Series Report Card: James Bond 007 (2021)

25. No Time to Die

Back in the sixties, seventies, and eighties, they used to crank out James Bond movies on a steady basis. Every other year or two, you could reliably count on seeing a new globe-trotting adventure from everyone's favorite sexist, alcoholic spy. That, of course, changed as the Soviet Union fell and the nineties started. The five year break between “License to Kill” and “GoldenEye” was the previous record for longest breaks between Bond adventures. “No Time to Kill” managed to match that span with a similarly embattled production. Danny Boyle was going to direct, following in Sam Mendes' footsteps as an Oscar-winning auteur stepping into the series. Boyle departed deep into pre-production, acclaimed TV director Cary Fukunaga taking over and scrapping everything Boyle had done. Then COVID hit and “No Time to Die” sat on a shelf for over a year, waiting for the world to kind of get back to something like normal. All of this is aside from Daniel Craig's much-mentioned reluctance to return at first. Well, now the wait is finally over and James Bond is back in theaters.

James Bond was ready to retire from the spying life, leaving it all behind to be with Madeleine Swann. While relaxing on a quasi-honeymoon, Bond is attacked by SPECTRE agents, becoming convinced Madeleine betrayed him. Five years pass, Bond living out his retirement in Jamaica. That's when a MI6 bioweapon, a programmable nanobot virus called Heracles, is stolen. Bond is lured out of retirement by the CIA to retrieve the geneticist, hiding out in Cuba. He instead steps right into a SPECTRE meeting, everyone being killed off by Heracles being sprayed into the room. Bond soon uncovers a plot by a mad man named Lyutsifer Safin, to take his revenge on SPECTRE, kidnap Madeleine Swann, and use Heracles to kill millions of people. Along the way, he meets the agent that replaced him as 007 and is reunited with Swann... Who has a five-year-old daughter.

“No Time to Die” is a Bond movie that embraces some of the series' traditions while breaking many others. Yet one tradition is keenly observed: The stylized opening credits and the pop hit theme song. The opening credits begin with a series of colorful circles, a likely homage to “Dr. No.” This is the first of several callbacks, including "Casino Royale's" playing card imagery and "Thunderball's" silhouetted scuba divers. Images of red blood cells, Noh masks, and Britannia being infected with Heracles appear alongside series' standards like firing guns and close-ups on naked women. Pretty cool stuff and among the better of the Craig era credits. As for the song, I was initially disappointed in Billy Ellish's "No Time to Die." After the weepy Sam Smith song last time, I was really hoping Ellish would bring some of that "Bad Guys" energy to her Bond theme. But it's grown on me with repeated listens, the boozy melodies slowly drawing me in. Ellish's smoky crooning is still perfect for this genre. 

Much was made of Phoebe Waller-Bridge contributing to "No Time to Die's" screenplay, leading to outcries that "woke" brigade was coming for Bond. This was a dumb controversy — Waller-Bridges' contributes were apparently fairly minor — but "No Time to Die" does make a calculated attempt to ease over Bond's more problematic aspects. During his retirement, a black woman named Nomi takes over the 007 designation. She is pointedly not a typical Bond girl, rebuffing any attempts to be seduced by him. In fact, Bond doesn't have sex with any new love interests in this film. What would normally be the supporting Bond babe to be bedded, Ana de Armas' Paloma, expresses no sexual interest in Bond at all. He even asks her to turn around when he changes into to his tuxedo!

While classical Bond's sexist behavior simply isn't acceptance anymore in 2021, I think there was a better way to re-calibrate the character than simply making him another sexless modern blockbuster action hero. Why not allow Bond to remain a sexual being while just making sure there's lots of enthusiastic consent beforehand? This is far from the only half-assed attempt to make Bond P.C. Lashana Lynch's 007 was introduced among lots of hype but she doesn't actually do much in the movie. Her action scenes are forgettable and Lynch's charisma is chained by having to play off the boys. De Armas' high-kicking, deceptively giggly character proves far-more memorable, despite having a much smaller role. "No Time to Die" is mostly another attempt by Hollywood to appear progressive without actually putting any work into it. 

Another reason Bond doesn't get laid much this time is because he spends almost the entire movie moping around with a broken heart. With this officially being the ending chapter of Craig's tenure as Bond, trust issues in his love life have emerged as the defining characteristic of his take on the character. Vesper Lynn, buried for fifteen years now, is brought up again before Bond suffers his latest heartbreak at Swann's hands. Craig brings his dynamite smirk and sense of cold coolness to many scenes. He's having a good time but the script remains overly maudlin. Must we linger quite so much on Bond's unresolved romantic crises? "Quantum of Solace" was an entire movie devoted to that and I'm a little tired of the series returning to that well so often. 

