Action once moreProducer: Michael G Wilson, Barbara Broccoli Director: Marc Forster Writer: Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert WadeStars: Daniel Craig,Olga Kurylenko,Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Giancarlo GianniniPlot: Agent 007 - Bond busts the racket of corrupt business man and a Bolivian dictator on the verge of exploiting the nation's water resource.Verdict: All action, no novelty.Box Office Prospects: Bond fans will flock this franchise with fervour.Creative Quotient: This 22nd Bond film packs in all the de rigeur features of Agent 007's exploits - chases, fist fights, raining bullets, air drama, exotic locales, betrayal, revenge, haunting past and of course the leggy ladies.Bond (Daniel Craig) is back with his penetrating blue-eyed gaze, he has rounded up Mr White in Italy. As he and his boss M (Judi Dench) begin interrogating him in the basement of a colloseum with a thumping horse race in progress above. Mr White scoffs at them to reveal that their mysterious organisation had people everywhere and suddenly M's personal security guard sprays them all with bullets.Taking advantage of the ensuing confusion, the traitor flees with Bond hot on his heels. Threading their way through huge crowd of spectators, the chase continues over building scaffolds and tiled roofs until Bond guns down his victim eventually. Bond gets picked up by mysterious Camille (Olga Kurylenko) who leads him right to the heart of the conspiracy between Bolivian dictator and business brain Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric). This is a vendetta saga where Camille wants to avenge her parents' murder at the hands of the barbarian dictator while Bond wants get to the bottom of why his last lady love betrayed him for her notorious organisation - Qunatum. Writers weave in the plot touching upon the requisite elements of Bond franchise. The only difference in the 22nd installment is that it is bereft of the famous, “The name is Bond, James Bond" proclamation and the jazzy gadgets altogether! Apart from that time the locations aren't swank and snazzy - the backdrop is mostly dusty, grimy and impoverished. The lines aren't witty enough either. The only one that makes a mark is, "You have one shot, take a deep breath. Make it count”. Writer trio Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are clearly not thinking out of the box. They are just repeating the well-tested formula.Technical Expertise: Director Marc Forster hasn't really taken the Bond story further either through his direction or through the narrative. It seems like a tired version of it's former glorious self. He fails to reinvent and rejuvenate the Bond saga. Daniel Craig in his skinny, fitted suits and lines face looks haggard for most of screen time that prompts even his boss M (Judy Dench) to question him about the last time he had slept! Bond gal Olga Kurylenko isn't breath-taking enough. It's a film that falls short of expectation.The plot is predictable and so are the action sequences. This Bond film doesn't really have anything spectacular or novel to offer by way of viewing experience. Director of Photography Roberto Schaefer captures the dusty deserts and limey mines adeptly as he does the Italian back lanes. Editors Matt Chesse and Richard Pearson string in sequences shot across Europe and South America in a lucid manner. The locations are authentic and impressive. Stunt Coordinator Gary Powell opts for the regular boat, air, car and over the roof tops chases. Fiery explosions and crumbling rubble, tumbling cars in the ravine - 'been there seen that'!! Et tu Bond! Not much of a solace for Bond fans.Rating: Three stars - for authentic locations, incessant action sequences and those handful of smart one-liners.
