Acting, dialogue make up for length and plot holes

Rating: 8/10 (14 December 2006)

The great things about this movie more than outweigh the bad: Daniel Craig (who I didn't find appealing before seeing the movie) did an excellent job of making his character sinister, brutal, but still appealing and charismatic.
Stylistic choices: i.e. black and white, harsh/realistic violence, realistic sexual content as well (err besides the white horse bit) Smart, fun dialogue.
However there is some bad:
1. Scenes go too long: Action scenes that could end...keep on going for another 3 or 4 minutes. Also repetitive (multiple strangulations, multiple exploding canisters, multiple running into vehicles for the EXACT same explosion). Also, to a lesser extent poker scenes seemed to drag (to the director's credit, this was probably chopped down as short as could be).
However! The Action quality/stunts are great. The parkour stuff in the beginning is crazy and shows amazing skill. Craig clearly did a lot of his own stunts and looks physically capable of what he is doing. I never got the "yeah right" feeling and was glued to the screen.
2. Scenes could be collapsed together. Instead we have 5 fade outs where the end should have happened...and doesn't. Why didn't bond & vesper just recover in Venice? With all the other plot holes no one would really question it.
However, when it finally ends? Totally worth it. One of the best conceived of endings I've seen in awhile (also, really good beginning sequences).
3. Romance got a little too upbeat...completely changed the tempo of the movie.
However, there were so many great other moments. When they first meet on the train, the shower scene, the ending action sequence....chemistry was great and believable. (no snickering in a majority male audience)
4. Plot holes. If a character has to give a monologue about what happened...you know something is wrong.
At least there was a believable plot concept. Some of the holes are clearly to be explained in later movies. However, others were inexcusable (Vesper's motivations ambiguous? Fine. The rest...not so much)
So if you haven't seen it already, go see it....it's entertaining, and I guarantee you won't feel like you've wasted your money.