Yet this, in many ways, reflects what has been a big problem all throughout the Craig era of Bond: Each movie has seemingly promised to be the origin story for the character. "Casino Royale's" still perfect ending had Craig emerge as the cold-as-ice blunt instrument assassin Bond is suppose to be. "Skyfall" seemed to re-establish the classic set-up of Bond flirting with Moneypenny, walking into M's office, and receiving his assignment for the movie. And each movie, this one included, has been fixated on the question of "does the world still need Bond?" "No Time to Die" makes sure to have Craig speak directly into the camera as he explains why a hard-drinking, globe-trotting super spy will always be necessary. In retrospect, the Craig era has felt like a long game of teasing, each movie announcing "Bond is Back!" with the next installment never delivering on that promise. Not to mention a distracting, neurotic need for the series to justify its own existence. 

Despite "No Time to Die's" constant need to be of-the-moment, it works best when accidentally invoking the current state of the world. "No Time to Die" was filmed before COVID changed everything forever but its plot, of a villain threatening to unleash a globally devastating virus, seems shockingly relevant. We all know now the stakes of such a threat. Similarly, "No Time to Die" takes place in a more fractured world, government agencies no longer being willing to collaborate. Even its story of rival secret societies and supervillains competing against each other seems to speak to a world where more people than ever buy into insane conspiracy theories. This certainly helps a Bond adventure with the most outlandish sci-fi gadgets since "Die Another Day," like those near-future nanobots and some far-fetched mag-lift tech, feel more grounded. 

Yet the villain in "No Time to Die" left me with a few lingering questions. Like "Skyfall's" Raoul Silva, Lyutsifer Safin's plot is mostly about getting revenge and a fixation on a female in Bond's life. This explains his grudge against SPECTRE and his fixation on Madeleine Swann. Yet the reason why he plans to unleash a population devastating virus on the globe are foggy at best. Safin's rants about overpopulation and resources mostly makes him seem like a thinly-sketched attempt to emulate Marvel's Thanos. Rami Malek is perfectly serviceable in the role, coldly explaining his schemes and staring with a creepy glare. But the decision to cast the forty year old Malek as a character that's at least ten years older, and compensating by covering his face in make-up, is distracting. Why not just cast an older actor? And for all of "No Time to Die's" attempts to be politically correct, it uncritically invokes the orientalist aspects of Bond villains like Dr. No — who the Noh mask wearing Safin was obviously inspired by — by outfitting his island lair with a zen garden, chabudai tables, and kimonos. 

But maybe I'm overthinking it. We go to Bond movies to see exotic locations and elaborate action scenes. The movie certainly has plenty of the latter. The chase through the streets of Matera, which features some phenomenal vehicular stunts and an impressive leap from a stone bridge, is a trademark impressive Bond opening. Another vehicular chase – which features some gorgeous flips and crashes – climaxes with a pursuit through the foggy woods of Norway, which is among the film's most exciting sequences. The climatic attack is set in a drag industrial factory but it does feature some well choreographed close quarters combat and intense long takes. I got some “John Wick” vibes from these scenes, which goes to show how influential that series has become when Bond is emulating it.

While the final act might be a bit heavy on the grey and gunmetal, “No Time to Die” does feature some colorful cinematography. Linus Sandgren, an Oscar winner for “La La Land,” is our cinematographer. He can't top Roger Deakins' work on “Skyfall” but this is still a very good looking movie. The extended sequence in Cuba features lots of bright blues, greens, and even some warmer oranges. That is another high-light of the film, especially the way the action theatrics escalate. The first scene, set alongside a frozen lake, is also memorably photographed. Whatever it's flaws, “No Time to Die” is an excellent looking movie and Fukunaga does an admirable job directing.

“No Time to Die” is determined to be the grand finale for the Daniel Craig iteration of this character. Which means the series remains utterly committed to serialized storytelling, in a franchise that was satisfied to tell episodic stories for four decades. It's a direct sequel to “SPECTRE,” building specifically on characters and events from “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace.” On one hand, I don't mind this too much. It's great to see Jeffrey Wright and Christoph Waltz as Felix Leither and Blofeld again. Yet it's also frustrating the Craig films have been so determined to link stories that might've worked better if they were allowed to stand alone. Was anyone that invested in Madeleine Swann anyway? And that's coming from someone who actually really liked “SPECTRE!” But I guess non-serialized storytelling is harder to find in blockbuster filmmaking, which is increasingly influenced by television. James Bond will survive, with a new actor and probably another complete continuity reboot. Because someone seems to think audiences can't swallow a character's face and age changing without explanation between movies. 

