The human James Bond

Rating: 10/10 (11 December 2006)

For all those using the word "pure" to describe Bond in this movie: I agree 110 per cent. Before I get to Daniel Craig (fantastic, *fantastic*), I'd just like to say that I'm among those people who say that this movie is the best Bond movie yet. It was more real, more believable, more from-planet-Earth. The plot was simple enough to understand (sorry, but it was), the characters were less outrageous and we finally learn that Bond is after all, one among us. Human. He thinks and he *feels* - instead of just looking fantastic (which Craig evidently had no problem with).
Now I'll talk about him. Yes, absolutely, without a doubt - best Bond ever. We all know Sean Connery was brilliant, Pierce Brosnan was awesome etc etc etc, but Daniel Craig gave Bond that human touch that has always been lacking from the other movies. He didn't have many fancy gadgets to play with, so all he could do was show us what he could do with James Bond as a character and not as a complicated piece of machinery. He's always been a fine actor and I have to say, I was really looking forward to how he'd do in a Bond film. I loved what he did with Bond. He added a new dimension to the character and did not, for a second, look like he was uncomfortable in the least. Not even for a nano-second did I have to think, "Man, they made the wrong choice here. So-and-so could have been so much better." I can't wait to see him in the next one.
Mads Mikkelsen as a villain was great too. Quiet, subtle, there to do the job. Nothing over-the-top. No over-acting. (Kind of like Sean Bean's Alec Trevelyan in GoldenEye - good, solid acting). I really liked Eva Green in this movie as well. She was way more likable and less annoying than Bond girls of the past. She has a really natural, loose acting style. No artificiality.
Boy oh boy, this movie was refreshing. It was like a breath of fresh air after being caught up in a huge cloud of dense smog. With the exception of GoldenEye, which was awesome, the double-o movies just seemed to be one brainless, action-packed drag after another. It was so good just to see a *real* story, with *real* characters and great acting - with the action thrown in for good measure (and that itself was a whole lot of fun too).
Doesn't matter if you're a Bond fan or not, GO AND SEE THIS MOVIE. You will not regret it. If it's not screening anymore where you are and you're waiting for the DVD release, grab it immediately.
10/10, *****/***** A++++++