(Rated 4/5 )
A James Bond
film carries a wealth of expectations for many people. I think it’s one of few
franchises which brings people out to the cinema again, who may not have been
in years. And this year being Bond’s 50th anniversary makes it an
even bigger deal. Those who love the films also have a favourite Bond. Mine has
always been Sean Connery BUT I have also been very impressed by Daniel Craig,
who has given us a different and refreshing Bond – a more emotionally aware
action man, arguably a fitter-looking action man (!), and a more sympathetic
character with the insights into his past we have been given. We understand
more why he became ‘cold’, or rather I’d like to say highly protective of his
feelings. And this Bond is vulnerable. You believe he can crash out, make
mistakes, hurt even die. For me it’s no longer set in stone that he is going to
be okay, unscathed, in the arms of a beautiful Bond girl at the end of the
film. Though I should say that Bond girls are no longer girls, but rather woman
with more character and more respectable clothing ;) And of all of them, the best
for me, Dame Judie Dench, ironically does share the traditional embrace with
Bond towards the end of the film… on which I will say no more…
The acting is
stellar! Daniel Craig is still extremely good, and I have to say, is now
challenging Connery’s top spot for me. Judi Dench is totally utterly adorable –
yes I absolutely unashamedly adore her! – and in the film so much more as M
than we have come to expect – in fact the whole story centres around her and
challenges M both personally and professionally, making the most use of her
stunning talents in subtle and highly natural emoting. We get more insight into
her relationship with Bond and her other secret agents. This outing Q is played
by Ben Whishaw – turning the character into an absolutely gorgeously young nerdy
techie version – gosh I’m sounding so luvvy this time! Ralph Fiennes joins them
as Mallory – to whom M has to report and be accountable. Ralph looks very dapper
and shines nicely. There is a beautiful new Bond girl in Naomie Harris who has
to take a shot aimed near Bond… maybe killing him?! And Rory Kinnear as M’s
right hand man. And then we have Javier Badem making one of the best Bond Villains
ever for me, by being subtly psychopathic, with some verging on oedipal issues
thrown in.
And this is a
very good film. Sam Mendes superbly directs as we’d expect. And there are
plenty of the traditional Bond touches of action and chases and impossible
dare-evil feats, and humour… though less of the latter - and actually I’d say
Daniel Craig doesn’t deliver it quite as well as Connery, Moore or even Brosnan
- and more poignancy and feeling. This Bond makes you think and feel and so
isn’t quite the full-on escapism we are used to from the classic Bond films.
But we have the return of the Astin Martin and there’s Q’s gadgets… even though
Bond doesn’t seem as pleased by them or him!
Are we quite so
pleased? Well in all honesty, I think this Bond will appeal more to some and
less to others. And that’s not me sitting on a very high fence over which I
might tumble into a waterfall to my death if I decide one way or another!
Twitter: @RestrictReview
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