Ultimately, “No Time to Die” represents the long-running franchise during a time of transition. All of the Craig films have struggled to make Bond aesthetically palatable in this day and age. This latest entrance is especially concerned with making Bond work during our particular cultural, political moment. Yet the result seems to have sucked the sexy style out of the character a little bit, leaving us with a Bond adventure that is a bit too sappy and too self-satisfied with its status as Craig's final outing. The supporting cast is still strong, the action is generally good, and the general outline of the story is sturdy enough. Craig is and always will be a fine Bond, when the films allowed him to embody the part. The result is among the more divisive entry in the 59 year espionage legacy, with some loving it and some being more mixed it. I came away enjoying parts of “No Time to Die” but ultimately being dissatisfied with certain elements of it. [Grade: C+]

[THE 007 SEVEN: 6 outta 7]

[X] Destroys Evil Doer’s Lair

[X] Drinks or Orders a Vodka Martini

[] Gets Captured and/or Tortured

[X] Introduces Himself as “Bond – James Bond”

[X] Teams-Up with Felix Leiter

[X] Uses Judo or a Walther PPK to Dispose of an Enemy

[X] Wears a Tux

Series Report Card: James Bond 007 (2015)

24. Spectre

Despite being a franchise that is over fifty years old, a new James Bond movie is still an event. In our era of massive blockbuster series, Bond’s appeal remains evergreen. Even in 2015, we still can’t get enough of the adventures of an alcoholic spy who loves killin’ and fuckin’. “Skyfall” was an enormous hit, becoming the highest grossing film of all time in the UK. Eon Productions knew not to mess with a good thing. “Spectre,” the twenty-fourth official James Bond adventure, maintained director Sam Mendes and most of the same writers. That uniformity paid off, as “Spectre” has predictable been another huge hit. For long time Bond aficionados, “Spectre” was destined to be an even bigger event. The film would feature the return of SPECTRE, the villainous organization that vexed Bond back in the sixties, and its leader Blofeld, Bond’s fabled arch-enemy.

After M’s death, Bond receives a video from his deceased boss, informing him to keep on eye on an assassin named Marco Sciarra. After encountering, and killing, Sciarra in Mexico, Bond uncovers a new conspiracy. He discovers a secret organization – SPECTRE – that connects many of his previous enemies and, most frighteningly, features a familiar face from his childhood. Meanwhile, a new security merger threatens to make MI-6 and the 00 program obsolete. After teaming up with the daughter of an old adversary, Bond realizes the shake-up in the British government is directly connected with SPECTRE.

Before one discusses the new James Bond movie, one must discuss the new James Bond theme song. Sam Smith, some British pop crooner I’m not really familiar with, had been considered a foregone conclusion to sing the title song. When the song – inexplicably entitled “The Writing’s On the Wall” – premiered, fan reaction was not great. Many criticized it for sounding “wimpy” and lacking energy. Indeed, the romantic ballad doesn’t crackle. Smith’s high-pitch vocals grate at first, the lyrics are somewhat awkward, and the production is overly maudlin. Still, after a few listens, it started to grow on me. The melody is pretty, if nothing else. As for the opening credits’ sequences, it features lots of octopi and skeleton imagery, shattering glass and smoke. Sometimes these elements are incorporated in slightly goofy looking fashion, like the nude dancers wrapped in tentacles. It’s not destined to be an especially well remembered Bond opening but it’s not bad either.

“Spectre” not only keeps much of the same talent behind the camera, it also has a similar tone to “Skyfall.” It’s a serious story but incorporates more humor than Daniel Craig’s first two outings as Bond. Some times, this is handled with more grace then others. Bond coolly dropping out of the sky after making a daring escape is perfect for the character. On the other hand, a random by-stander’s airbag going off feels like something out of the Roger Moore era. After sticking with the character for ten years, Craig has developed a fine handle of sarcastic, wry one-liners. Despite its humor, “Spectre” is willing to get surprisingly moody at times. A long sequence has Bond infiltrating a SPECTRE meeting, quietly observing the enemies’ actions. Another lengthy scene involves James and his love interest spending time in her parent’s old vacation home. Perhaps it speaks to Eon’s confidence in Sam Mendes and his team, that they allow slow moments like this inside a big budget, action-packed Bond film.

Occasionally in the past, a James Bond movie has incorporated modern day news events into the super-spy narratives. Such as 24 hour news networks in “Tomorrow Never Dies,” tension between the Koreas in “Die Another Day,” or global water shortages in “Quantum of Solace.” “Spectre,” meanwhile, attempts to integrate concerns about government surveillance into its story. M and the other heads of MI6 are being slowly forced out by the Joint Intelligence Service, a new agency that seeks to monitor the data of everyone in the country. Throughout the film, characters are constantly watched by surveillance cameras or have their cell phone conversations recorded. “Spectre” makes its stance on this issue clear. The organization that want to push aside traditional spies in favor of data-mining is affiliated with a global terrorist cabal determined to conquer the world. “Spectre” doesn’t comment on these pertinent issues in any detailed way, besides saying spying on innocent citizens is bad. Still, it incorporates this more smoothly then previous attempts at merging a Bond story with a real world concern.

