Out! Damned plot.

Rating: Null/10 (1 October 2012)

In comparison to classic Bondage - a memorable villain holding the world to ransom for $1 million (adjusted for inflation) - the plot in this is a second feature - something to do with the Third World and oil or was it water? Never mind, it's not important. The villain is kind of creepy but as its not clear exactly what his villainy consists of then he's not important. The love interest is also not that interesting, the leathery Daniel Craig shows more feelings towards a dying male buddy than to his screen-mate. Craig, the screenwriter and director have a Bond who is definitely top notch when it comes to super fast super-competent violence but whose hormones while underlining his maleness and readiness for violence, do not seem to otherwise affect him. He is a believable character - a loner and obsessive who prefers male company - there are probably gyms up and down the country when they can be found - if one wanted to look. And that is the point about Bond, Ian Fleming's Bond. Of course he was skilled in the arts of killing, maiming and disabling but he was also a bon viveur, womaniser and charmer not a workaholic and S&M obsessive. Fleming's Bond would be a fascinating drinking companion - Craig's Bond is the morose geezer at the end of the bar staring into his drink.
So what does that leave? - just chases, violence and spectacle. These then are left to carry the film but they do that pretty well - some of the fight scenes are the most accomplished I've ever seen - maintaining continuity of action as Bond plus opponent (cant remember who) plunge through a glass dome and fight like cats as they tumble down scaffolding, which itself takes a tumble for example. But the editing in the opening car chase scarcely makes sense even when viewed at 1/8th speed - it is not the speed of editing (a single frame can register) but that one section cuts to the next without including a significant image which explains and connects to the next sequence. While it's not good to be banged over the head with significant elements of the plot in case one might miss it, the opposite is the case here. Accounting for a score of 7 for this plot-less extravaganza are some welcome additions: a German opera house performance - and Bond's ace handling of a beat up DC3 aircraft.
Perhaps the best scenes of human interaction are between M and Bond giving Dame Judy a better role. Bond seems to be steadily becoming more insubordinate and imagining that he knows better than her. For the next in the series she's going to have to deal with this - perhaps give him a chance at the wheel. While she's about it she should sack the composer and performer of the title music and get something better. Oh, and get Bond to lighten up a little.