Now pay attention, moviegoer, this could save your life. Quantum of Solace, the latest James Bond installment, has everything you’re looking for in a movie. There are plenty of action, stuff blowing up, a few attractive women to watch, a crazy villain and a bizarre story to follow. Yes, it has all of that, but it is missing one simple thing: Q.
The Q-Branch of MI6 is probably the most ubiquitous, factious government section ever imagined. This is the department that has supplied James colorful toys, such as exploding pens, miniature GPS systems, aquatic cars, personal helicopters and just about anything a spy could need.
The best part of Q-Branch was how juvenile all these toys sounded. These were things 13 year-old nerds thought of in their parents’ basements. To see your nerdy dreams come to life on the screen was proof that nerds are everywhere.
Daniel Craig is the best choice to pick up the Bond franchise; it just feels like James has grown out of his toys. It seems like a level of maturity has been added to these movies that wasn’t in place before. James isn’t completely motivated by seductive curves and flashy gadgets. Nope, he’s on a mission and won’t stop until he finds his man.
Well, there was On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which felt mature since we all thought James would take the plunge. However, it didn’t last very long, thankfully, and then we had Roger Moore. With any luck, for the next Bond movie John Cleese can reprise his role as Q and bring back the missing link.
