Quantum of Solace (2008)

65% of critics liked it
(246 reviews)
62% of users liked it
(386,925 ratings)

A devastating betrayal sends James Bond from Australia to Italy and South America on a mission of vengeance that pits the suave super-spy against a powerful businessman with diabolical intentions. Betrayed by Vesper, 007 (Daniel Craig) suppresses the urge to make his latest mission personal as he… More A devastating betrayal sends James Bond from Australia to Italy and South America on a mission of vengeance that pits the suave super-spy against a powerful businessman with diabolical intentions. Betrayed by Vesper, 007 (Daniel Craig) suppresses the urge to make his latest mission personal as he teams with M (Judi Dench) to interrogate Mr. White (Jesper Christensen). It soon becomes apparent that the organization behind the blackmailing of Vesper is more powerful than Bond and M had previously anticipated, and after discovering forensic evidence that links an MI6 traitor to a bank in Haiti, Bond immediately sets out to gather more intelligence. Once in Haiti, a case of mistaken identity leads Bond into the company of the ravishing Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a dangerous beauty with her own vendetta. It's Camille who leads Bond to a ruthless businessman named Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), who is soon revealed to be the mastermind of a powerful but clandestine organization. Greene is conspiring to corner the market on one of the world's most precious natural resources, and in order to make that happen he has forged a deal with an exiled general named Medrano (Joaquin Cosio). By enlisting the aid of his many associates and using his vast resources to force contacts within the CIA and the British government into bending to his will, Greene plans to overthrow the current regime of a Latin American country and hand control over to General Medrano in exchange for a parcel of land that appears barren on the surface, but actually houses a natural resource that will make Greene the most powerful man on the planet. But Bond's mission to uncover the culprit who blackmailed Vesper and prevent Dominic Greene from exerting his will on the entire world won't be easy, because now everyone from the CIA to the terrorists and even M are out to get him. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Marc Forster
Written By: Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Nov 14, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Mar 24, 2009
Studio: Sony/MGM

Critic Reviews

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
It's ironic: After all these years of surviving everything that has been thrown at him, James Bond is finally being undone by his own team.
A.O. Scott, New York Times
Quantum of Solace prompts the question: Is revenge the only possible motive for large-scale movie heroism these days?
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
Quantum of Solace is a model of mediocrity, even though Daniel Craig gives his all to a production that doesn't deserve him.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
The Quantum of Solace filmmakers have produced a super-serious, often visually incoherent travelogue of revenge and trumped-up angst.
Dana Stevens, Slate
Forster, a director of upscale tearjerkers, has no feel for action sequences. The big chases, of which there are several, could all be replaced with a title card reading, 'Insert action here'.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
Quantum of Solace is best when director Marc Forster allows his star the latitude to explore emotions that, until Craig stepped into the shoes of the character, we didn't know Bond had.
Stella Papamichael, Digital Spy
Compared to the rest of the Bond series, Quantum Of Solace is something of an aberration (especially given the unorthodox ending) so it's just as well that Craig stays on target. He is, without doubt, the best Bond thus far.
Dave White, Movies.com
Complain about the re-invention all you want, at least it doesn't feel like Benny Hill with a gun anymore.
David N. Butterworth, rec.arts.movies.reviews
This Bond -- number 22 if you're counting -- is ruthless, efficient, and tough as nails.
Matt Soergel, Florida Times-Union
Turns out to be almost as bad as its title.
Sonny Bunch, Washington Times
Quantum of Solace feels more like a competent second act than a stand-alone film.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Dismal and unexciting
Jordan Hoffman, UGO
I'm so turned off by this, I don't even have the energy to trash it. Why should I think of something clever to write? The authors clearly didn't see that as a mandate.
Greg Maki, Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)
... Better than the average action movie and I'm still looking forward to future installments. But it falls well short of Casino Royale's greatness.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
The real gold is on the second disc, which has several hours of behind-the-scenes material.
Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views
As an action movie, Quantum of Solace is solid, albeit nothing memorable. But this is James Bond.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
The inevitable special edition will likely have much more to offer.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
If only [Bond] had a villain as self-reflective as Heath Ledger's Joker to ask 'Why so serious?'
Brian Holcomb, Kinetofilm
No one wants to watch Bond chase after Osama Bin Laden and switch off his dialysis machine with a bad one liner. On second thought, maybe that would be great?
Beth Accomando, KPBS.org
Listen to my radio review and montage of Bond clips.

