- Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:20 pm
#46799
Was catching up more on older posts and saw the Bond movie conversation going – apologize for the out of order opinion but figured I'd throw mine in anyway. :geek:
The fact of the matter is that the 007 franchise was in dire need of a reboot/slightly new take. I'm a die hard 007 fan myself and even I started to feel that the last couple Brosnan movies were too comic-booky and over the top puns/one liners. Not to say that 007 movies haven't always pushed the boundaries of willing suspension of disbelief, but Die Another Day (while an homage) to all things Bond (gadgets, one-liners, exotic locales, villians with an unusual trait, etc...) started to feel to be almost a parody on it itself. I actually enjoy Brosnan in the role of Bond, but I echo his statement that he made on wishing that the Bond series would go for an R rating and display the world of spy vs spy as grittier and more serious. I think he would have been fantastic in Casino Royale or Skyfall.
The 007 series is the longest running and most successful film franchise in Hollywood history. Even so audiences were finding better thriller/spy movies with Bourne, Mission Impossible, and some of the Tom Clancy movies. Daniel Craig's Bond is the boiled essence of the Bond character. Different from Connery's Bond where he was a charming but deadly agent who could manage a good quip. Craig is a deadly agent and more cold to the world. A ruthless lethal weapon who, until he met Vesper, in Casino Royale viewed women as a source of information only and a means to get the job done. I enjoy the more serious tone and feels that echoes what really happens in the world today (terrorist cells and cyber terrorism where the MI6 must now face a new enemy than the state-represented ones during the cold war).
I understand how some may long for the “old” Bond like those who prefer the “old” Tim Burton-esque Batman. Looking back at the movies made during their decade you can get the feel for the style and message they were trying to convey for that time. I think as Craig's Bond continues to evolve over the next 2-3 movies, you may find a perfect balance between new and old 007.
If not, then just wait for the next actor to take 00 status along with a new director. Every actor has put his own mark on the map who longs for Martinis, girls, and guns.