Daniel Craig returns as England’s toughest spy in Quantum of Solace, and he’s taking no prisoners. In fact, M even tells him at one point that they might find out more information if he didn’t insist on “killing every lead we have.”
I grew up on Sean Connery as James Bond, and I liked them best when it was Bond the Secret Agent rather than Bond the Gadget Guy. Roger Moore had his run, as did Timothy Dalton’s rather limited engagement. For a while, I really enjoyed Pierce Brosnan as 007. Golden Eye was spectacular.
But Craig has brought that old hard-as-nails secret agent back that Connery brought to life. I have to admit, Connery had more of the devil-may-care flair and wowed the ladies more believably, and I have to say that he seemed just as deadly.
Craig is like a sledgehammer, though, and I think that makes him the perfect Bond who’s just starting out at MI-6. This revisionist history, with a nod to Ian Fleming’s original stories, is fantastic. I know there are a lot of fans out there that are probably bemoaning the loss of Q and all the gadgets, but take a look at all the computer tech that’s constantly on-screen.
I wanted to halt the command center sequences just so I could look at the sets and all the possibilities. I loved the touch-screen tabletop operations (and, people, that is going to be coming to a restaurant near you not too far in the future) and thought about how cool it would be to work at something like that. But I digress.
The movie opens with manic action as Bond is pursued by a team of heavy hitters through the hills of Italy. The twisting mountain roads and the desperate maneuvers through traffic really put an edge on the seat and I found it. The action was a little hard to follow, though, and I got lost in all of it more than once, but I was Bond. I’m forgiving where 007 is concerned.
Article comments
1 - STM
It constantly amazes me, the things Bond does for Her Majesty.
But Ian Fleming, who was a real MI6-type spy and the leader of a British Commando unit during WWII, would probably be turning in his grave right now if it wasn't for Craig.
After everything Britain gave him (on-screen anyway), Sean Connery is now a traitorous supporter of the Scottish Nationalist Party (turkeys voting for Christmas?), and Brosnan of course is - horror of horrors - an Irish rebel!
So it's good to see a real home-grown Englishman back protecting both the old world order and the new world order.
Bring back the Empaah and may the sun never set upon it!
2 - Dr Dreadful
After everything Britain gave him (on-screen anyway), Sean Connery is now a traitorous supporter of the Scottish Nationalist Party (turkeys voting for Christmas?), and Brosnan of course is - horror of horrors - an Irish rebel!
So, erm, Stan, what did you make of your compadre George Lazenby's turn as 007?