Bond, back to basics

Rating: Null/10 (3 December 2006)

Like many, I was horrified by the appointment of Daniel Craig but by halfway through the film, I was converted. Strip away the superficial differences - gadgets, tuxedo, looks, sleazy charm - and this is still Bond. This is Bond as he was intended to be - a spy, an assassin and a 'problem' solver.
Daniel Craig isn't as good looking or charming or in-your-face as the other Bonds, but he brings a subtlety and understated power to the role which had become sadly lacking, instead being replaced in recent years by wholly unrealistic events and characters. This Bond is an enigma and unpredictable, as a good spy should be if he wants to stay alive. The events are believable and the characters complex, what a pleasure!
I was a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan as Bond but this film has addressed issues I had with the series I didn't know I had. The film is breathtaking, raw and powerful and Daniel Craig is a resounding success. He did a truly magnificent job despite enormous negative reactions and his increased effort shows. He has reinvented a beloved character and actually improved him, which is no mean feat. I have never been so happy to be so wrong.