Well somehow in between the hectic schedule of work and running around like a… something that runs around a lot, was able to watch a couple of spy action movies. Now I’m sure you’ve all heard of the first one “Quantum of Solace” the latest in the Bond series known for nifty gadgets and witty dialogue… though there wasn’t too much of that in the new movie, meh, whatever.
Quantum delivered what I suppose the movie going audience expects these days, lots of action one liners and explosions. To be honest, I did enjoy the film as a regular action movie but for me Bond represented a sophisticated spy, a well-blended mix of brain and brawn. The franchise owners must have taken a look at Bourne and thought they needed to spice up the action a bit, so that is pretty much all this new Bond does throughout the film, shoot at things and kill people, no subtle manoeuvring that is really the essence of being a spy, which means he’s just a Rambo type mercenary that wears a suit. Still for all it is a good movie and I think it is interesting how they are building the evil organization in the background. However I saw another movie that make me think the Bond franchise needs a rework or should really be put to rest.
The other movie is “Traitor”, a somewhat more realistic movie that explores the world of terrorism and the Islamic faith. This was not a movie I looked for or indeed wanted to watch, but was instantly drawn into the feel of the film as it started playing. ‘Traitor’ showed the more unglamorous side of spy work, where moral ground becomes tricky and the strength of character (not skill with weapons) needed to carry through a mission.
Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Crash) gives a believable performance of a man devout in his Islamic faith. The movie challenges some perceptions but in a subtle way, considering the events leading up to the US election (especially in the McCain rallies) this movie is probably something most Americans would benefit from watching – though I doubt that would happen. This movie doesn’t seem to have gotten a lot of mainstream coverage as compared to the aforementioned Quantum of Solace. To illustrate this point, the wikipedia pages on these two films is a bit different, “Traitor” has one screen of information while “Quantum” has about five times that.
All said and done both movies were entertaining in their own way but, at least with “Traitor” one can feel like they are not just wasting time watching mindless entertainment, by no means is watching a movie equivalent to understanding – but if it can get a couple of people to challenge their preconceived perceptions that it’s value is far greater than “Quantum of Solace” even if it doesn’t bring in the big box office cash.
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