'Quantum of Solace' Bags Two Wins At The Empire Awards

James Bond has once again triumphed at the Empire Awards, scoring two wins out of its five nominations.

Quantum of Solace fought off stiff competition (including Best Picture winner No Country For Old Men) to take home Best Thriller at last night’s ceremony.

“It’s such a pleasure being here tonight and I’m very happy to receive this award,” said Olga Kurylenko, who accepted the trophy. “First of all I’d like to thank all the readers of Empire for supporting our film, and I accept this award on behalf of everyone who worked on Quantum of Solace. It was wonderful to work with people from the UK – by now it feels like home to me because I’ve spent so much time here. I especially want to thank Barbara Broccoli, Michael Wilson, Marc Forster and of course Daniel Craig.”

Meanwhile, Gemma Arterton scored a win for Best Newcomer. Last year, Arterton appeared in Quantum of Solace and RocknRolla. She has been previously nominated for her role in St Trinian’s.

“I’m completely winging this,” Arterton said during her acceptance speech. “I never prepare for anything. Watching that I realise how wonderful all the nominees are, really and truly, especially Toby [Kebbell] who’s a good friend of mine. But thank you all very much, it does mean a lot. Have a great night everyone!”

A full list of winners for the categories in which Quantum of Solace was nominated is below.

Best Thriller

• Quantum of Solace (winner)
• No Country For Old Men
• Changeling
• Gone Baby Gone
• Eagle Eye

Best Actor

• Daniel Craig – Quantum of Solace
• Daniel Day Lewis – There Will Be Blood
• Christian Bale – The Dark Knight (winner)
• Robert Downey Jr – Iron Man
• Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd

Best Actress

• Olga Kurylenko – Quantum of Solace
• Angelina Jolie – Changeling
• Ellen Page – Juno
• Sally Hawkins – Happy Go Lucky
• Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd) (winner)

Best Newcomer

• Gemma Arterton (winner)
• Robert Pattinson
• Jim Sturgess
• Toby Kebell
• Hayley Atwell

Best Soundtrack

• Quantum of Solace
• Mamma Mia! (winner)
• Sweeney Todd
• RocknRolla
• There Will Be Blood

In 2007, Casino Royale conquered at the awards, landing Best Film, Best Actor (Daniel Craig) and Best Newcomer (Eva Green).

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest James Bond news and coverage.

James Bond Is Australia's Biggest Home Entertainment Seller Of '09

Following up the news that Quantum of Solace had become the biggest home entertainment release in the UK for 2009, Film Ink reports that this success has also continued in Australia.

According to the site, Daniel Craig’s second James Bond film has become the number one seller for 2009, with sales of 77,096 units on Blu-ray and DVD during the first week of release.

Of these 77,096 units, Film Ink notes that the percentage of Blu-ray sales was at 17%, an industry record.

‘Bond remains one of the world’s largest and most successful film franchises of all time,’ stated Chris Dunn, Managing Director of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

‘It’s certainly no surprise that fans would be very excited to own Quantum of Solace in all of its high-definition glory on Blu-ray Disc–a truly thrilling viewing experience.’

Quantum of Solace Blu-ray/DVD Overview
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'Quantum of Solace' On Blu-ray/DVD – What The Critics Said (Part III)

QUANTUM OF SOLACE – BLU-RAY/DVD

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID (PART III)

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Daniel Craig confirms in Quantum that he’s the best Bond since Connery [Blu-ray]

That’s certainly led to some mixed reviews for Quantum. Some fans have complained because it’s a departure from the more traditional stand-alone Bond adventure format, and critics bemoan the fact that there’s not as much humor and style, and that there’s too much action up front, and that the film is too short. Here’s what I say to all that: NUTS!

