A new golden era of Bond movies

Rating: 8/10 (15 November 2008)

There's no doubt that this Bond will be divisive - half of the fans will love it, half will hate it. I gained a unique perspective on the franchise when i sat down with another writer and talked over us creating our own, and suddenly realised how incredibly difficult it is simply because almost everything that could be done, has already been done. With that in mind, watching QoS was a different type of experience. Yes, the traditions have been omitted, but i can't believe the criticism it's got. Bourne may be similar, but where did they get the inspiration?
Maybe seeing it on the big screen was deceptive, as what i enjoyed was a masterful piece of work that kept my absolute attention from beginning to end. I'd become so tired with the awful cheesy Brosnan collection and its appallingly unrealistic plots, dreadful acting and tedious lines that i'd almost given up on it. But Daniel Craig's portrayal and the writing team really have brought something entirely new to the series and i welcome it with open arms.
First off, Bond now has a new organisation to fight (Quantum), in the same vein as SPECTRE. The way it's been set up is fantastic, as it allows for another long chain of movies around the mysterious kabbal of powerful men where political conspiracy is the underlying premise. Simply put, Bond's gone up-market and into a higher intellectual gear. Of course, it's always difficult to fault the action sequences, but we don't connect to events, we connect to characters.
The British Government are implicated as corruptly working against M and MI6, who have some of the coolest virtual computing surfaces in existence and torture suspects in foreign countries. The US's role in carving up South America with regime change is featured, and there is a real effort to keep things in step with today's political realities. It's a grandiose world plot, but is far more compelling than something like Dan Brown's latest turd. There is a palpable attempt to avoid the gaping plot holes and silly absurdities that have come to dominate the recent releases (invisible cars, anyone?) What's interesting about this new era is the wider dimension it brings to Bond's character, as his humanity enhances his cold, detached and duty-disciplined "murderous efficiency". His motivations are clearer, his guilt more prominent (through Fields' death), the relationship with M is closer and even Felix Lighter's loyalties are questioned. This is a Bond who is trying to be less of a murderer and actually growing up in the process - letting people go after the chase. The man has been stripped down to the bone to show who he really is, and Craig is just masterful in the role.
In this one the villain isn't particularly scary so much as he is slimy. I can't really see the point of Mathis reappearing, especially as his betrayal was not elaborated on (they forgive each other in another hug moment?). Why Bond is chased at the beginning or in the plane isn't clear, nor is Vesper's boyfriend's role, or how an organisation as big, wide-reaching and influential as Quantum goes so easily undetected (how can Greene be a philanthropist when he is so heavily involved in that kind of chaos?). Quite why they wear "Q" badges when they need to be secret is anyone's guess.
The secret of QoS's genius is that it is a perfect set-up for the next episodes in the series. Bond only took out one of Quantum's operatives and there is a myriad of others, and a cleverly weaved political infrastructure powerful enough to drive future plot wranglings that are more diabolical. This new set of films is re-building his identity and i suspect as they go on we will begin to see the old traditions being re-introduced. Thank God we're finally rid of cheesy crappy writing and wooden acting and onto something new.
One thing is clear though: don't take away the motifs or the fans go nuts.