missing the tongue in cheek humour, silly gadgets and kitch cheesiness

Rating: 6/10 (8 November 2012)

This was a great 50 year Anniversary Bond film. I'm a fan of Daniel Craig as Bond; he's cold, detached and looks rather beat up most of the time (not pristine) just like the Bond in the books. Him and Judi Dench are great together, with Dame Judi as the irrepressible M. This film sees a new Q who's quite a nice addition but he didn't have the gadgets and gizmos - the silliness - we come to expect from previous Qs. The stunts in this are awesome; the stunt bikers need a whole heap of awards and the scene on the train roof was brilliant and some of the fight scenes were worthy of a Bourne movie, however, something is missing from the modern Bonds that I miss and I think it's the tongue in cheek humour. Craig's Bond is probably nearer to the books and a real-life Spook/Ghoul but the kitch cheesy one-liners and the over the top innuendo of Bond's conquests is lost. Yes, the films are slicker, faster, darker and smoother but I can't give the film the high marks that it perhaps deserves. I also find all the product placement really annoying; Bond has always been a big business and a franchise but I think it's gone too far.
Javier Bardem was the star of this show, he was really creepy, mad and unrecognizable in the guise of crazy-freaky blonde bad-guy! Berenice Marlohe was stunning. Scotland views were beautiful and we learn a little about Bond's back-story and I love that Craig as Bond is broken and more than a little messed up rather than pristine like Roger Moore! The story was sadly lacking, not much suspense (courtesy of in depth trailers) and whilst I don't usually notice them I saw a lot of continuity errors and silly mistakes. Annoying.
For a Bond film, it's great, fabulous entertainment and I'd recommend it. As a film generally, I'm giving it 6/10