Ian Flemming's actual Bond...

Rating: 9/10 (10 September 2008)

From Connery to Brosnan, there has been one constant; They didn't look like the written Bond. 007 was never intended a pretty boy handsome spy, but on film he translated to it.
Enter Daniel Craig: I'm not saying he's not a handsome man, but he is closer to the more realistic Bond Flemming wrote 50 years ago. His gritty and not so smooth features are closer to the Hoagy 'Stardust' Carmichael the face was based upon. Add in the original Bond novel, and yes, we have a movie.
Now, most of the Bonds reach near epic proportion, more than just a popcorn movie often does... this follows those footsteps. Exotic locations, little gadgetry and more roughhouse, this follows the ideals of 'Dr. No' and 'From Russia...' than let's say 'Die Another Day'.
Yes, Judy Dench as M throws the time-line way out of whack for actual Bond-o-philes, but even the producers admitted they couldn't recast the role any better, so tough.
Craig enters the role at just the right time, a little known face in the U.S., with several international roles, he is definitely fresh and hits home with the brooding and broken Bond, who we've seen glimpses of in established Bonds before him.
Is he the best 007? Far too soon to tell. But he's off to one damn fine start.