Exclusive review: Quantum of Solace is a Blu-ray blockbuster, but Bond's package could be better

Quantum of Solace is Bond pared back to absolute basics. Casino Royale might have stripped Bond of the more outlandish accoutrements he’s collected over the decades (groovy gadgets, cheery quips, etc.), but this sequel takes things even further.

Picking up immediately after the events of its predecessor, QoS finds 007 hot on the trail of the people responsible for the death of his lover Vesper Lynd. Cue a series of chases and explosions through some rather squalid locations.

It’s exciting stuff, to be sure, but despite another excellent performance by Daniel Craig, this Bond has divided the Fleming cognoscenti; the story is less engaging than Royale and swaps characterisation for momentum.

Mark Craven: From the car chase that opens the film you know that you’re in for a treat with this BD's AVC 2.40:1 encode. The first thing you'll notice is how incredibly cinematic it looks, courtesy of the natural grain inherent in the source material. Skin tones, from suntans to bruises look invitingly real. Then you'll notice the crisp detailing of the walls of the quarry the cars race through and the astoundingly clean lines of the vehicles themselves. Breathtaking stuff. Skip ahead to the explosive climax (Chapter 25) and check out how well the encoding handles the film’s more fiery, complex moments.

Casino Royale is still often hailed as a landmark Blu-ray release in terms of picture quality; Quantum by and large lives up to the legacy. Video quality can be considered supreme.

Steve May: The 24/48kHz 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundmix on QoS is as crazed as a secret agent on crack. Taut, textured and tortured, it races from one manic sequence to another.
You don't have to wait long for carmageddon, less than a minute in fact, and then you're into a genius car duel that's destined to become an AV system demo classic. Engines growl, wheels screech and machine guns rattle; literally, no driver is left unruffled. Then kiss kiss bang bang: you're into the thumping Jack White/Alica Keys theme. Phew, 007! There's barely time to catch your breath.

Obviously, QoS isn't all about volume and violence. The driving rain that opens Chapter 5 underscores the London location and the quiet sweep of Mitchell's flat contrasts with the echoey confines of the MI6 building that follows.

Showing its sophistication, the movie never takes those short cuts which can make sonic embellishments sound cartoony and fake; Bond's fight in Chapter 6 is frighteningly real, it's all smashing glass, painful grunts and fleshy impacts.

Another striking element is David Arnold’s frantic score. Long forgotten are the grandiose orchestrations of the super-spy's middle-age. In this, Arnold's fourth work for the franchise, it's all choppy, rocky rhythms. Very contemporary.

In an interview with The Times, he describes his approach to Bond as 'more muscular,' than his iconic predecessor John Barry. 'It's less flowery, it's more rhythmic, it's darker, dirtier. Though you're still utilising the sound of an orchestra, the approach is punk-rock. We ask the players to hit their instruments hard and be aggressive and there are lots of dirty horrible guitars and drums.'

Long-term fans might bristle at the film's spiky sensibilities, and lament the relegation of the classic theme to the end credits, but there's no doubting the drama of Arnold's compositions. When it comes to audio, this disc has a license to thrill.

Anton van Beek: Disappointingly, this release is ultimately as much of a stopgap solution as the original Casino Royale Blu-ray release.

The only extra of any real depth is a 25-minute Bond on Location documentary, but even this feels like the kind of promo piece you might stumble across on TV around the time of the film’s theatrical release. The remaining behind-the-scenes material all seems like it has been nicked from the film’s website - five featurettes that each clock in at around three minutes or less, plus a series of 34 tiny video profiles of various members of the crew. Naturally, there’s a music video of the Jack White theme song and two trailers.

Expect a more comprehensive Blu-ray edition to arrive around the same time that the next Bond film hits the big screen.

Overall though, this is another big budget Blu-ray blockbuster that doesn’t disappoint. The package could clearly be much better (and will be on the inevitable reissue) but if you want to see and hear Blu-ray strut its stuff, then it’s a must-have action platter. Let’s face it, Bond just looks better in Blu.

20th Century Fox/MGM, Region B Blu-ray, £30, On sale from March 23
HCC VERDICT: 4/5