Let me give you a bit of sage advice. The best thing you can do for yourself going into Quantum, is to re-watch Casino Royale first, preferably RIGHT beforehand. You’ll be glad you did, because this movie picks up literally one hour after the last film ended, and there’s no recap. You’re thrust right smack into the middle of the action, going 100kph with lead flying, and you’d better be ready for it. ‘Cause if you’re not, you’re gonna be left in the dust pretty quickly…

Read on…

The Digital Bits

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This instalment looks fine, but the story itself is suffering

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

With a third Craig outing assured, perhaps they will pick up the dramatic pace as well as the frantic action stakes. With the introduction of an organisation that is pitted against Bond the next instalment could go somewhere interesting. But with his “revenge” thread sorted out (sort of?) the writers are going to have to come up with something very interesting. Perhaps a decent villain(s) and maybe less Bond girls’ next time out instead of retreading the conventions of past glories. They were wise to drop the whole Q Gadgets and Moneypenny aspects, now maybe they can drop a few more Bond conventions and truly make the next one different…

Read on…

Den of Geek

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Quantum of Solace is an intensely exciting James Bond adventure [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Quantum of Solace is an exceptional James Bond picture that was unfairly maligned by critics. Perhaps the film’s abrupt beginning, which starts without alerting audiences to the plot of the previous film, caught viewers who weren’t intimately familiar with Casino Royale off guard. As such, viewers of Quantum of Solace are advised to re- watch Casino Royale immediately prior to beginning the film. MGM’s Blu-ray presentation of the film is first rate; its reference grade video and audio set new standards in Blu-ray quality. Those on the lookout for supplements, however, will be disappointed in the slim selection of extras included with the release. Quantum of Solace is an intensely exciting James Bond adventure that ties up loose ends from Casino Royale, while cementing Daniel Craig’s place among the best Bonds in history. Quantum of Solace receives my highest recommendation…

Read on…

Blu-ray.com

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Quantum of Solace is a fine Bond adventure, but it doesn’t quite stack up against Casino Royale [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Solace is not operating on the flashy mediocrity of Brosnan’s films, but it’s also not doing the stakes Royale established justice. It’s the Bond movie we don’t mind having as a diversion, but it’s not the Bond film we deserve. Daniel Craig is arguably the best Bond since Connery, he should be sparring with Vesper or Le Chiffre equivalents, not Paul Greengrass-ing over rooftops and into sinkholes.

The first direct sequel in the Bond series, QoS picks up shortly after Casino Royale and finds 007 (Daniel Craig) investigating the shadowy network that recruited Vesper to serve as its double agent. M (Dame Judi Dench) fears that Bond is merely on a personal vendetta, but the secret agent insists that he is only concerned with doing his duty. During his globe-hopping quest — which takes him to Italy, Haiti, Austria and, finally, Bolivia — Bond identifies several leading members of the mysterious Quantum organization, including eco-friendly tycoon Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric)…

Read on…

IGN

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Pretty much a full-throttled rollercoaster ride [Blu-ray]

Like in Casino Royale, Bond basically stumbles his way through the conspiracy using violence and his quick thinking to put the pieces together in time to save the world–or at least the part of the world he is in at the time.

Once again, I think Daniel Craig’s portrayal of Bond was great, and he seems to be more comfortable with the character in his second outing. This is not a comical Bond, a flirting Bond, or even a Connery Bond. Craig’s Bond is one part thug and one part cold blooded assassin.

Some critics knock the franchise’s reinvention as being too similar to the Bourne films, but I think they have finally gotten it right. Not since the early Sean Connery Bond films, has the character felt real (although he does have more than a few Superman moments in this one), and I give credit to Craig’s stripped down and reserved performance as Bond…

Read on…

Monsters and Critics

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Quantum Of Solace is still a fine slam-bang Bond movie for the new generation

