SPOILER WARNING!
Do not proceed unless you want to hear details about Quantum Of Solace!

USA Today's Anthony Breznican has written one of the most detailed and informative pieces yet about the production of Quantum Of Solace, James Bond's 22nd adventure.

Published yesterday, the Breznican article reveals a true treasure trove of information invaluable to addicted Bond fans (like myself) for figuring out how to survive over the next 200+ days as we wait for Daniel Craig's second outing as the world's favorite secret agent.

If you haven't read the article yet, do yourself a favor and click here to get caught up with the latest news.

In short, here are the facts about the movie that are revealed from this article:

• The organization that Mr. Greene (to be portrayed by Mathieu Amalric) heads is in fact called "Quantum" - giving the movie title a double meaning - both as Bond's moment of relief and the criminal organization he is up against.
• The "resource" that Mr. Greene plans on exploiting in the plot is water - "using a 'Save the Earth' facade to hide his plan to seize control of part of South America's water supply."
• Bond will not, unfortunately, have "relations" with Bond girl Camille, played by Olga Kurylenko, as Bond is still emotionally recovering from his relationship with Vesper Lynd. Producer Michael G. Wilson states in the article that, "what she's doing, she doesn't care about meeting a boyfriend or something." Bond will, however, bed fellow secret agent Fields played by Gemma Arterton.
• Filming for the movie is halfway completed.
• The location, in Chile's Paranal region was utilized because, as director Marc Forster described it, "it's isolated, you feel lonely, and that's what Bond is struggling with himself. In the desert, it's unforgivable. You're out there, and you might die."
• True to most Bond movie formulas, Greene's villainous headquarters (in real life home to a renowned observatory with some of the world's most advanced telescopes) will blow up at the end of the film - either by special effects or a small model explosion.
• Producer Michael G. Wilson indicates that after this film, "filmmakers might go back to stand-alone plots" for subsequent Bond movies.

Ok, so there are the facts. Now here are my opinions:

On the Quantum Organization

At first I was unhappy with the naming of the organization being the same as part of the movie title. I thought the title sufficed in significance in paralleling with the aftermath of Bond's relationship with Vesper. Why not a throwback to Bond's S.P.E.C.T.R.E. days? To be honest, I would have loved to have heard the acronym dictated again. Who could forget Bond's first outing in 1962 when Dr. No monotonously recited it to Bond? (For those wondering, its Special Executor for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, Extortion...ya, awesome acronym!)

Anyways, I first thought the two quantum 'theory' would be overkill, but then I viewed an image of Mathieu Amalric as Mr. Greene in the USA Today article:

Do you see it??? Of course you do. The "Q" lapel pin! As soon as I saw this accessory my jaw dropped to the floor. I love it, first of all and I want one - I do love the fact that they are bringing back a certain aura of mystique that came with S.P.E.C.T.R.E.'s evil octopus symbol. It may be the coolest font for the letter 'q' I have ever seen. I'll be searching for one of these on eBay as soon as the movie premieres.

Water as 'The Resource'

I cannot lie, I am a little perplexed by this choice for a resource. Obviously, when it was first revealed that Greene would be plundering some resource I immediately suspected oil. In today's world oil would have been a perfect fit, and the South America location would not be too far of a stretch, as Ecuador and Venezuela are major world oil producers.

Also, I find it odd that Mr. Greene's headquarters for pilfering water is in, all places, a desert - where water is scarce. Pardon me for saying, but if one wanted to exploit water, wouldn't one headquarter their organization in some water-ful region? For lack of a better location, back in Venice where Casino Royale was partly set?

My questions about the resource and Greene's organization will undoubtedly be answered when I see the movie, but for now (and I'm sure it was on purpose), production is remaining moot on just how Greene will manipulate this resource to...hold the world/South America ransom???

Camille - Not For Bond

What a shame! I was looking forward to a steamy scene with Olga Kurylenko and Bond, although its alternative, one with Gemma Arterton can't be all that bad - she has an Eva Green-ish super cuteness to her, which we all know can be "enhanced" to say the least (see Royale's Vesper love scenes - wow). It is logical, however, for Bond to be tentative with woman after his previous relationship drowned (ouch, sorry for the pun) in betrayal. We'll see how this turns out, but I'll have to say I was slightly disappointed with this news.

Filming is Halfway Complete

I would have thought after seeing all the specials on Hollywood gossip shows that filming was a little further along, but oh well. As long as I have a seat in the theater at 11:59 PM on November 6th!

The Setting

Reading this part of the article got me really excited. Never before has a director of a Bond movie filmed on location for the benefit of the Bond character. Sure, most island getaways and ski resorts add to a Bond movie's draw, but utilizing the desert as a way to influence Daniel Craig's portrayal of the James Bond character is in the least poetic. It's almost as if, as I have stated in my previous articles, that the production team is making this movie as a book first and a movie second - something that Ian Fleming, in my opinion, would be extremely pleased with. It's just hard to imagine the director from, say, A View To A Kill (1985) state that he chose San Francisco as a location because Bond had a penchant for bridges or something.

It may sound silly, but Forster should be commended for taking a "high budget action movie" so seriously and in the same manner as he did with any of his other successful dramatic movies. Bravo!

Standalone Plots Post-Quantum?

I think it will be sad to see the continuity go, although who knows how it will translate in the next movie. As stated in the article, it is something that has never been done before in Bond movies. And in the way changes to the James Bond formula came to fruition in Casino Royale, I would welcome any subsequent changes to 'the formula'!