This is Daniel Craig’s debut as James Bond and some had questioned the whole notion of a “blond Bond.” But Craig lives up the character and in fact kicks some major ass. In a sense this is a prequel. It depicts Bond’s first mission after becoming a 00. But in another sense I think this film is more how I envision the entire James Bond canon. I believe that “James Bond” is actually a title and not a real person in these stories. A man becomes “James Bond” after the previous one retires or is killed. Anyone with the 007 status adopts the identity. So Daniel Craig is not the original James Bond but he is the current one. And I’m talking about IN the movie, not the actor. That way James Bond is timeless and the several actors that have played him can be explained easily enough.
Having said that, Daniel Craig does a phenomenal job. He is a perfect cool, calm, and ruthless agent that is completely capable of all that’s required of the character. The film takes more inspiration from the recent Bourne movies than it does the campy, doomsday schemes of the 80s and 90s. This Bond will do a 15 minute fight sequence smashing through windows and jumping off of roofs before anything with lasers comes out. And all with the same cool and effortless expression on his face. Hardcore.
Great action, great characters, a great Bond film for a new generation.
