that resulted in filming commencing without a completed script. And what could have been one of the best car chases in any Bond film was rendered almost unwatchable thanks to shaky camera work and over-fast editing. However, David Arnold delivers a great score and Daniel Craig once again makes a great 007.
Locations
Original release
UK premiere: 29th October 2008 at the Odeon Leicester Square
UK: 31st October 2008
USA: 14th November 2008
Principal crew
| Director | Marc Forster |
| Screenplay | Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Paul Haggis |
| Producer | Barbara Broccoli, Michael G Wilson |
| Music | David Arnold |
| Editing | Matt Chesse and Richard Pearson |
| Production design | Peter Lamont |
| Cinematography | Roberto Schaefer |
Cast
| Daniel Craig | James Bond |
| Olga Kurylenko | Camille |
| Mathieu Amalric | Dominic Greene |
| Judi Dench | M |
| Giancarlo Giannini | Rene Mathis |
| Gemma Arterton | Strawberry Fields |
| Jeffrey Wright | Felix Leiter |
| David Harbour | Gregg Beam |
| Jesper Christensen | Mr. White |
| Anatole Taubman | Elvis |
| Rory Kinnear | Bill Tanner |
| Tim Pigott-Smith | Foreign Secretary |
| Joaquín Cosio | General Medrano |
| Fernando Guillén Cuervo | Colonel of Police |
| Jesús Ochoa | Lt. Orso |
| Lucrezia Lante della Rovere | Gemma |
| Glenn Foster | Mitchell |
| Paul Ritter | Guy Haines |
| Simon Kassianides | Yusef |
| Stana Katic | Corrine |
| Neil Jackson | Mr. Slate |
| Oona Chaplin | Perla de las Dunas Receptionist |
| Brendan O’Hea | Forensics Tech |
| Rufus Wright | Treasury Agent |
| Kari Patrice Coley | Hôtel Dessalines Clerk |
| Sarah Hadland | Ocean Sky Receptionist |
| Jake Seal | Bartender on Virgin Flight |
| Peñarandam Felix | Bolivian Taxi Driver |
| Emiliano Valdés | Andean Grand Hotel Receptionist |
| Elizabeth Arciniega | Mr. White’s Girlfriend |
| Alessio Sossas | Carabinieri on Radio |
| Mark Wakeling | MI6 Agent |
| Susana Albornoz | Woman with Bucket |
| Jacques Duckins | Haitian Gang Member |
| Anthony Hansell | Dockside Valet |
| Karin Lanz | Gift Bag Girl |
| Christian Heller | Man with Gift Bag |
| Dante Concha | Investor at Party |
| Diego Fernández de Córdoba | Investor at Party |
| Edwin Cedeño | Investor at Party |
| Mike Pérez | Motorcycle Cop |
| Juan Carlos Avendaño | Motorcycle Cop |
| Rachel McDowall | CIA Flight Attendant |
| Rodrigo Farrugia | Hotel Bolívar Receptionist |
| Carl von Malaisé | Greene’s Driver |
| Raffaello Degruttola | Alfa 2 Driver |
| Robert Braithwaite | Speedboat Captain |
| Santos Varas Ramos | DC-3 Caretaker |
| Antonio Gil | Marchetti Pilot |
| Luis Antonio Gotti | Bureaucrat at Party |
| Jaime Newball | La Paz Bartender |
| Kamil Krejcí | Quantum Member |
| Gustavo Nanez | Quantum Member |
| Erosi Margiani | Quantum Member |
| Uygar Tamer | Quantum Member |
| Alexandra Prusa | Quantum Member |
| Muhamed Gandura | Quantum Member |
| Shamel El-Salhy | Quantum Member |
| Tsedor Gyalzur | Quantum Member |
| Daniel Stüssi | Quantum Member |
Drinks
- Whisky (after delivering Mr White to M)
- White wine (with Mathis)
- Six Vespers (on the flight to Bolivia)
- Bollinger (with Fields)
- Champagne (at Greene’s party)
- Bottle of beer (at bar with Felix)
Quotes
- “The first thing you should know about us is… we have people everywhere.”
- “Bond, I need you back.”
“I never left.” - “You know who Greene is and you want to put us in bed with him.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We should just deal with nice people.” - “She wants to know about Slate.”
“Slate was a dead end.” - “How long have I got?”
“Thirty seconds.”
“That doesn’t give us a lot of time…” - “Friends of yours?”
“I don’t have any friends!” - “We’ve already begun to destabilise the government.”
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July 13th, 2019 at 02:06
When I first saw Quantum of Solace I did not like it very much. I thought it a bit of the so called “sophomore jinx” type of affair.
However, now a few years down the road and repeated viewings, I have come to really appreciate the film. Granted, the quick cut editing can be a bit annoying, until you get used to it. Then, at least with me, I began to enjoy the editing and the film overall.
I liked the fact that Bond did not bed his female partner and that she took her place with Wai Lin from The World is Not Enough, as working partners who deserved their own space.
Camille is out for revenge, something that Bond can understand very clearly. He even gives her advice on how to commit a murder, something he’s never done in the past. I very much delighted in her dispatching Medrano too!
The entire movie has a clear tone and maintains an epic pace throughout.
It took me a few years to like the movie, which my wife loved straightaway.
I do enjoy your website totally and find it a refreshing voice on James Bond, the literary and the film versions of the character.
Well done, very well done indeed!
Thank you for a great review of this film and for your entire website on this topic. I’ll be returning often.