VERY good Bond movie!

Rating: 8/10 (24 March 2007)

After a series of bad and useless Bond movies like the most recent ones (actually, all Brosnan's, not for his fault, probably) at last we see a good movie. In this one, there's no super-hot-ultra-young nuclear scientists, no tank races in the city centre, no cat-fight on a free-falling plane. Still, the movie is action-packed. Even more than necessary, and for this reason it suffers the "Matrix-sequel-syndrome"... it lasts half an hour more than it should. And, there is blood. It seems to me that this was a very blood-filled Bond, not the tons of killings of other ones, but those who die do it in a cruel and believable way.
But this is a good movie. It has got a PLOT! a real one!
This movie is about a spy called James Bond, about his growth, about him becoming THE James Bond, the one who says "Bond, James Bond" and lights his cigarette in Dr.NO. In this movie he is not saving the world from the apocalypse. He has to accomplish a mission, but it's just a mission. He is kinda "on training", he's a "mortal" Bond. He suffers, he's not invincible, he bleeds a lot and makes mistakes. He needs help.
Daniel Craig IS an excellent choice for a James Bond. He's a good actor, and he's given the chance to build up the character on himself throughout the movie. From the very beginning, it's not Daniel Craig playing Sean Connery who played James Bond. It's a young and inexpert James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) who becomes a better refined and complete 007-licenced-to-kill James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) who, believably, is the same man that Sean Connery had been portraying. The only thing I really didn't like about Craig was the extra-pumped muscles he shows here and there... not his fault, and it probably was eye candy for ladies, but was it needed for James Bond?
Also, Eva Green as the bond girl is very very good, her character gives a huge contribution to the movie, she's not just the beautiful lady who falls in love and follows Bond until he saves her and the world.
Again, the plot was good. Some twists, a lot of action, a few witty lines. Just a few, because Bond is young and yet not so witty, apparently.
What else... the evil guys are evil, they play their part correctly, ruthlessly. Also, they are believable. Still, I don't get why the evil boss always has to have a terrible scar as in "you only live twice"... Come on! no need for this!
Judi Dench as M is great. No more to say, not to spoil.
Moreover, the settings and locations are beautiful. There's the "wow, I want to go there" feeling throughout the movie, like in the Sean Connery ones!
If you liked any Bond movie, watch this. If you look for a good action movie, which does not feel like a fire-at-will blockbuster, watch this. If you liked Daniel Craig in a previous movie (Layer Cake, for example), watch this.
It is worth the money for renting the DVD, or even for the cinema.
BUT... please please please... in "bond 22" BRING BACK JOHN CLEESE AS Q! no need for a lot of tech stuff, just for a bit of his humour!