Like a cheese double quarter pounder without buns, “Quantum of Solace” features an overabundance of meaty action scenes and special effects, sandwiched with an absence of plot material or any meaningful dialogue.The latest James Bond film continues where the previous one, “Casino Royale,” left off. In “Casino Royale,” Bond earned his license to kill, prevented a terrorist attack at Miami Airport, went face-to-face with the villain Le Chiffre in a poker game, fell in love with treasury agent Vesper Lynd and watched her die at the hands of the Quantum organization.”Quantum of Solace,” continues the story with Bond rough riding through the crowded streets of Siena, while keeping Mr. White in his trunk as parcel delivery. After M and Bond are nearly assassinated by a Quantum mole in MI5, Bond investigates the organization, globetrotting through ecological hotspots, disposing of criminals in service of Queen, country and revenge.Will Bond penetrate Quantum and bring vengeance on Dominic Green — philanthropist and architect of Lynd’s death — or will his impulsiveness cause his downfall?To comprehend the forces that churned out “Quantum of Solace,” it is necessary to look at its two massive influences: the Bond and Bourne franchises.The first Bond films were based on a concept developed by author Ian Fleming. Working on what Fleming envisioned, Sean Connery and George Lazenby were no-nonsense Bonds who visibly oozed sexiness and intelligence through their pores. The gadgets, the car, the martini and other accessories, which became the stock-in–trade of the movies, occurred during this period of infancy.After Connery came Roger Moore, who simultaneously ramped up the character’s conquests and applied the brakes to the action.Unfortunately, with the collapse of Communism and the rise of global terrorism, the keepers of the franchise decided to shift from Pierce Brosnan’s aging persona to a new brand. The newest Bond, amply acted by Daniel Craig, was supposed to obliterate everything audiences had come to expect from the films.Gone were the lean, trim males of the bygone era. In was the smoldering, sculpted hunk — Craig wouldn’t look out of place modeling for Michelangelo; while the previous Bonds had the look — dark hair, symmetrical visages, squared jaws and honeyed baritone voices, Craig was blond with the pug of a washed-up boxer and the attitude to match.In following this template, “Quantum of Solace” works like a zombie on speed. All action sequences are cranked up with a haste that deviates from the lethargic pace of previous efforts. Here we get a car chase, a boat chase, a plane chase and a chase on foot. One moment, Bond is in Italy, the next, Bolivia, and then, wherever — jet lagging feats improbable even with recent advances in quantum mechanics.The filmmakers aren’t interested in entertaining their audience as much as in overwhelming them in an avalanche of special effects-induced adrenaline.Granted, all that has been described above could still have the germ of a good film. But what makes the “Quantum of Solace” a poor one is its pillage of the Bourne series and its inability to make Bond anything more than a vicious fictional character onscreen.Though action scenes abound, their aesthetic power is expended in aping director Paul Greengrass’s visual choreography from “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “The Bourne Supremacy.” There are fight sequences shot in zapping speed with low lighting then edited to a blur. There are blocked camera shots and the obligatory whirling dervish of a handheld camera.Is it so hard to shoot a fight in medium shot?This MTV cinematography seems to be an attempt to disguise the underlying sadism that inhabits the Bondian universe by applying a veneer of aesthetic flourishes. The final result is a look that comes off cheap and contrived. If “Quantum of Solace” wasn’t part of a famous series, it would serve as an advertisement for limiting violence in movies.Jason Bourne, like Bond, was a creature of the Cold War. Author Robert Ludlum created the character in 1980 during the peak of attacks by Marxist-leaning national terrorist groups. So unlike Bond, Bourne is relevant to our contemporary milieu.”The Bourne Identity” was about a CIA top secret mission to compete with the terrorist Carlos the Jackal. Bourne was a member of a consortium of killers but was knocked off when a project was bungled.In losing his memory, Bourne elicited our sympathy by creating a projection of ourselves in him. This essential humanity is what is lacking in Bond.Instead of a ladies man, Bond is now a killing machine. We are expected to empathize with Bond on Vesper’s loss, but we can’t imagine him loving anyone, much more our loving him.”Quantum of Solace” enlivens our sensory taste buds, though its accomplishments descend into overkill. —-Contact Freke Ette at [email protected]