Bond at his best in the new era.

Rating: 9/10 (8 November 2012)

As a fan of Bonds such Dalton and Connery, I was slightly apprehensive about the reintroduction of 'gags' and humour. It's such a relief to see all that stuff well balanced and not awkwardly shoehorned into scenes.
It's pretty clear that the aim was to crank up the IQ level of the film's script and style. Sam Mendes, Roger Deakins and John Logan all pulled it off perfectly. It's so satisfying to have a Bond film with a central theme running from start to finish (unlike QoS – I actually got bored after the fifth explosion) – the whole idea of Bond and M being tied to past events. I see it as an evolution to a more "thinking man's" Bond. Just the mere presence of Ralph Fiennes gives the film an additional intensity and class.
I also love how the film promotes Britishness in a contemporary, Spooks-eque way without the usual flag-waving nonsense – from cinematography to the choice of locations. There is something cool about watching a black Range Rover cruising across the River Thames under grey skies with Thomas Newman's score pumping in the background. It's all so subtle and yet so informative. Very Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
For Bond nerds, it's all there - girls, action and cars... in addition, a huge dose of great filmmaking, dialogue, and script. Craig and Mendes together have made a traditional and classy Bond. Love!