Read all 23 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

John M

I may be one of the few but i like Daniel Craig as Bond. I think they have done a good job so far keeping the throttle all the way on high and keep the explosions coming. Its a standard Bond fare which has to be taken in a very much reboot fashion over just continuing the 007 movies… More
I may be one of the few but i like Daniel Craig as Bond. I think they have done a good job so far keeping the throttle all the way on high and keep the explosions coming. Its a standard Bond fare which has to be taken in a very much reboot fashion over just continuing the 007 movies from before.
Raymond W

Quantum of Solace is best seen a day after watching the much better Casino Royale for the sole reason to know who the characters are and the events that take place and the reasons behind all of that. In Quantum of Solace, the filmmakers expect the audience to already know details and… More
Quantum of Solace is best seen a day after watching the much better Casino Royale for the sole reason to know who the characters are and the events that take place and the reasons behind all of that. In Quantum of Solace, the filmmakers expect the audience to already know details and remember them. I, for one, did not remember what happens in Casino Royale, or remember some characters that appeared again in Quantum of Solace. Throughout the whole film, I was confused about why certain characters were in the film at all, what events M and 007 were talking about to do with Vesper. The action is definitely well done in this film, and it's brutal and breathless action at that, but Quantum of Solace also had some great cinematography to keep everything looking great. I would highly recommend that you watch Casino Royale before seeing Quantum of Solace. It will help greatly in understanding the plot.
Albert K

Definitely worse than it's predecessor, Casino Royale, this movie lacks in all of its aspects except for the action. There is a scene that really bothered me because of the fact that it was completely ripped off of the excellent Bourne Ultimatum... but it is so well shot and… More
Definitely worse than it's predecessor, Casino Royale, this movie lacks in all of its aspects except for the action. There is a scene that really bothered me because of the fact that it was completely ripped off of the excellent Bourne Ultimatum... but it is so well shot and entertaining that you can't help but to be entertained. This movie was engaging. I'm always gonna despise the Bond movie score.
paul o

Its james bond not an oscar masterpiece. The action was tight and the story was loose like it always is. Not that bad.
moon r

All the Bond elements are here: the international unscrupulous villain who favors tuxedo parties, some arguments with the home team over unorthodox methods, and some international ladies of unquestionable virtue. The update? This Bond is not trying to suave 'em into submission.… More
All the Bond elements are here: the international unscrupulous villain who favors tuxedo parties, some arguments with the home team over unorthodox methods, and some international ladies of unquestionable virtue. The update? This Bond is not trying to suave 'em into submission. Craig does well under this conceit, making for a solid Bond outing.
Alexander D

Umm...what happened to the actual gun barrel part of the classic gun barrel sequence? You know, Marc Forster, I've never heard your name before (well, that is, until I realized you directed this), but you totally screwed it up. On a very slightly more positive note, QUANTUM OF… More
Umm...what happened to the actual gun barrel part of the classic gun barrel sequence? You know, Marc Forster, I've never heard your name before (well, that is, until I realized you directed this), but you totally screwed it up. On a very slightly more positive note, QUANTUM OF SOLACE (which, by the way, is NOT based on the Ian Fleming short story "Quantum of Solace" and has nothing to do with it at all) is most certainly not as good as CASINO ROYALE, but still pretty intense and amazing.
Bethany M

Another good Bond film.
Liam G

A mixed bag. Craig is great as James Bond, but it is a significant step down in quality from Casino Royale, in its action and story.
Brad W

James Bond is a icon, because he is so sly and cool. So is his movie cool, YES! Is it sly, no:( He barely ever talks and when he does its after a five minute action scene. The action is awesome, but I wanted to see James Bond cool and hip, not getting the crap beat out of him all… More
James Bond is a icon, because he is so sly and cool. So is his movie cool, YES! Is it sly, no:( He barely ever talks and when he does its after a five minute action scene. The action is awesome, but I wanted to see James Bond cool and hip, not getting the crap beat out of him all the time. The plot was good but they needed to get more in it if you ask me. We can all agree Daniel Craig is a worthy James Bond, and my personal favorite beside Sean Connery. So see James Bonds new movie and enjoy it, its good. But dont enjoy it if you want something as amazing as Casino Royale.
Bently L

