*in shock*

Rating: 10/10 (17 August 2008)

To start off let me say I was not a fan. James Bond has always been an interesting watch when I'm bored but I never liked the character; I thought he was a pompous womanizer and the corny lines and gadgets annoyed me greatly. Bravo to the restarting of this series and I really mean it; this kind of movie helps you get to care about the character in a whole new way. No he's no saint but at the same time I'm finally allowed the courtesy of caring about James Bond instead of the usual Hollywood assumption that I will care just because he's on the front cover and is clearly the protagonist. The first good sign is that I don't recall seeing a single dancing woman in the credits...instead we see the Bond figure and playing cards. I don't know about anyone else but the half naked women in the previous crediting irked me and I'm not even a feminist so my hat's off for breaking that repulsively juvenile tradition. There is a love interest but here's the kicker; I was interested! No quick introduction only to be bedded and double-crossed before the credits, in fact the entire movie I was waiting in growing fear that this so-far good film would be dashed to pieces by the usual cheap plot twists and such; I don't want to spoil anything but it wasn't what I'd seen before and it didn't leave me feeling cheated but rather set things up for the next movie which I'm sorry to say I've been ignoring until now under the assumption it was...well the jaded English snob I'd come to hate. The sexuality was tasteful and modest, the acting was very compelling, the story shocked my shoes off for the simple fact that it finally got an ounce of self-respect which is all I ask of any action movie (or any movie for that matter but action flicks seem to struggle with this one the most), there were corny lines but they were executed with a wry sense of humor as if to say "we're only being goofy, who would actually talk like this? *nudge nudge*" and although I'm already a fan of Daniel Craig I'm very happy to see his work in this didn't disgust me (take for example Jason Statham playing in garbage like crank and Clive Owen in shoot em up) And there you have it; before I was someone who would watch Bond films only in an environment of open ridicule and boredom and suddenly I'm intrigued....I guess now I can call myself a fan.