The Bond Goes On

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2014)

There is so Much that is Right in this Reboot of James Bond, one of the Most Enduring Literary Fictional Characters to Ever Transmutate to the Screen. It is the Beginning of it All. This is Bond as He was at the Start of His Career. Not as Suave and Self-Assured, not as Refined and Detached from the Ladies. He had Love in His Heart and Allowed his Attraction to the Opposite Sex to be more than just an Object.
Over the Course of His Life as a British MI6 Super Spy He Matured, Hardened (in his private affairs), became More Worldly and Honed His Methods to Fit the Situation and Was Not so Impulsive in Relying on Instinct and Testosterone. But that was the Bond that was to Evolve, not the Bond of the Early Years and this is the Earliest of Years, in Fact the First.
This was the Initial Ian Fleming Novel and Introduced the Character. This Film Introduces James Bond as if We Never Met Him Before. He hadn't even Settled In on the Trademark Martini Debate.
The Texas Hold'em Substitution for Bacharach is the most Glaring Misstep in the Film's Condescension to Modern Sensibilities. It Sticks Out like a Sore Eye. It is Forgivable but does Not Go Unnoticed by Purist. 21st Century Villains are of the Whimper not Bang Variety and are not Instant Word Destructors, more like World Erosioners. One Terrorist at a Time Slowly Making the Planet Uninhabitable for Decent Folks.
Daniel Craig is Rough and Rough around the Edges. He is Steely Eyed Determined and Loaded for Bear. He is Still Down to Earth and CGI Excess is Thankfully Vacant. A Great Bond Movie that can Proudly be Included with the Best of the Series. It's too Early to tell if Craig will be Iconic like Connery, but He is Certainly Fit and Fitting for Rookie Bond, James Bond. In a Moment of Introspection Bond Notes that the Double O's are Not Likely to have a Long Life Span. Of Course He is Talking about a Real-Life Agent, not of the Fictional Variety that We Need to be Immortal.