When it was announced that the current right-holders finally retrieve the rights to use SPECTRE and Blofeld, there was much rejoicing. Of course, the Craig series had already cooked up a stand-in for SPECTRE, the mysterious Quantum. Despite initial concerns that it might just skip them, “Spectre” directly references the events of “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace.” Mr. White, a minor antagonist from those films, plays a small but pivotal role in this one. Revealing that Quantum is but a small part of SPECTRE is a natural step. However, “Spectre” goes one further. It reveals that, throughout all three of his previous adventures, James Bond has been fighting the same threat. Everything ties together, Blofeld being the mastermind behind it all. "The author of all Bond's pain," as he says. While I appreciate the attempt to wield these stories together, “Spectre” never explains how Silva’s personal revenge in “Skyfall” connects with Blofeld’s master plan. In truth, the reveal that everything is connected is not so much a natural story decision. Instead, it’s a slightly sloppy way to make Bond’s new/old arch-enemy seem bigger and more important then he is.

Something that the films starring Craig’s Bond have done is create bigger roles for the Bond Girls. “Spectre” has two, Monica Belluci’s Lucia Sciarra and Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann. Lucia’s seduction is fairly incidental to the plot. Mostly, she’s in the movie to get the always glamorous Belluci her long overdue Bond Girl role. Swann, on the other hand, is a major character. She gives Bond a prickly reaction at first. However, as the two continue to survive this ordeal, she falls into his arms. The gorgeous Seydoux proves a decent foil for Craig. Swann is head-strong enough, and handy enough with a Walter PPK, to make a worthy companion to Bond. As the story progresses, we discover that Swann is not just a Girl of the Week for Bond. He seems to be developing serious feelings for her. The romance is slightly rushed. Whether or not Bond is truly in love is a question left for the sequels. However, Craig and Seydoux have fine chemistry, making the relationship between Bond and Swann worthwhile.

As always, this James Bond movie is full of explosive action. “Spectre” begins with an incredible long shot of Bond walking across the rooftops of Mexico City. This escalates to an exploding building, before climaxing with an exciting, beautifully orchestrated rumble inside a spinning helicopter. “Spectre” also contributes several pretty great vehicle chases to the Bond canon. The first takes place through the tight corridors of Rome, Bond and his adversary racing around tight corners, swerve around debris, and avoid other vehicles. (Amusingly, the film also defuses the typical Bond car expectations.) The film tops itself with an even bigger chase later in the film. Around the snowy mountains, Bond pursues the villains’ truck in an airplane. This sequence goes to some crazy planes, especially once Bond is directing the wingless craft down the slopes. Though it once again arguably pushes “Spectre” towards Moore territory, it’s still an exciting sequence.

In the press leading up to “Spectre’s” release, the film promises that Mr. Hinx, played by up-and-coming tough guy Dave Bautista, would be a Bond henchman of equal standing to Jaws or Oddjobs. It’s a nice thought, especially since we haven’t gotten a good henchman in a while. Bautista is certainly intimidating in the part. Hinx has a few nice touches, like the polished thumb nails he uses to gauge out eyes. Hinx isn’t defined too much beyond that. However, he does participate in maybe the film’s best action scene. Hinx corners Bond on a train, leading to a brawl that tears through the dining car. Bond improvises some weapons, like a bottle or a corkscrew. The combat is brutal, with plenty of audible slams and cracking bones. The pay-off is especially satisfying as well. Though Hinx could’ve been a great henchman, he doesn’t have enough personality and exits the film too early to make a truly iconic impression.

Like “Skyfall” before it, “Spectre” dutifully respects the formula of the Bond franchise. The villain has an elaborate lair, a huge facility inside a giant asteroid crater. Bond and his love interest is captured, before the secret agent is brutally tortured by the villain. This time, Blofeld drills into James’ head, which is as painful as it sounds. Thanks to a gadget devised by Q, Bond is able to make a daring escape. Said escape is a blast, in more then one way. There’s plenty of dramatic diving and shoot. The sequence climaxes in a massive explosion, apparently the biggest fireball ever created for a movie. “Spectre” is devoted to topping itself though. The film has an additional last act, a dramatic run through the ruins of Vauxhall, about to explode. This is an equally tense, exciting sequence, concluding with a helicopter skidding across London Bridge. That’s a wrap-up any Bond movie could ask for.

“Skyfall” went out of its way to re-establish the traditional James Bond supporting characters of Moneypenny, Q, and a more traditional M. Instead of sticking the characters to the sidelines like they usually are, “Spectre” involves each of them in the story proper. Q has an intense encounter on a ski lift with some shifty fellows. His hacking skills become an important plot point. Ben Whishaw retains a likable balance of nervousness and smug superiority, while developing a decent rapport with Craig. Naomie Harris as Moneypenny does more then just flirt with Bond at the story’s beginning, though there’s some of that too. She helps out Bond’s investigation. Ralph Fiennes’s M even gets an action sequence all to himself, confronting the movie’s secondary antagonist. It’s nice to see the film utilizing its rich supporting cast.

