Bring back the Bondian elements.

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2008)

This is a physically demanding film and Daniel Craig as Bond showcases his physical skills and brings an intensity to the role sorely missing in the Bond played by Pierce Brosnan who looked like he was in need of a body double to just open the car door .Roger Moore's age was also brutally exposed in the scene from For Your Eyes Only where Bond has to run up the steps in hot pursuit..In total contrast this lithe ,lean mean Bond played by 40 year Daniel Craig is just about right for the frenzied,frenetic action.For sheer class Sean Connery is still the man to beat, but Craig comes a close second.
Craig giving you A Quantum of Sore-Arse?....not with this one.As the shortest Bond film and the direct sequel to Casino Royale(which was 20 minutes too long)and running at 110 minutes it broke the box office record for opening week ,stealing the record from Harry Potter.Retail therapy may be out and Britain maybe in a recession but Bond still mesmerizes audiences even though the film dispenses with the pretitle opening scene,Moneypenny,Q and cat stroking megalomaniacs with visions of world-domination; a staple from the Connery films.Breaking with tradition the Bond theme and the Gun Barrel sequence appear at the end.
Its not the best bond but in the vein of Bond with his rough edges intact it works.I hope in the next one they'd improve on the following - 1.A really bad-ass baddie or his sidekick coupled with a tight script. 2.Opening credits -The winner after all these years is STILL the awesome title sequence of From Russia With Love with the credits projected on to a gyrating belly dancer. 3.A really good title song-Shirley Bassey where are you? 4.Money penny-miss that banter between Bond and her. 5.And Q ?where's the standard mild admonishment...."Now pay attention double-oh- seven...try and bring back this piece of equipment in one piece will you?"...knowing fully well Bond never will. 6.The Bond Theme -gives me the goose pimples after all these years...why is it underused?
A good night out at the movies but not the best bond yet.