Coming off the knockout punch that was Daniel Craig’s debut in Casino Royale, there had to be a little Bond letdown, and Quantum Of Solace is it. From the weird title, to the aneurysm-inducing action, to the convoluted plot and oddly diluted villain, there’s a lot by which to be under-whelmed. However, Craig’s performance is a fine piece of work, bringing real emotion and subtlety to a character that’s often just a cartoon. It’s certainly not great Bond, revealing numerous opportunities to tweak the formula, but Quantum Of Solace is still a fine slam-bang Bond movie for the new generation, with touches of real grace. This two-disc special edition is Recommended…

Read on…

DVD Talk

Quantum of Solace Blu-ray/DVD Overview
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'Quantum of Solace' On Blu-ray/DVD – What The Critics Said (Part II)

QUANTUM OF SOLACE – BLU-RAY/DVD

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID (PART II)

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For Bond fans, this is a must-buy on DVD

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Quantum of Solace marks the second Bond film to star Daniel Craig in the role of 007, and is directed by Marc Forster.

This is a direct follow-up to Casino Royale, as Bond is out for revenge to get the man who took down his love.

What Bond ends up getting in the middle of though in his hunt for revenge could never have been expected. The leader of the criminals this time out is Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amatric).

He goes on his own, without MI6, working with Camille (Olga Kurylenko) as his new girl.

The film is absolutely over-the-top and is one of the best James Bond films these two eyes have seen to date, and I have seem them all. Daniel Craig has blown me away once again in the role of 007, and I cannot wait to see what he does next with the character…

Read on…

dBTechno

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Quantum of Solace does its best to thrill on DVD

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Quantum of Solace is no Casino Royale, but then it never could be that. What made Casino Royale not only the best James Bond film to date but also a great film in its own right was its emphasis on Bond the man, its retelling of how he became 007, and his tragic relationship with the treacherous Vesper Lynd. Those are all unique to that particular story and can never be duplicated. Instead, QoS is content with being an extended but action-packed epilogue to its more thoughtful and romantic predecessor.

The first direct sequel in the Bond series, QoS picks up shortly after Casino Royale and finds 007 (Daniel Craig) investigating the shadowy network that recruited Vesper to serve as its double agent. M (Dame Judi Dench) fears that Bond is merely on a personal vendetta, but the secret agent insists that he is only concerned with doing his duty. During his globe-hopping quest — which takes him to Italy, Haiti, Austria and, finally, Bolivia — Bond identifies several leading members of the mysterious Quantum organization, including eco-friendly tycoon Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric)…

Read on…

IGN

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Quantum of Solace may not be as purely satisfying, but it still rocks in its own way [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

The villain and the Bond girl aren’t as interesting as Casino and director Marc Forster doesn’t know how to handle this material as deftly as Martin Campbell, but is it fair to compare Quantum of Solace to arguably the best Bond film ever made (and, by extension, one of the best action movies overall)? No, Quantum isn’t as good as Casino Royale, but neither are most action movies.

And Quantum of Solace IS better than at least three Pierce Brosnan Bond movies, both Timothy Dalton movies, and most of the Roger Moore missions. It’s a brutal action-fest that is missing something because it’s naturally all final act – being a continuation of the last film – but it’s still incredibly well-made. The first fifteen minutes alone make it worth a rental. For anyone who calls themselves a serious Bond fan, they make it worth a purchase…

Read on…

Hollywood Chicago

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A solid action packed edition to the James Bond franchise [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

The film looks fantastic in HD on the blu-ray edition. The bonus material for Quantum of Solace however is actually quite disappointing. In the past, MGM studios have always been good in releasing solid bonus features with their James Bond DVDs. Quantum of Solace however isn’t one of those releases that holds up with their previous editions. Casino Royale originally came out as a humble one disc set with very few extras. But MGM has since released it properly with all the bonus material it should have delivered the first time around. One suspects that much like its predecessor, this is just a teaser release with a two-disc Quantum of Solace Collector’s Edition inevitably being released in the near future…

Read on…

Lumino Magazine

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Quantum of Solace is the brooding, cold-blooded dark side of Bond we seldom see [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

