Fridae

The new James Bond movie is similar to the previous one: gritty, grimy and somewhat lacking in glamour. Unlike previous actors playing Bond, Daniel Craig is unapologetically cruel, distinctly uncouth and morally complex.

Unlike previous Bonds, the new character is dark and cold. He is bent on avenging the death of his girlfriend Vesper Lynd (who was killed in the previous film Casino Royale). And he has little time to be suave or fashionable. His clothes (designed by Tom Ford) reflect a more practical, no-nonsense approach. And there are things he does in Quantum of Solace that'll make you hate him.

But that's precisely the reason why this new Bond is the Bond of our era - dark, cynical, morally ambiguous. Just like The Dark Knight reinvigorated the Batman franchise in a post-9/11, post-Bush world, the new Bond is also making a statement with his more primal, baser persona, which hides a deep inner turmoil.

Quantum of Solace is almost a continuation of Casino Royale. Bond is now searching for the organization responsible for the death of his lover Vesper (Eva Green), and will follow any lead or clue to avenge her - regardless of consequences. He meets a beautiful woman (Ukrainian hottie Olga Kurylenko) who also has vengeance on their mind. Their closest lead is the chief (Mathieu Amalric) of a shell corporation�

Directed by Marc Foster (Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball), Quantum of Solace is not nearly as good as the extraordinary Casino Royale. Judged on its own terms, however, Quantum of Solace is still a good action movie that thrives on action sequences more than anything else. Regrettably, the characterization of Bond, so richly fleshed out in Casino Royale, feels a little thin here. And the story also feels flimsier that the previous film.

Still, action junkies will certainly enjoy the car chases and face-to-face combat, even as serious Bond lovers bemoan the loss of glamour in this dirtier, rougher creation of Bond.