In "Quantum of Solace", James Bond goes after those responsible for the death of Agent Vesper from "Casino Royale". The plot is quite simple in this entry of the series but gets more complex as you watch it. The movie tried to be superior to "Casino… More
In "Quantum of Solace", James Bond goes after those responsible for the death of Agent Vesper from "Casino Royale". The plot is quite simple in this entry of the series but gets more complex as you watch it. The movie tried to be superior to "Casino Royale" but was far from it. It did this in entertainment value as well as critically and commercially. Like a lot of Bond films, the acting is awesome and the awesome acting comes from the man who portrays the main character. In this case, that man is Daniel Craig. Craig is my favorite Bond and he indeed shined in this one. The suppporting cast are all very good. However, the main villain was not as great as the terrorist banker in "Casino Royale" and sometimes got on my nerves. The leading ladies, Gemma Arterton and Olga Kurylenko, perform their characters well and don't let their looks get in the way. However, I think Olga was hotter. Hence my "Celebrity Crush" on my information column on the left. This is a very different Bond film and it felt like a Bourne flick at some points. The feeling when I was viewing it was different from the other films and Daniel Craig did not mutter "Name's Bond. James Bond." and the classic James Bond walk was saved for the closing credits. OFFENSIVE! Not as good as the predecessor but the action scenes, exotic locations, hot chicks, and sweet cars still make "Quantum of Solace" a very enjoyable film. Very excited for the 23rd film out next year! Search "Casino Royale" in the search bar above and read my review of it. "Do you know you're being played?" MGM has found the next man to play Agent 007. Tell me what you think of this in the comments: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wOcQr-2-pE
Matt G

Casino Royale was MUCH better, this was close to shit! Daniel Craig as Bond is the only thing that earns this movie it's three stars. Grade: C+
Steven C

"Quantum of Solace" is a sparse, angry film that is both thematically and aesthetically different from "Casino Royale". But, none of that means it's a bad film, on the contrary, it's quite thrilling and emotionally involving. Director Marc Forster keeps… More
"Quantum of Solace" is a sparse, angry film that is both thematically and aesthetically different from "Casino Royale". But, none of that means it's a bad film, on the contrary, it's quite thrilling and emotionally involving. Director Marc Forster keeps his film so dazzlingly stylish and modern and Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko turn in such weighty performances, you can't simply dismiss the film a silly follow up, like many do. "Quantum of Solace" is decidedly different than it's predecessor, but it's one hell of an action film.
Jason L

Staring off with the good points, I have to admit that the direction was reminiscent of the dark take from the reboot of Casino Royale. The bad news is that it had so much potential, but it was ruined. They spent to much time on bond sulking over losing his girlfriend in the last… More
Staring off with the good points, I have to admit that the direction was reminiscent of the dark take from the reboot of Casino Royale. The bad news is that it had so much potential, but it was ruined. They spent to much time on bond sulking over losing his girlfriend in the last movie. Last time i checked, this is supposed to be an action movie, not a sappy romance. I noticed that the story had some structure, but it was planned all wrong. The car chase scenes reminded me of something out of the Bourne Supremecy.All in all, this Bond movie fell flat.
Richard C

one of my favorite bond films. has a lot of action. has a good story. B+
Jeff "

Avery strong follow up to Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace picks up right where Royale left off; and it starts off with a bang. Keep with the style of Casino, Solace is a no nonsense action-thriller and is a terrific film in the franchise. The film also proves that Daniel Craig is the… More
Avery strong follow up to Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace picks up right where Royale left off; and it starts off with a bang. Keep with the style of Casino, Solace is a no nonsense action-thriller and is a terrific film in the franchise. The film also proves that Daniel Craig is the best Bond in the franchises history since Connery, with this film he truly cements his reputation as the best Bond since the 1960's. Let's hope that Daniel Craig makes a few more films because he's a solid actor to play such a legendary part.
paul s

