Now We're Talking'

Rating: 8/10 (22 November 2012)

After being let down by Quantum of Solace, I was afraid to revisit Bond on account of his new "wanna-be-Bourne" look and acting. Thankfully, this film shattered my expectations and is a clear indication that Bond is coming back strong.
Daniel Craig soars as a man that has been beaten and destroyed, but somehow refuses to give up. I mean, was anyone worried that Craig would be the worst part of this film? Seriously, I can't think of a film he has been the worst part of, and of course he just kills it here. This guy IS James Bond.
The supporting cast is excellent. Kudos to Judy Dench as "M" for bringing a more emotional and involved role to that character. The villain is amazing as well. Silva is easily one of my top three favorite bond villains of all time now. His first five minutes of screen time contain the best dialogue in the film. I just wish he could have had more time on camera to really scare the audience.
My gripes? After the first action scene it takes a long time for the film to really get going, and too much time is spent with establishing shots of the scenery, but these early scenes are ripe with Bond's character development, so I'll settle there. Also, as the movie progresses, the plot starts to really narrow down to three main characters and the conflict between them, and while this enhances the emotional impact, much of the complexity is thrown out the window.
Still this is the best bond film since Goldeneye. Welcome back Mr. Bond.