“Spectre” has its share of call-backs to previous Bond adventures. Some of them are easy to spot. A clinic among alpine mountains, obviously invoking “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” will probably be picked up by most. A business front called “Hildebrand” is a little sneakier. Yet “Spectre” biggest call-back to Bond lore is a dramatic reveal of a character’s true identity. As we all figured out months before its release, Christoph Waltz is playing Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The elegant and verbose Waltz is perfectly cast as the iconic villain. His way with dialogue makes the bad guy classy but no less sinister. After playing coy with the Nehru jacket and the white cat, the film cleverly introduces the facial scar. Still, I have a qualm with “Spectre’s” take on Blofeld. Having him be the mastermind behind the last three movies isn’t enough. Instead, “Spectre” makes Blofeld James’ foster-brother. It’s a story element that doesn’t truly pay off. Connecting Blofeld and Bond seems like another attempt by the script to punch up the series’ biggest villain.

Whether or not Daniel Craig will return for a fifth James Bond movie isn’t currently known. Craig has been open about his disinterest in returning, in no uncertain words. Producer Michael G. Wilson, meanwhile, has said they are willing to pay Craig whatever it takes to get him back for at least one more. “Spectre,” however, ends on a fairly definitive note. Most everything is wrapped up, save for the fate of one major character. (Maybe the next one’s beginning can recall “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’s” ending…) I’d liked to see Craig return, if only because every James Bond actor deserves one movie were they’re too old for the part. If “Spectre” is destined to be Craig’s last crack at Bond, it’s a very satisfying conclusion. The action is great, the cast is superior, and the film puts an entertaining spin on the series’ established mythology. [Grade: B]

THE 007 SEVEN: 6 out of 7

[X] Destroys Evil Doer’s Lair
[X] Drinks or Orders a Vodka Martini
[X] Gets Captured and/or Tortured
[X] Introduces Himself as “Bond – James Bond”
[] Teams-Up with Felix Leiter
[X] Uses Judo or a Walther PPK to Dispose of an Enemy
[X] Wears a Tux

Series Report Card: James Bond 007 (2012)

23. Skyfall

The twenty-third James Bond film, like seemingly all the movies in the series, did not have the smoothest of pre-productions. MGM was hampered by financial problems, the old studio approaching bankruptcy. This, combined with the somewhat negative reaction to “Quantum of Solace,” made fans wonder if a 23rd Bond film was coming soon at all. Would Daniel Craig’s tenure as Bond be cut short by outside factors, the same way Timothy Dalton’s was? There was no need to panic. MGM got their shit together and a new entry in the series, eventually entitled “Skyfall,” rolled into production. The delay might even have been a good thing. First off, it allowed the movie’s release to tie in with the series’ 50th anniversary. Secondly, it gave everyone involved more time to put together a better film.

A mission to recover a stolen hard drive, containing the cover identities of MI-6 agents in the field, goes horribly awry. Bond is shot off a train overpass, M and everyone else assuming 007 to be dead. A few month’s later, Vauxhall explodes in a cyber-terrorism attack. The man responsible has a similar story to Bond, a former MI-6 agent abandoned by his agency, now back for revenge. Bond, despite having a broken body and a troubled mind, returns to his job. As the villain’s identity is revealed, everyone soon realizes that M herself is the mastermind’s target. Bond’s quest to protect his boss also has him facing his own past.

As James Bond’s unconscious form careens down a waterfall, his body floating under the waves, the film smoothly transitions into the opening credits. “Skyfall’s” opening sequence nicely combines the more stylized credits that have become the standard in the Craig era with the more classical Bond trademarks. Partially nude women covert around the water, seemingly tormenting the drifting Bond. The credits reference Bond’s injury, with bleeding cut-outs of his face, and the film’s settings, with its burning Chinese dragons. The villain’s status as a dark reflection of Bond is shown by Bond facing off with his shadow and a hall of mirrors. There are two scenes here I really like. First, during a scene patterned after a Rorschach test, dancing women shift into knives and skulls. At the beginning of the credit, we see the Skyfall manor, the face of a young Bond inside. At the ends of the credits, we see the crumbling Skyfall, the face of a grizzled, adult Bond inside. The accompanying song is also something of a throwback. Adele’s big, brassy vocals works nicely with the traditional Bond style. The lyrics are poignant and well-constructed. The production is slightly overdone but, for the most part, this is a great Bond theme.

