The Bond franchise is finally moving forward

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2008)

In my opinion Moneypenny, Q the silly character names (Jaws, Goldfinger, Ms. Obtuse Sex Joke) fit their time but so did Tom Jones' swagger and you either move on or remain dated. This film makes me feel that the franchise holders have firmly decided to move on. I hope they maintain their resolve. The return of the PPK was questionable in this regard, but many others wont notice.
If you only saw Casino Royale once a few years ago, or not at all, this would probably be less enjoyable as you're not going to "get" the emotional state and interactions of various characters. The Casino Royale events aren't years ago to them but days or weeks.
Bond here is an emotionally broken person forcing himself onward and trying to find some quantum (smallest particle) of solace, and the other returning field ops aren't much better off. I don't think any other Bond has been able to convey that as convincingly as Daniel Craig, although Timothy Dalton did what he could the scripts weren't really written for it.
I don't care for the rapid fire editing style during chase and fight scenes, to the point where all I really know is they're trying to convey that it is perilous but I don't feel the peril. Speeding up the camera during fight and chase scenes in the old Bond films was far more distracting.
In the end this movie might fare better in the retrospect of the next few movies if they continue to develop Bond's character and he's not just "stuck" in his current emotional state.