Finally...Bond is back.

Rating: 8/10 (8 January 2007)

The whole debate about this movie seems to have been whether or not Daniel Craig would make a good Bond, without anyone really pointing out the two sides of the coin. I guess those who, like me, think that he was great in the role, have maybe read the books and remember Bond as a cold-hearted predator (whether killing or seducing) with no time for love, Dr Jones! The people who thought he was rubbish are probably devoted to the films which, over the last 21 movies, have pretty much established the wise-cracking, eyebrow-raising, faintly camp ladies man which Daniel Craig quite positively isn't. (There's also the folk moaning about Chris Cornell's opening song, which I also thought was fine.) So, putting that burning issue aside, what of the movie? Well, overall I thought it was great. Not perfect by any means (a few scenes go on too long, and a slightly shorter running time may have made the movie tighter), but thoroughly enjoyable and both a reinvention and return to form of Britain's best special agent. To those moaning that this somehow isn't a Bond film, I ask "why not?" It has Aston Martin's, death, pretty girls (Eva Green has some rather eye-catching dresses!), casinos, bad buys, M, and some crazy stunts. Sure, there's no Q and no lame jokes, but are they needed? No, not at this point. This is a top notch Bond film, or, indeed, just a top notch film anyway and, once the dust has settled, will most likely be listed up there with Goldfinger as one of Bond's best.