Bond reinvented: hits and misses

Rating: 6/10 (13 February 2007)

This latest installment of the Bond series marks yet another new face in the lead role. Bond is portrayed here as a slightly more fallible, less polished hero. I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the 007 character. Similar to what 2005's "Batman Begins" did for that franchise, this does for Ian Fleming's brainchild. We see a Bond who is not refined, often errs in judgement, and begins to learn what it really means to be a spy. The writers took a huge chance with this departure from the traditional Bond role, and in my opinion it was the right move. Rather than have Daniel Craig try to live up to a Sean Connery standard, they take him in a direction that is non competitive, yet compelling on its own merits.
Where Bond films usually awe us with action, this film throws us a change-up. The post-opening sequence is quite spectacular, and would make this an enjoyable Saturday afternoon distraction even without the rest of the film. From here we change course, into a slightly less than compelling tale surrounding a poker tournament.
A big miss in this installment is the product shilling. If you're reading this Hollywood, please knock it off. No seriously, just stop. It's insulting. I did not feel the need to buy a new Ford, a cell phone, a Sony laptop, or book a stay in one of your Vegas casinos to drop my life savings at the poker tables after watching this movie. If anything, I have more understanding of why the kids are unapologetically downloading movies. Your customers are getting sick of forking over cash to watch marketing drivel dressed up in cinema robes.
Despite some of the missed plot devices and story pacing, this movie is worth the rental. I found the tale of a Bond who is learning the ropes, and growing into his role very watchable. Perhaps in the next film we might see Craig put away the brand name items and continue in his evolution toward Bond.