What have you done to the Aston Martin?!

Rating: 7/10 (10 July 2013)

As Adele warbles the theme tune during the introduction, you realise: There's been a 10 minute opening sequence just to get to this point. Only the Bond films could get away with this. In case you think this is overlong though, savour it... As there isn't much else in the way of conflict for the first hour, besides James's psychological scars and M's attempts to stop herself getting fired for gross incompetence. Yes folks, this is a brave new world... Bond is seen as a bit of a dinosaur from a bygone era, and his philosophy of drinking dry Martinis and sleeping with anyone with a pulse doesn't cut the mustard with the modern 'enlightened' MI6. By the same token, the Bourne movies are starting to catch up with the 007 films in popularity AND quality, so has this recent entry got the to keep apace with the competition?
Why, yes it does. It feels somewhat like a changing of the guard, with a big departee (no spoilers) and a few new additions who'll probably go on to be series regulars. As I said, it does start off s-l-o-w but this is more than made up for by the latter sections, which feature thrilling confrontations in the heart of London and right down in Bonnie Olde Scotland. To be honest, the story about a disgruntled ex-agent taking revenge on his old boss did not leave me shaken or stirred as it has been done to death in a million similar flicks. Javier Bardem scores as the baddie though, with his peroxide hair and his homosexual leanings he instantly cuts a memorable character. Him and Bond have a nice rapport, maybe, if things could have been different...
Above all, it's a worthy addition to the franchise, and whets our appetite for the next entry. There's life in the old dog yet... 7/10