No expectation when I saw it

Rating: 10/10 (19 November 2006)

I watched Bond when I was a small child. I thought it was bland. I saw it with different actors playing the part. I even watched it just to see how Halle Berry was treated. I was never taken off my feet. I never thought twice about willingly seeing a Bond movie twice. I was wholly unimpressed.
30 years later, I can honestly saw WOW! The producers, directors, editors and writers worked feverishly on this. It shows. It is excellent.
Before the nightmare that XXX: State of the Union presented itself, I thought the Bond series was limping into oblivion. I saw XXX with them symbolically killing off Bond (suit and tie wearer), the Bourne Identity series making it known that a thinking agent-assassin is required, and some of the other franchises declaring Bond has to be over. I just figured the people who owned Bond just expected to Bond to make money no matter what kind of crap they forced together as plot or as acting.
Not true anymore.
I sat through this movie twice. I relished the nuances and immersed myself in the delightful story telling.
The weaker and flawed Bond was the more anxious I became. I didn't know if he was going to come apart at the seams. He felt each blow in a fight. He got bloodied. He made mistakes. He was beautiful.
Craig acted his ass off. He flinched. He exuded raw heat. His body language was right on point.
I didn't pay attention to the hype. I saw an interview Craig did on Charlie Rose, decided I needed to go see the movie. I saw Craig in Layer Cake and thought there had to be some heft to Bond by his mere presence. I was not disappointed.
The only crack I'd make on the movie is the love story between Bond and his love interest. I saw a lot of give and take with Vesper Lind, but I didn't see the depths required to make Bond do unBond like things: quit the profession, run away with her, or give her control over the $$$. The psychological profile they brought to bear in Casino Royale would indicate he'd go the exact other way. The actress playing Vesper was exceptional but the exchange between the two did not create the kind of chemistry that would change a dedicated, sacrificing agent to a quitter.
I suggest for the next Bond movie, the writers or directors hire a intuitive profiler, practiced therapist, or learned student of human nature. Anyone of these professionals will be able to tell you what kind of trait needs to exist in a career-minded, self flagellating martyr before he denies the one thing that gives his life meaning. The profile the writers gave lead us to believe he would give up what he is certain of for what is unknown. He was too careful to do that.