James Blond is back in the worst titled movie of the year. Quantum of Solace? This is James Bond not some undergrad lit student's weak attempt at writing a Robert Frost knockoff.

Daniel Craig returns in this sequel to Casino Royale. This time out Blond tries to uncover the secretive organization that blackmailed his chick-a-poo from the last flick. The big bad Bond villain this time is Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). Since we've cast away the over-the-top, goofy Bond routine and everyone's oh so serious and thoughtful, Amalric isn't a mad scientist or devious arms dealer but a crooked business man looking to corner the market on some natural resources. I'll take Dr. No any day.

My griping about the reworking of the Bond franchise aside, it looks like it could have promise if done right. Hopefully, they'll avoid the stuffiness of the last film and concentrate on what makes the Bond franchise work - the fact that they're fun to see.