From the opening moments of the film, I knew Quantum was different from everything that had come before it. The stillness, and the quiet. The graceful helicopter shot towards the cliff. Extreme closeups, accompanied by the sounds of steady breathing and distant engines roaring. All of these things are borderline uncharacteristic of Bond films, and yet I felt more in tune with the world of James Bond than ever before. And in an instant, almost as if we’re shifting with Bond’s focus, we are thrust into the middle of a high-speed chase, the intensity of which is undeniable. This is but one of the moments that makes Quantum unique, compelling, powerful and poetic–my favorite being the Opera sequence midway through.

Quantum‘s one and only complication is that it relies on Casino Royale for the narrative groundwork. Now of course, that no longer presents a problem to the viewer if you’ve seen Casino, but if you haven’t seen Casino Royale, next to nothing will make sense here. If you’re hoping to pick this up and you haven’t watched Casino yet, you’d be well advised to give it a watch beforehand…

Read on…

HighDefDiscNews

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A globe-trotting adventure apt to disappoint

Nevertheless, Quantum of Solace does offer about double the amount of gun play, fisticuffs, foot chases and pyrotechnics, plus all the automobile, motorcycle, airplane and speedboat derring-do of the typical 007 installment. The problem is that the movie no longer feels like a Bond film when stripped of its eagerly-anticipated earmarks, but looks suspiciously similar to a high-octane Jason Bourne affair in terms of non-stop stunts and its unflappable protagonist’s inscrutable demeanor.

What does remain intact is Bond’s familiar mission to save the world from a diabolical villain bent on world domination. In this case, the creep is Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) whose benignly-named Greene Planet Corporation has for some reason been quietly acquiring ecological preserves around the planet by any means necessary…

Read on…

News Blaze

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A pretty kinetic and engaging enough action-thriller [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

If nothing else, Quantum of Solace is an utterly frenetic and doggedly relentless thrill-ride. Director Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Monster’s Ball) may at first seem an odd choice to helm a Bond film, and he does bring some of his more art school-leanings to this very commercial franchise, but he might as well be director in name only. Solace really belongs to its second unit team, which pummels us with such intense, non-stop (and overly-edited) action that I was often left wrung-out and tired. Solace also aims high in terms of its creative setpieces, with a mid-movie operatic interlude easily the most ambitious and intricate sequence yet seen in a Bond picture. If nothing else, Quantum of Solace is a very fun, very fast thrill ride that never lets up.

Still, it’s hard not to think that Quantum of Solace might have had more resonance had the filmmakers tried a little harder to add some meat to the bones of a such a skeletal, action-heavy narrative. Aside from the very serious Craig, and a few nods to the Bond of yore (M, a typically snazzy credit sequence, and OK title tune by Jack White and Alicia Keyes), there is little in Quantum of Solace that separates it from any generic (if well-made) action flick this side of the ‘Bourne’ series. While I still enjoyed Solace, it’s not the instant classic that was Casino Royale, and only whets my appetite for a return to a more well-rounded and less pretentious Bond the next time around. Quantum of Solace hasn’t entirely let the air out of the tires of the rebooted Bond, but it’s time for the franchise to lighten up just a little bit if it is to maintain its newfound luster…

Read on…

High-Def Digest

Quantum of Solace Blu-ray/DVD Overview
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'Quantum of Solace' Is A Bond Blockbuster

Following up a Monday release on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK, first day sales numbers have come in and Quantum of Solace has James Bond blockbuster, selling 522,926 copies.

The full release follows:

James Bond blockbuster Quantum of Solace has become the UK’s biggest home entertainment release of 2009, the Official Charts Company has confirmed.

The film shifted 522,926 Blu-ray and DVD copies on its first day of release on Monday.

Anders Kloster, managing director UK, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, said: “Bond is as big as ever with the British public.”

The film was also a box office phenomenon and had the biggest Friday opening of all time in the UK.

