Best Bond yet? Definitely.

Rating: 10/10 (16 November 2006)

Don't let anyone tell you that Daniel Craig isn't James Bond. Not only is he a brilliant, believable 007 but could well be the best yet if Casino Royale is anything to go by.
Out go the pantomime villains and idiosyncratic henchmen, out go the laser-beam-in-the-watch-/invisible-car gimmicky gadgets that we've come to expect from Bond (but don't necessarily need) and in it's place we have a rock hard, fit, highly trained assassin who you can really believe and who relies on his training, wits, strength, fighting skills and firepower. Craig does most of his own stunts and is awesome. You'd never see the likes of Connery, Moore or Brosnan doing stuff like this.
There are some incredible action set pieces...including a post credits chase across a construction site and a couple of very high cranes incorporating that most breath taking of physical skills 'free running'... some wince inducing fights and just when I thought it was all over..a twist I never saw coming.
The corny puns are kept to a minimum but there are some great one liners all the same one of my favourites being Bond's response when asked if he wants his Vodka Martini shaken or stirred? He may be blond..he may have a prison hair cut but by Christ he's a tough bastard and fights like no Bond I've seen before.
As long as they (the producers) don't think that once Craig's been accepted by the public and critically acclaimed they can bring back all the gadgets and corny lines for the next one I think Craig will be excellent.
All the way through the film we hear on the soundtrack just little hints at the Bond theme without it actually being played. But by the time Craig actually says the immortal line 'The name's Bond...James Bond' and Monty Berman's unmistakable theme kicks in everyone in the cinema already knew.. he IS Bond.
I shall definitely be buying this when it comes out on DVD..and I have never bought a Bond film before....it's THAT good!! On a scale of 1-10 this Bond goes up to 11.