in re-imagining James Bond as a rough and tumble, haunted physical warrior, the franchise received a breath of fresh air in Casino Royal, and yet here the steel eyed looks all just seem so much bluster. Chase scene after chase scene, it all seems like filler for a plot that never… More
in re-imagining James Bond as a rough and tumble, haunted physical warrior, the franchise received a breath of fresh air in Casino Royal, and yet here the steel eyed looks all just seem so much bluster. Chase scene after chase scene, it all seems like filler for a plot that never seems to percolate. The theme here is that you can't trust anyone - everyone has second and third agendas... gee, sounds like Mission Impossible. A good Bond film should have a strong, evil counterpart, and while an attempt is made here, it's a very weak one; as if the director got distracted by sub-plots and all the subterfuge - which would have worked in more capable hands. This is obviously a companion piece to Royal, as the charactors in that film are the motives that drive this one - I guess the producers figured that everybody sees Bond films, so there's no need to explain the whose and whys. I dunno - the "realism" that is attempted here just doesn't jive with the impracticallities of the film's premise - ya can't have it both ways. For my tastes bring back Timothy Dalton if you want realism, or go rewatch Goldfinger for good old fashioned entertainment (and note that this film pays homage to Goldfinger when the villian encases a female Brit opperative in oil, like Goldfinger encasing that woman in gold - but here it all seemed to lack impact).
Lewis C

I think Quantum of Solace is a good (but not perfect) follow-up to Casino Royale, and an example of what the new Bond films in the coming years will be like. It's a lean, stream-lined action flick with a British-spy glaze. It does not have all the intricacy of Casino Royale, but… More
I think Quantum of Solace is a good (but not perfect) follow-up to Casino Royale, and an example of what the new Bond films in the coming years will be like. It's a lean, stream-lined action flick with a British-spy glaze. It does not have all the intricacy of Casino Royale, but it won't be easy for any other film to match the significance of Bond's first mission as a 00. In QoS, Bond continues down the path that he was set on during the previous movie. He's still fairly unpolished, and the grief of Vesper's death consumes him. The plot is simple, but entertaining. The stunt work and action scenes are the highlight of the film. They are brutal, visceral, and very "Bourne-like". My main issue with Quantum is that because it's basically a side-story to Casino Royale, the plot does not really hold up as well as that of the previous movie. The villain (and his scheme) isn't very compelling. It's all a bit convoluted and occasionally hard to follow, but I ended up enjoying it more the second time I watched it. Now that the two-part origin is done, it will be interesting to see where they take the "Quantum" angle. Does the idea of a secret, shadowy criminal organization for our hero to fight, fit well into the new Bond universe? I hope so, and I look forward to Bond 23.
KJ P

A fine sequel, but sort of gets a little boring when all it's trying to do is get you involved in the action. Casino Royale was a masterpiece! This was not!
Al S

It's even better than Casino Royale and even has a groove just like the old-school Bond films. A smart, stylish, intense and hard-boiled action-thriller. Jammed with even more heart-pounding action sequences, incredible stunts, great special effects and nail-biting suspense. An… More
It's even better than Casino Royale and even has a groove just like the old-school Bond films. A smart, stylish, intense and hard-boiled action-thriller. Jammed with even more heart-pounding action sequences, incredible stunts, great special effects and nail-biting suspense. An awesome and wickedly cool adventure filled with non-stop thrills and exhilarating excitement that's filled with great fight sequences, chases and gun battles. Director, Marc Foster crafts a superb continuation to the Bond series, he probably crafts one of it's best installments yet. A very fine filmmaker taking on the action genre for the first time and executes it very well. A terrific entertainment ride. It's crisp, clever, riveting and adrenaline-pumping. Daniel Craig is excellent, he proves once again that he is the best and toughest Bond to hit the screen. Craig adds more depth and development to this compelling character. It's pulse-pounding and spectacular action movie fun from start to finish. It's not just about the action but mostly about the story and characters. The best Bond in the perfect action film.
Conner R

Just as good as Casino Royale, Daniel Craig proves again that he is the best Bond ever. His acting is phenomenal which I think is something special for a Bond movie. His rampage throughout the movie to get revenge was amazing, between him stabbing people with toenail clippers and… More
Just as good as Casino Royale, Daniel Craig proves again that he is the best Bond ever. His acting is phenomenal which I think is something special for a Bond movie. His rampage throughout the movie to get revenge was amazing, between him stabbing people with toenail clippers and throwing them off rooftops. The villain in this was pretty good in this too, I think they're going for villains that are finally truly EVIL. This one actually was going to cause a giant drought and kill millions while posing as an environmentalist. I prefer that they've made them more realistic and cowardly. I really enjoyed that they finally continued the storyline and followed up from Casino Royale. I can't wait to find out more about the Quantum organization, it looks like the lead in for the third.