something new

Rating: 9/10 (20 November 2006)

For me, the 007 genre had become a bit too formulaic in recent years, but I thought I had to see the new one anyway. I was pleasantly surprised: it wasn't quite as gory (bloody) as the musical "overture" suggested it would be, but the violence often had a harder edge, to show us that people really suffered from it. The central romantic interest had more pathos and sweetness than one expects in a Bond film. These things contributed to a "darker" film, but more realistic at the same time. The use of locations such as St. Mark's Square in Venice and Lake Como up in the Italian Alps was an extra treat which made the movie a pleasure to watch. The opening chase scene was a little too over-the-top, but it does get your attention.