Is the new Bond worth it? "Every Penny of it!"

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2006)

For a start, let me say that when Daniel Craig was announced as the new Bond I was horrified, and agreed with the headline "James Bland". However, having seen the film, i can say i am incredibly impressed by his performance, and thought him fantastic in every respect-he played the part written for him perfectly. Despite what some people have said, describing him as empty as a character, it was exactly like watching a Bond Film-brilliant! My only criticism would be that he was not given enough to say, and that it relied on his physical presence too much.
With regards to the film itself, i thought the plot was a little weak, and was too fragmented. Having said this, EON have managed to make a mediocre plot into a great film, the cinematography is awesome. Opening with black and white was a stroke of genius, as were some of the breathtaking aerial shots. I was disappointed by the omission of Moneypenny as she does have a line in the novel, though the portrayal of the Villain, Le Chiffre-personally, i think he is the best villain since Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies.
Now into specifics. I thought that the car chase in which Bond rolls the car could have been extended and maybe have brought in other elements of the film. to counter this, maybe the chase scene at the construction site could be cut down, as this drags on a little long, despite some of the fantastic stunts. The scene with the chase at the airports was great-really edge-of-your-seat stuff, as were some of the one-liners by Bond, even if they were darker than useual. The "yes-considerably" in the opening sequence was classic, as was his "every penny of it". It may sound sexist, but I like Bond as a machoistic chauvinist. On this note i had hoped for a longer, more action packed opening sequence, in the mould of Die Another Day, or Goldfinger, but the psycology of the scene partially made up for it.
I noticed watching the film that some of the concepts were taken from previous Bond Films-which, if done in the right way add greatly to the production-The sprinklers in the airport were used in the Cuban hospital in Die Another Day, the fight in the "cockpit" of the van from "licence to Kill" and the seeing his enemies in the broken glass in the Venice house from countless films, mirroring the reflection in the eyes at the opening of "Goldfinger". These factors added to the feeling that it was a Bond film I was watching, not just another action film.
With regards to Vesper Lynd, with her death, it was the first time scince Lazenby in OHMSS that I have felt such compassion and sadness at the death of a character in a Bond film-again, Eva Green plays a fantastic heroine, and the scene in which she dies really shocked and moved me.
Sorry for the length of this review but i thought that the first film for four years deserved it. Yes it is a new Bond, yes it is is different, and yes is is absolutely bloody brilliant!