A new James Bond film is an event, a global one, affecting over half the world's population. When it's a new actor assaying the role, it's all the more exciting. Thus, it was with sheer trepidation and excitement that we stepped up to the ticket booth this afternoon. It was an impromptu decision, with little hope of success. The machine blinked the words, "3:55 show Filling Fast". The decision was an easy one, albeit entered into with some thought of the advisability of having two young toddlers in tow while experiencing l'affaire Chiffre.

As it turned out, the younger one decided to be her usual charming self and critique the opening credits in her inimitable way. The wife gracefully opted out of the virginal pleasures of experiencing blond hotness coupled with glam violence, with a natural sense of disappointment.

Turning to the film, at first blush, it appears to have all the right elements of a fine Bond film - it blends breakneck action sequences with the latest gadgets, high brow society with unsavory and downright evil characters, and of course, fast cars, beautiful women and a sense of doing things for Queen, country, and Chicken tikka masala.

Unfortunately, the form belies the function. The new Bond, Daniel Craig, is more son of Jack Bauer than suave spy, despite all pretensions to the latter. The evil characters, while lacking true depth, possess a secret knowledge of the workings of global politics, making the knight's quest futile and at best an exercise in self-redemption. Some of the essential elements of the Bond we know, such as his taste for baccarat, are replaced with more plebeian games like Hold'em Poker.

We see glimpses of the old Bond, and quite a few beginnings of the later Bond, such as the alleged origin of the "shaken, not stirred" Martini and the first hesitant steps towards a cynical acceptance of the impermance of love, betrayal, death, and loyalty. The early Bond is fused somehow with the later Bond, creating a grotesque character that is self-aware of his own destiny as lone gunman in the service of greater causes which sometimes align with his own not-as-yet manifest destiny and personal loyalties.

His superiors have a better understanding of his base nature and value, although in this installment, ostensibly the first chronologically, they give him more leeway than might be allowed someone less destined for glory. As we know from the other films, the hands-off treatment becomes the norm with Bond. This is not unlike the treatment of Anakin Skywalker, and the influence does not end there unfortunately. While we are spared Jar Jar Binks, the romantic interlude might have been constructed by George Lucas' hand, although thankfully it does not last long, and the sense of foreboding overshadows the evanescent romance.