Interesting Concept

Rating: 7/10 (21 November 2006)

My comment may spoil this movie for some, who mistakenly believe that this is a continuation of Pierce Brosnan's 007, as portrayed by a new actor. Don't think so, folks. Read on, if you want to learn the "truth" behind this new Bond adventure.
This film is not a prequel to the 007 movies of the past, it is a total reinvention of 007. The plot of this movie assumes that Daniel Craig is the first and only person to ever portray Bond on film. The time, therefore, is post 9/11, and current day. Judi Dench, as "M" is in charge because there has never been any one else in charge. Q Branch has not yet been established,thus Bond cannot receive any of his "trademark" gadgets. How could he get gadgets if the gadget branch has not been established yet? James Bond is not the polished 007 that we have become familiar with from the portrayals of other actors through the past 40 years. This film starts from scratch! Ground zero! Day one! There never was a Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, or even Pierce Brosnan.
This is the story of how James Bond became 007, in 2006, as seen through the eyes and actions of Daniel Craig. If you go into this movie basing your perceptions of 007 on the actors who have played him in the past, and compare those portrayals to the "new guy", then you are missing the entire point of the film! I don't want to give anything away, but if you listen carefully to the music, you will discover, by the end of the film, that each time Bond goes into action, you hear a little more of the familiar "James Bond" theme, intertwined into the music that is accompanying Bond's action scenes. At the end of the movie, when the theme is fully realized, you look at your buddy sitting next to you and it suddenly becomes clear to you. You've just watched the man, known as James Bond, make the change from a regular field agent, to a double-0 agent! This transformation into the suave sophisticated agent doesn't happen overnight. On the screen it takes more than 2 hours! You don't just become a double-0 overnight, with offhand quips, gadgets galore, and a favorite beverage. It takes time to develop all the quirks and idiosyncrasies of the character that other actors have portrayed in his fully developed form. Never before have we seen this character develop like he does in this film.
Go back and see the movie again, and forget everything you ever knew about 007. I'm certain that you'll come away with a new perspective not only of Daniel Craig, but of the overall film. It was a bold move on the part of the producers, but I salute them for not doing what they've done before. This is NOT a continuation of Pierce Brosnan's James Bond as played by a different actor. This is James Bond! And he becomes 007 right before your eyes!