the good, the bad and, ultimately, the good

Rating: 8/10 (2 December 2006)

I actually laughed out loud a few times at this Bond movie. Early in the movie, I leaned over and said to my wife, "I like this guy." Then, the scene on the train when he and Vesper (Eva Gar, er, Green) meet and size each other up solidified my appreciation of him (and her).
Daniel Craig makes a good Bond; calm, cool, self-assured and now, human. This Bond evokes a few more emotions than the others; a touch vulnerable, more sensitive, even impulsive. I like it. Most of it.
The sensitive bit went too far. The shower scene, okay. But, Bond uttering "I love you" is too much. That's when the movie got a bit "hokey" for me. When it was all "over", why couldn't they have written in a fun time between the two of them with everything that happened without the "I love you and am willing to leave the service for you" stuff? Unless it was the writers attempt to let the audience know why the likes of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, et al never uttered such a line. Afterall, this film opens with Bond getting is 'double-O' status indicating early Bond. However it was thought out, it didn't go over well for me.
All-in-all, a very good Bond. If possible, I would have given it an 8.5. Gorgeous scenery (my wife wants that house/castle at the end), gorgeous women, excellent cars, great action (that cop car getting blown away, literally, from the airplane's jet engine is excellent) and a way cool Bond. But, I can also envision Daniel Craig has an ice-cold assassin too.
"James Bond Will Return." Can't wait!