The film was the second outing for Daniel Craig as the super spy after his debut in 2006’s Casino Royale.

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'Quantum of Solace' Takes Top Spot On Amazon UK Sales Chart

With Quantum of Solace hitting DVD and Blu-ray this week in both the UK and US, it’s no surprise that the film is topping the sales charts at both Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

Currently, the 22nd James Bond film is sitting in the top two positions (DVD and Blu-ray editions) on the UK sales chart.

In the US, Twilight is currently the film to beat following a massively successful Saturday release, while the single-disc DVD and Blu-ray editions of Quantum occupy positions #2 and 3, respectively. The two-disc special edition DVD ranks just outside the top ten.

However, on the Blu-ray-only charts, 007 is #1. Walt Disney’s Bolt sits in second place.

Have you gotten Quantum of Solace on Blu-ray or DVD yet? Sound off here on the CommanderBond.net discussion forums.

Daniel Craig On Pushing James Bond Forward

Just as Quantum of Solace debuts on DVD and Blu-ray around the world, the Herald Sun has posted an extensive interview with Daniel Craig where he discusses exactly what went into making the 22nd James Bond adventure.

‘It’s Like A Whack In The Face’

‘Fast as hell,’ is Craig’s quick reply when asked to briefly sum up just what exactly Quantum of Solace is all about.

‘It’s like a whack in the face and I think that’s what we needed. It takes the story on, it deals with all the unfinished business from Casino Royale plus we’ve booted it up–the stunts look amazing, the locations look fantastic and there’s not a lot of time to breathe. Next time we’ll do something more lyrical,’ he adds with a laugh.

Compared to a bullet by director Marc Forster for its breathtaking pace and location hopping, the latest 007 film was all about retaining certain ‘Bondian’ traditions, but also pushing things forward. Describing the overall style of the film, Craig commented: ‘I think the language of film has changed and I think the audience perception has changed. Have you seen that terrific series Mad Men? It’s great and I look at that guy (Jon Hamm) and he’s got such a great look.

‘He’s a loose canon. In fact, [the film] could be called Closure because that’s what he’s looking for.’ –Daniel Craig

He continues: ‘If you doing the film of Sebastian Faulks’ Bond book (centenary novel Devil May Care) that look would be perfect. If you were doing a one off film I would say that’s the way you would go. But that’s not where we are. The intention was always to make more than one of these so we have to move it forward because in two years time when hopefully we’ll do another one, we’ll still be pushing it forward.’

‘If we’d have gone for some cute idea of what it was in the past, some kind of retro thing, it just wouldn’t move it on. I think style is important and I hope that when people see what we’ve done with Quantum–by getting in a new director, a new costume designer, we’ve added something that was of the old movies, paid homage to that, but at the same time we’ve moved it along,’ he added.

‘There are big sets, big wide camera angles, big shots, and it’s kind of that more old fashioned way of doing it. But it’s not looking back, it’s the modern way of doing it but at the same time, knowing itself. But if it becomes too self-knowing it becomes a piss take of itself. And we have to be careful about never doing that.’

Escaping With James Bond

Even though the ever-popular James Bond film series is approaching its 50th anniversary, Craig maintains that there are several ingredients integral to making the modern Bond films successful.

‘I think they have to have what they’ve always had–and that is a very strong central figure,’ he said. ‘That’s an obvious thing to say and I also think that they have to take you somewhere else, to transport the audience. I maintain that.’

‘I was thinking about this earlier and what defined those early movies was the fact that they went on location as much as they did. They maybe faked a few places–as we still do and we have to–but those early ones they went to some incredible places. I can’t remember which one it is, but on one of those early ones they went to Tokyo. Imagine getting a film crew to Tokyo!’

‘We all talked about what we remembered from the earlier Bond films and that’s what stayed with us–the fact that you were transported to somewhere you wouldn’t normally see.’ –Daniel Craig

‘I mean, it’s hard enough now but doing it back then and the locations were so important–you looked at the film and you thought “he’s there, that’s Tokyo, that’s the Rio carnival…” those were the things that really defined Bond.’

