Is the newest Bond a bore?

"Quantum of Solace," director Marc Forster's follow-up to the terrific "Casino Royale" (helmed by Martin Campbell) has opened to mixed reviews. Could someone else have "done it better?" Perhaps.

From Variety:

"The shortest and certainly the most action-dense Bond ever, 'Quantum of Solace' plays like an extended footnote to 'Casino Royale' rather than a fully realized, stand-alone movie. Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, possibly knowing they couldn't immediately top the previous pic's sheer stylishness, have radically reshuffled the series' traditional elements, but also allowed incoming director Marc Forster to almost throw the baby out with the bathwater. Played with a cold, mechanical efficiency that recalls the 'Bourne' movies, with almost no downtime or emotional hooks, 'Quantum' will find some solace in beefy initial returns but looks unlikely to find a royale spot in Bond history or fans' hearts.

"Though the pic is the first in the series in which the action follows directly from the previous film, the differences in tone, look and tempo are instantly apparent. As the camera zooms across northern Italy's Lake Garda to pick out Bond (Daniel Craig) being chased in his Aston Martin by armed villains, it's clear that the elegance of the franchise that 'Royale' director Martin Campbell resuscitated is already a thing of the past. Even David Arnold's music seems to punch the clock rather than elevate the visuals."

Not so good. But -- don't take Variety's word for it. Plenty of critics loved the movie. Check out more positive (and negative) reviews here. And...you know you're at the theater tonight regardless.

--posted by Kim