As the 50th anniversary film, “Skyfall” throws in many references to the series’ past. However, unlike the superficial easter eggs in “Die Another Day,” “Skyfall” actually builds its story around the past and how it interacts with the present. “Sometimes the old ways are the best” is a key line of dialogue. Craig has gotten enough age on him that its believable his Bond might have taken too much punishment. Characters actively wonder if, in the age of cyber-terrorism and radicals acting alone, if there’s any room for an old fashion man of action. Meanwhile, the characters are haunted by their pasts, M by the mistakes she’s made and Bond by his troubled childhood. Lastly, “Skyfall” works to return many classic elements to the Bond series, going a long way towards reestablishing the original formula. The film is respectful of the series history, updates some of the dearly missed trademarks, while also making some surprisingly profound statements about regrets and the past. Also, it brings back the Aston Martin DB5, probably one of the coolest callbacks I've seen in recent memory.

Another smart move on “Skyfall’s” behalf is making M a major character. Judi Dench’s M had been with the franchise for more then a decade at this point. Despite casting a highly respected, Oscar-winning actress like Dench in the part, M mostly sat behind a desk and gave mission briefings, especially during the Brosnan years. M was given a bigger role once Craig came on. “Skyfall” goes so far as to build the entire plot around her. The film questions the morality of M cutting her looses with captured agents. What if this came back to haunt her? Something else the film touches upon is M’s maternal instincts towards her spies. Throughout the film, everyone calls her “ma’am” but the accents make it sound like “mom.” Silva is like an abandoned son with Bond as the favored brother. The film isn't subtle about this, the villain saying “Mommy was bad.” Yet it adds an interesting layer to the plot. It also allows Dench to show off her considerable talent as an actress.

Since the Daniel Craig era of 007 is grounded and realistic, you're not going to have Bond running around at 57, blasting goons and inventing snowboarding. Instead, only on his third film, Craig’s James is already experiencing the wear and tear of his life-style. His always-implied alcoholism is more-or-less confirmed, with Bond depressingly chugging some scorpion liquor. His shoulder is shot, the film emphasizing his vulnerability. He can’t even shoot straight anymore. The only way he gets cleared for fieldwork is because M pushes him through. Moreover, “Skyfall” explores Bond’s childhood. By taking us back to Skyfall, his childhood home, the spy acknowledges his status as an orphan, his parents’ death, and his lonely years in a sprawling, gothic manor. Bond wasn’t a happy kid and that birthed a wildly dysfunctional adult. Considering how invested in the character’s inner life this period of the series is, it’s no surprised we’re exploring Bond’s childhood. It’s greatly appreciated either way.

Many of 007’s most memorable adversaries have been characters that darkly mirror Bond himself, such as Red Grant and Alec Trevelyan. “Skyfall” continues in this tradition. Raoul Silva is also a former MI-6, a double-0 like Bond. Like Trevelyan, he was left for dead, this time by M. Like Bond, he was M’s favorite. (In a cute joke, his years of service roughly line up with the period between Timothy Dalton and Brosnan’s films.) Instead of fighting for queen and country, Silva fights for himself, selling his skills as a hacker to the highest bidder. He’s as deadly and calculating as Bond, targeting M with the same harsh determination Bond targets his opponents. Javier Bardem as Silva gets a great introductory scene, where he presents himself to a captured Bond, explaining his plan. Bardem plays the character between psychotic mastermind and foppish dandy. He’s viciously efficient in his villainous plan while also carrying that classic Bond villain style. To hammer home Silva’s status as a classic Bond bad guy, he’s even given an ugly facial deformity. Yet Bardem creates a deeper performance, a villain with psychological problems and personal motivation.

How about the Bond Girls? Naomie Harris is introduced as Eve, Bond’s partner in the field who accidentally shoots him in the beginning. Harris and Craig share several scenes and the two have great chemistry. The meeting they have in Hong Kong, Eve helping Bond out with his shave, the two flirting in the casino, are a stand-out moment. It wasn’t hard to figure out that Eve is actually Eve Moneypenny, another classic element reestablished, but I still really enjoyed the reveal. The other Bond girls in the film invited more controversy. The glamorous Berenice Marlohe plays Severine. Severine is the dangerous, troubled girl linked to the film’s villain. As expected, Bond sleeps with her and then she dies. However, we also discover that Severine is a former victim of sexual slavery, a disturbing subject matter probably unsuited to a Bond film. What Bond does next ruffled plenty of feathers. She smiles when Bond comes into the shower, obviously enjoying his company. However, is it PC that Bond takes advantage of a former sex slave? Probably not but Bond has never been a PC character. It’s the sort of thing he would do. His curt dismissal of her death is right in line with his personality as well. For the record, Marlohe is fine in the part and beautiful to boot, looking gorgeous in the stylish dress.

Another classic Bond story element “Skyfall” returns to the canon is Q. The campy, plot-resolving gadgets of the Moore/Brosnan era wouldn’t fly here. Instead, Q is a wildly revamped character. Ben Whishaw is a young, hotshot kid, something Bond is eager to remind him of. The devices he hands out are low-key and realistic. The first is a modified Walter PPK with hand grip printed to Bond’s hand. The second is a tiny radio transmitter. That’s it. Both fit in nicely with the realistic style of the current series. Q still plays a larger role in the play. Being a young hacker type, he decodes Silva’s encrypted map and helps near the finale. Like Craig’s 007 in “Casino Royale,” Q is also young and inexperienced, making a pretty dumb mistake at a key moment. Whishaw is nice addition to the cast. The first meeting between Bond and Q in a museum plays out really nicely.