‘I remember being a kid and looking at the films and going “that’s why I want to be James Bond”–plus the girls and the cars, of course.’

Craig On 007

When asked what specifically was appealing about the James Bond character, Craig cited the fact that ‘he’s this apolitical civil servant who knows exactly what he is doing and is very good at his job. Within our political system we potentially have this organisation, the civil service, where you hope that there are good people making decisions for us, the people.’

‘Even though Fleming was an aspiring upper class person, he invented this man for everybody–and I think Sean [Connery] playing him on screen added to that. Somewhere inside Bond he believes he is doing the right thing even though he kills people all the time! But I love that element about him–that somewhere inside him he knows what is morally right.’

To read the full interview, with details on Craig’s injuries during the Quantum of Solace shoot, his thoughts on the classic 007 films and more, head over to the Herald Sun.

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest James Bond news and coverage.

'Quantum of Solace' On Blu-ray/DVD – What The Critics Said (Part I)

QUANTUM OF SOLACE – BLU-RAY/DVD

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID (PART I)

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As a whole package, Quantum of Solace is very entertaining

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Without a doubt, Quantum of Solace was one of the most anticipated film releases of the 2008 holiday season. It would be Daniel Craig’s second outing as Bond and audiences were eagerly awaiting to see more of the magic from Craig and company that made Casino Royale one of the best received Bond films in decades. Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction) would take the directors chair from two-time Bond director Martin Campbell. Forster seemed an odd choice for such an action packed series, considering his dramatic background.

Quantum of Solace would also mark a first in the Bond series: the first direct sequel to a previous film. The film’s opening moments establish this point immediately, as Bond engages in a high-speed car chase, on his way to deliver Mr. White to MI6. What follows next is a steady stream of action set pieces interspersed with just enough exposition and dialogue to give you a chance to catch your breath, the problem is, the action scenes, while top notch, not the style most Bond fans may have expected. They are obviously the work of Dan Bradley, second unit director and stunt coordinator; his style is very apparent, having been seen before in the latter two Bourne films. The Bourne films have arguably had an influence on the Bond reboot, but the last thing this revitalized series needs is to come off as an imitator of another franchise…

Read on…

DVD Talk

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You do still get some extras, but it’s just they’re not very good [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

One word to describe the picture quality at times here: stunning. The early shots sweeping over the ocean are reminiscent of similar scene-setters in the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies, and they looked great in 1080p too. Here, Quantum of Solace looks as grade A as you’d expect such an expensive and major production to be. It’s backed with a DTS 5.1 HD sound mix that’s by turns aggressive and subtle, with a vibrant soundstage that reflects the film well (although the film’s use of audio itself is quite mixed, to be fair). It’s a very well presented movie.

Don’t get too excited where the extras are concerned, though. After the highs of the film’s presentation, things come crashing down with the extra features package. It’s frustrating, because it’s blatantly clear that the real stuff is being prepared for the special edition, which will no doubt arrive in eighteen months’ time around the release of the next 007 movie. Director Marc Forster has already admitted that he’s recorded a commentary, that’s not on this disc, and neither is the deleted scene where Daniel Craig utters the “Bond, James Bond” line to Mr White…

