It appears that “Casino Royale” was a Bond masterpiece after all. Well at least comparing it to the latest one, “Quantum of Solace.” The latter fails to surprise us from all points of view, falling back into routine with this above-average thriller, filled with over-the-top action, familiar Bond atmosphere and a story that's impossible to follow.

For starters there's no time to stop and understand what is really going on as Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) slips through his fingers once again and Bond is dispatched to Haiti, where he's mistaken for an assassin or set up for a hit. There he meets Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a Bolivian beauty with a burn mark on her back and a bone to pick with the man who put it there, and Mr. White's friend Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), an apparently philanthropic businessman.

In other words, being haunted by the death of his lover in "Casino Royale" and out for answers and revenge, the MI6 super spy with preternatural sangfroid and Bombay Sapphire eyes has gone rogue. Now he's less on a mission than a killing marathon. Director Marc Forster's (“Finding Neverland”, “Monster’s Ball”) globe-trotting addition to the franchise features more chases and gunfights than real drama. But a high level of violence and Bond's sexual pleasure-seeking are somewhat offset by a story line contrasting vengeance with forgiveness.

We all know that the famous series relaunched two years ago with the good looking and why not talented Daniel Craig, who won over audiences and critics alike. "Casino Royale" was the most successful Bond film to date, grossing almost $600 million worldwide. It earned a record nine BAFTA nods, including a nom for Craig and a bid for best British film, but Craig lost to eventual Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, whose film, "The Last King of Scotland," also prevailed. Despite this success, "Casino Royale" was ignored by the major American awards. Of course, to be omitted by the Oscars was nothing new for Bond. Even after 21 movies, the franchise has managed only seven nods and two wins (sound for "Goldfinger" and visual effects for "Thunderball").

Perhaps the element of "Quantum of Solace" that has the best chance at awards glory is the theme tune "Another Way to Die," penned by rocker Jack White, who duets with Alicia Keys, but some are reluctant towards this aspect as well.

The film is expected to break more records as it opens Friday in North America after a dazzling early run internationally. The film already won $190 million through Wednesday. "Quantum of Solace" will also probably dominate the foreign box office as it moves into Hungary, Mexico and Vietnam. So the lion's share of the Bond pic's take overseas will come from holdover biz, which was impressive last weekend with declines of only 40% in the U.K. and 42% in France. Moreover the film opens next weekend in Australia and Spain. It already looks likely to become the fifth 2008 title to hit the $400 million mark overseas, joining "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "The Dark Knight," "Mamma Mia!" and "Kung Fu Panda."