Picking up hours after the events of Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace finds James Bond (Daniel Craig) looking for a modicum of consolation (my apologies) after being betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved. Despite his attempts to prevent from making this personal, 007 has vengeance on his mind. During his pursuit of the truth, Bond captures Mr. White, and he and 'M' (Judi Dench) interrogate him, and he reveals the organization that blackmailed Vesper to steal Bond's casino winnings is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

Forensic intelligence links an MI6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille, a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene, a ruthless businessman and major force within the mysterious criminal organization known only as Quantum.

On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano. Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in Bolivia, giving General Medrano control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land which is, however, a main source of the South American water supply. In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists, and even 'M' herself, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop Quantum from getting its way. A slight disappointment ensues.

If you want an honest assessment regarding Quantum of Solace's entertainment value then you're not going to get it from "Bond purists." Lucky for you, I'm here to offer my always unbiased, completely accurate opinion. OK, so maybe there was that one time I wasn't entirely neutral when I insisted Josh Brolin was robbed of a "Best Costume" Oscar for his shorts-over-the-sweat pants ensemble he was sportin' in The Goonies. However, Brolin is not in this film looking like a character from Flashdance, so you can trust me on this one.

You've likely heard the complaints - "This doesn't FEEL like a Bond movie!" "This is more like The Bourne Identity!" "Bond isn't supposed to be an action hero!" Well, you know what? I LIKE Bond as an action hero! True, this doesn't "feel" like a typical Bond film, but if Pierce Brosnan's previous efforts are what a Bond movie is supposed to feel like, then I'm sorry, but this more easily passes my touch test.

I said this in my Casino Royale review, and I'll reiterate it here - Daniel Craig is awesome as 007. He's one bad mamma jamma (yep, I just used that term) who convinces me he is the type of British spy that you do not want to reckon with. I will admit that the complete absence of spy gadgetry is missed. Were a couple of implausibly cool techno toys too much to ask for? However, I found it refreshing that not every single woman in the film found it necessary to immediately jump in bed with the guy.

It will come as no surprise that the film's biggest strength is its off-the-charts action. Other than a few shots of "closely-filmed shaky cam," the action sequences are impressive. Unfortunately, what takes place in between the explosions and car chases is not. Not only is the story a disappointment in terms of interest and tension, but it's also hard to follow. Admittedly, it would have helped to re-watch Casino Royale, but the ability to understand a film shouldn't depend on its predecessor. Too many "twists" and characters with hard-to-pronounce names muddied the waters and left me with a desire to return to the action.

Plus, "weak" is not a strong enough word to describe the main villain. When your adversary looks like Chris Kattan, you've got serious issues. This guy doesn't have the muscle to fight a parking ticket, let alone James Bond!

Quantum of Solace is an entertaining film, and its action sequences are more than worthy of the big screen. I just wish the story had felt like something more than filler.

• Jeffrey Wright was in W. with Josh Brolin who was in Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content, Quantum of Solace is pretty clean. There a couple of "s" bombs and a few mild profanities (d**n and h-e-double hockey sticks). Sexual content consists of a few suggestive comments and one scene where Bond is in bed with some chick who displays her bare back. Nothing explicit is seen. There's really no need to take the pre-teens.

The movie pretty much delivers what the trailers lead you to expect.

I feel Casino Royale holds up better as a more complete film, but Craig still kicks mucho rump cheek as Bond, and you'll enjoy seeing the action on a huge screen with a great sound system. Make it a matinee.