Read on…

Den of Geek

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There’s some good stuff on it, but not nearly enough [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Shortly before diving into this disc I rewatched my SD copy of Casino Royale for the first time since its release a couple of years ago. I don’t remember noting it first time around but that transfer really wasn’t top notch, with some scenes suffering from compression artefacts making Daniel’s face twice as craggy as it should have been and a softness of image that belied its recent release date. Unsurprisingly, going straight from that to this BD transfer proved quite a contrast. The film is presented on a BD50 disc encoded in 1080p AVC in its correct 2.35:1 ratio and is, according to the BBFC site, uncut. The transfer manages to capture the often unique palate of the location shoot on Colón, managing to convey the subtle hues of the town’s buildings, both in the daytime and evening scenes, in a suitably pleasing manner. Black levels are nicely distinguished, although there is a faint impression that the sequence at the dock both immediately before and during the boat chase is slightly darker than it should have been, while in the same period a couple of shots of the water look more like digital noise than the mulling waves one would expect. There’s a very faint patina of grain over the Bolivian desert scenes while a faint shimmer in the sequence in M’s hi-tech office when Bond first asks who Greene is. Otherwise it’s a extremely pleasing, high quality transfer, one which ensures that Daniel Craig’s face has just the correct amount of cragginess…

Read on…

DVD Times

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An exciting, enjoyable continuation of an edgier, tougher, tighter Bond’s adventures

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Quantum of Solace‘s anamorphic transfer is rock solid. The 2.35:1 image is crisp and good-looking, with nothing noticeable in the way of digital artifacts. Roberto Schaefer’s cinematography plays mostly in grays and blacks, which are deeply rendered with appropriate contrast. When brighter colors occasionally appear–as in the Italian chase sequence or the deep blue waters surrounding Giannini’s villa–they pop nicely.

No complaints with the audio quality, either; the 5.1 track is sharp and exciting, with crystal-clear dialogue and well-mixed music. Directional effects are very good in the action sequences–and not just in the big, subwoofer-shaking explosions, but in the well-placed swinging planks and crashing glass of the church fight and the whizzing motors of the boat chase. Overall, a very impressive mix…

Read on…

DVD Talk

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Definitely worth a watch, but don’t bother with the second disc of extras

Quantum of Solace picks up immediately where Casino Royale left off, with Daniel Craig’s Bond freshly betrayed by Vesper Lynd. His road to revenge or redemption reveals a new worldwide conspiracy called QUANTUM that has infiltrated Her Majesty’s Secret Service itself, and takes him outside the law, going rogue against his own government.

The trail leads Bond to QUANTUM’s plan to overthrow the Bolivian government and install a dictator in exchange for ownership of a vast desert — for the oil, everyone assumes. Mathieu Amalric is the sleazy eco-entrepreneur Dominic Greene, Olga Kurylenko plays Camille, a former secret agent with her own reasons to take down the new dictator, and Gemma Arterton is barely there as Fields, a British agent. The film careens along between set pieces, delivering lots of action but without the coherence and depth that made Casino Royale more than just another action flick…

Read on…

Film.com

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Quantum of Solace captures all of the action, but only some of the fun

While Quantum of Solace is a fine action film in its own right, it really requires the viewer to have seen Casino Royale for it to fully make sense and would be incomplete without it. Craig makes a good Bond, but this is an edgier take on the role, devoid of the charm and wit usually found with the character. Also, there is no Q character or any of the fun gadgets that go along with it. These are things at least this Bond fan goes to see and it is always fun to see what cool toy he will play with next. He is a spy after all. Let’s hope some of that is back in the next film. Quantum of Solace captures all of the action, but only some of the fun that made Bond great to begin with.

The DVD includes a number of extras, including the music video for “Another Way to Die” by Jack White and Alicia Keys and two theatrical teaser trailers on Disc One while Disc Two has “Bond on Location,” “Start of Shooting,” “On Location,” “Olga Kurylenko and the Boat Chase,” “Director Marc Forster,” “The Music” and very extensive “Crew Files.”

Read on…

Blogcritics Magazine

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Quantum of Solace introduces a far more believable James Bond [Blu-ray]

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

There is a lot to like in Quantum of Solace if you approach it with the right state of mind. Unlike Casino Royale, Mark Forster’s film reveals a James Bond who is notably vulnerable, at times even surprisingly weak–I liked that. What I disliked about Quantum of Solace was its chaotic story with the generally ineffective secondary characters in it. This being said, the Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of 20th Century Fox-UK, looks and sounds fantastic. I sense that somewhere down the road we will see a SE of some sort, but, the current presentation is very much of top-notch quality. Recommended.