“Skyfall” is not as relentlessly action-packed as “Quantum of Solace.” However, it still has plenty of notable sequences. The opening chase scene through Istanbul is fantastic. The rooftop motorcycle chase is something we haven’t seen before. The fight between Bond and the assassin atop the train makes great use of the setting. Yet the best moment during this extended scene is when the bad guy first leaps onto the train. Craig’s Bond, not being one to stand for this sort of shit, jumps in a steam shovel and takes chase. Digging the shovel into the train and using that as a bridge to climb aboard is a clever set piece. It’s certainly a more effective sequence then the tumble Bond has in a casino. Yes, I’m talking about the CGI komodo dragon, a surprisingly sketchy special effect. Now, I like the judo flipping but Bond leaping on the reptiles’ back negatively brought Roger Moore to mind. Silva’s escape from MI-6 and Bond chasing him through the tube system is very suspenseful, has plenty of humor, and pays off nicely. Though, yes, it is ridiculous that the villain knew a train was coming at that very moment.

The last act of “Skyfall” cleverly inverts the typical Bond formula. Instead of the hero sneaking into an evil-doer’s lair and destroying it, Bond retreats to a fortress. Now the villains have to come to him, the heroes defending their home from invaders. A fantastic, late addition is Albert Finney as Kincade, the Bond estate’s watchman. Finney contributes a lot to the finale, providing humor while being equally badass. The action in this sequence is the best in the film. The Aston Martin DB5 gets a beautiful reintroduction and those headlight-mounted machine guns really come in handy. The cleverly used mirrors and improvised bombs recall a grittier sort of action film then your usual Bond movie. 007 has to defend his former home and boss with only a handful of shotguns and his own ingenuity. Some of these stunts are bigger then others, such as when two exploded fuel tanks toss enough shrapnel into the air to take two helicopter pilots! The race across a frozen lake is another stand-out stunt, especially the way deals with it. The conclusion to “Skyfall” is fantastically orchestrated.

Another element that elevates “Skyfall” is its gorgeous cinematography. Roger Deakins photographed the film and creates some truly spell-binding images. Such as the fight between Bond and the assassin in Hong Kong. Set inside a glass tower, the two fighters are silhouetted in cool blue against the flickering images outside. The siege of Skyfall is similarly shot in ominous blues, lit orange by the near-by flames. The Scottish countryside is beautifully photographed in general. “Skyfall” is probably the best looking film in the entire Bond series.

In contrast to “Quantum of Solace’s” overly venomous reaction, “Skyfall” was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews. Some went so far to declare it the best Bond ever. The public seemed to agree. “Skyfall” became the highest grossing film in the series’ long history, was number 2 for the entire year, and currently holds the title for the highest-grossing film in the UK. Since the internet runs on such a fast feedback cycle these days, a backlash happened immediately, people eager to point out that “Skyfall” wasn’t that good. Yeah, there are some minor plot holes and at least one plot element owes a lot to “The Dark Knight.” So, no, “Skyfall” isn’t the best Bond movie of all time. However, it is a very good addition to the series, beautifully photographed, tightly characterized, with great performances and plenty of fun action. Moreover, it successfully updates some familiar elements to the series that we haven’t seen in a while. As the film ends, Bond is eager to start his next adventure. The audience can’t wait either. [Grade: B+]

THE 007 SEVEN:

[] Destroys Evil Doer’s Lair
[X] Drinks or Orders a Vesper Martini
[X] Gets Captured and/or Tortured
[X] Introduces Himself as “Bond – James Bond”
[] Teams-Up with Felix Leiter
[X] Uses Judo or a Walther PPK to Dispose of an Enemy
[X] Wears a Tux

Source

James Bond will return. Though the actors playing the part grow old and the movies go in and out of vogue, the character will never die. When I'm old and my hypothetical children are adults, they'll still be making James Bond movie. Production on the 156th Bond movie will be rudely interrupted by the heat-death of the universe. Bond will live forever.

Most pressingly, James Bond will return soon. "Spectre" comes out November 6th of this year. Luck has it that the teaser trailer just hit Friday. Not only does the film promise the return of SPECTRE, the evil organization, and probably Blofeld, Bond's archenemy, who will probably be played by Christoph Waltz. The trailer is exciting and I'm fairly pumped for it.

I'm pretty proud to wrap up this Series Report Card. I've done bigger projects before but this one seemed especially complex. I'm not quite done with 007 just yet. Return tomorrow for a proper conclusion to this Report Card. See you soon, readers.

