While both characters are elite government agents/assassins, there's very little similarity between Bond and Bourne. The Bourne films have definitely influenced the new Bond, though, and encouraged them to strip away some of the silliness and fantasy that previously prevailed. No flashy gadgets; fighting that's hard, fast and brutally realistic; stunts and escapes that very nearly kill the hero - all hallmarks of the Bourne films, and all lacking from Bond previously.

But I'd prefer to think that Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace aren't 'copying' the Bourne films in that regard, but rather learning from their example. Portraying a kind of realistic and believable action, rather than the traditional Bond style which just screams choreography and showmanship. People whine endlessly about the shaky camera during fights and chases in both series; what they fail to grasp is that a real-life knife fight or car chase isn't all slick, polished moves and flawless execution. Even for the people involved, the experience can be so intense and chaotic that it's a blur that's almost impossible to follow.

As for Quantum of Solace itself - I was very happy and impressed with it. It suffers a little from "middle of a trilogy syndrome", whereby the story neither truly begins nor truly ends. But it rounded off Casino Royale nicely, while also setting up what's still to come. Most of the criticism seems to come from people who don't like the fact that it's different from the average Bond film: Bond hasn't shrugged off the emotional side-effects of what happened previously, unlike every other film, which makes perfect sense to me. Since this is a Bond who's still at the outset of his double-O career, he's not yet completely hardened into an icy, unflappable sociopathic machine. He still feels and reacts, which is nice. Others complain that the film's villains aren't walking gimmicks, with silly quirks and death-traps and world domination plots. I like that the new organisation is one that hides in plain sight, and works through subtle power-plays that could actually function in the real world. Then there's the weirdest complaint of all, that Bond doesn't sleep with his leading lady. I'd have been sickend if he'd tried to seduce a woman knowing that, as a child, she saw her mother and sister raped and murdered. It was great to see Bond have a companion or counterpart for a change - someone with some common ground and common experiences, not gratuitous sensory candy for the cinema audience.