Read on…

Blu-ray.com

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Olga Kurylenko Would Return For Another James Bond Film

Even though there aren’t any indications that Bond girl Camille will be returning in a future James Bond film, actress Olga Kuylenko has stated that she wouldn’t hesitate to come back for another 007 adventure…

The Ukrainian-born actress had “so much fun” shooting Quantum of Solace opposite Daniel Craig – who plays the British spy – wouldn’t hesitate to reprise her role as Camille if producers want her.

She said: “It wouldn’t be for me to decide, but I’d go for it because when we filmed last year it was so much fun. Why would I refuse that fun again?”

Olga added it took her a while to develop the qualities needed to be a good Bond girl, which included overcoming many of her fears for the stunt-filled role.

She said: “To be a Bond girl you need courage, charm, determination and feistiness.

“Outside of work, I’ve done nothing daring – I don’t even go on roller coasters. In character, you have to work through the fear and the nausea.

“I’d never do it in my own life, so I just think, ‘Hey, this is your chance, do it now.'”

Olga’s training included simulated skydives, which the 29-year-old says initially hurt.

She added to Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “It made me hurt in places I didn’t even know I had muscles. But then I was doing it three times a week. By the end I was flying on my back and could do flips.”

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'Quantum of Solace' Available In HD On iTunes Store

Quantum of Solace is among the first set of film titles that are available to pre-order in high-definition at the iTunes Store.

The news came following yesterday’s announcement that movie fans would be able to purchase box office blockbusters for download in HD for $19.99 from iTunes, with iTunes Movie Rentals in HD for $4.99 within 30 days after release.

The full announcement follows:

Movie Fans Can Buy & Rent Films in High Definition on the iTunes Store

Box Office Favorites Including ‘Quantum of Solace’ & ‘Twilight’ Available in Stunning HD

Apple(R) today announced that iTunes(R) customers can purchase and rent box office favorites including Quantum of Solace and Twilight in stunning HD on the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com). Starting today, movie fans can purchase box office blockbusters for download in HD for $19.99 from iTunes, and films will be available as iTunes Movie Rentals in HD for $4.99 within 30 days after release. Customers can enjoy these films in HD on their Mac(R) or PC and on their widescreen TV with Apple TV(R), as well as in standard definition on their iPhone(TM) or iPod(R) with video. The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online TV and movie store, with over 250 million TV episodes purchased and over 33 million movies purchased and rented.

“Movie fans are going to love being able to buy and rent films including Quantum of Solace and Twilight in stunning HD from the iTunes Store,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “Customers have made HD content on iTunes a hit, with over 50 percent of TV programming being purchased in HD when available.”Starting today, iTunes customers can pre-order Quantum of Solace which will be downloaded to their computer on March 24, and the smash hit thriller Twilight will be available on March 21. iTunes customers can purchase Transporter 3, Punisher: War Zone and other select titles in HD today, and the action/comedy The Spirit will be available on April 14. The iTunes Movie Store will be adding more HD movies soon and customers can view the latest offerings at www.itunes.com/movies/hd.

The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 10 million songs, over 40,000 TV episodes, and over 5,000 movies including over 1,200 in stunning high definition video for rent. With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

Pricing & AvailabilityiTunes 8.1 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Store and is available as a free download from (www.itunes.com). Purchase and download of songs and videos from the iTunes Store requires a valid credit card from a financial institution in the country of purchase. Video availability varies by country. iTunes Movie Rentals are $2.99 (US) for library titles and $3.99 (US) for new releases, and high definition versions are priced just one dollar more with library titles at $3.99 (US) and new releases at $4.99 (US).

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

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Quantum of Solace Blu-ray/DVD Overview
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