Series Report Card: James Bond 007 (2008)

22. Quantum of Solace

James Bond was back. “Casino Royale” was a critical and commercial success, the character successfully reinvented for a new generation, with a new style. As has typically been the case in the past, the success of a Bond debut meant a sequel quickly went into production. Taking its hideously awkward title from an obscure Ian Fleming short story, production was hampered by a writers’ strike and a quickly approaching release date. “Quantum of Solace” still cleaned up at the box office but didn’t make quite as much money as its predecessor. Moreover, the reviews were far more mixed compared to the rapturous reception of “Casino Royale.” Fans were even more vicious, some hyperbolically ranking “Quantum of Solace” as the worst Bond adventure yet. It’s not that bad but is it good?

James Bond is still mourning the betrayal and death of Vesper Lynd. Bond being Bond, he mourns by kicking ass. He tracks down Mr. White, Lynd’s mysterious contact, taking him back to MI-6. This reveals a shadowy, villainous covert organization called Quantum. Bond, full of rage and disobeying M’s orders, takes the fight to Quantum. Teaming up with a Bolivian woman with her own plans of revenge, 007 attempts to interrupt a Quantum plot to take tyrannical control of the water supply in South America.

The stylish, beautiful opening credits sequence was just one of many things I loved about “Casino Royale.” True to the film in general, “Quantum of Solace’s” opening is not as good as the previous film’s. A stylized version of Bond wanders through a desert, shooting his gun all over the place. He falls through the sand, haunted by images of beautiful, nude women. It’s sort of neat to have the naked dancers back. The titles are eye-catching and well-done. They’re just aren’t as cool as “Casino Royale’s.” As for the theme song, despite some valid attempts to do so, there was no way anyone could incorporate the film’s hilariously verbose title into a catchy song. Many Bond themes were R&B ballads. “Casino Royale” featured a hard rock number, a refreshing change of pace. “Quantum of Solace’s” opening, “Another Way to Die,” awkwardly fuses the two approaches. Jack White and Alicia Keyes duet on the song, White’s jangling guitars meshing with Keyes’ piano and soulful singing. The melody is decent but not especially smooth. The lyrics, at first, appear to be devoted to how much of a badass Bond is but eventually tie into the film’s themes of trust and betrayal. If this was a solo effort from White or Keyes, it probably would have been better. The two approaches feel a bit like water and oil.

“Quantum of Solace” is notable for being the first direct sequel in the series’ long history. “Casino Royale” ended with Bond capturing Mr. White. This film opens with Mr. White in Bond’s trunk, his car speeding away from the bad guys, literally minutes later. The main story, meanwhile, answers some of the questions the last film left unanswered. Who was Le Chiffre’s bosses? What is their master plan? How deep does this conspiracy go? “Quantum of Solace” follows up on some of these mysteries. When most Bond films are so episodic, it’s refreshing to have a film that directly follows one of the films. Considering this is a new Bond with a new approach, it’s a clever idea.

Speaking of that new approach… Last time, Daniel Craig’s James Bond was a cold-blooded killer learning how cold-blooded he had to be in this business. He was direct and focused but young and still learning. In "Quantum of Solace,” Bond goes bananas! At some point, it became a rule that every Bond actor needed a movie where the spy goes rogue, disobeying his superiors to get shit done. “Quantum of Solace” is that film for Craig. M criticizes Bond frequently for his tendency to kill people. She gets so pissed at him that she takes away his spy privileged, revoking his credit card and his travel visas. Because Judi Dench’s M is so maternal towards Bond, something this film references repeatedly, this comes off mostly like a stern mother disappointed in her willful child. As usually happens, MI-6 comes around to Bond once they realize that he gets results, damn it! However, it is interesting to see Bond at odds with his own organization and on his own.

Many people wonder what the hell that title means. Ian Fleming’s short story is one of those examples of an author wanting to tell a story outside his star franchise but unable to move pass it because of its success. So “The Quantum of Solace,” the story, was about James Bond hearing a sad story about relationships ending at a dinner party. You see, the quantum of solace refers to still having attachment to the balance of care in a relationship, defining the point where one person no longer cares about the other. The film, which is otherwise unrelated to Fleming’s text, takes this theme of lost, regret, and resolution. Bond is motivated completely by the pain he feels from Vesper Lynd’s death and betrayal. He is looking to pass his own quantum of solace, to resolve the hurt he feels. Throughout the film, he comes to terms with what Vesper did and, by helping someone else reach their revenge, finds an odd balance of his own. “Casino Royale” asked what does it take to turn a human into a heartless killing machine. “Quantum of Solace” asks about how such a decision can weigh on someone’s soul. It’s heady for a shoot-em-up, bang-bang movie.

For years, there continued to be legal issues with Kevin McClory and his estate. Because of this, the characters of Blofeld and his evil organization SPECTRE remained off-limits to the official Eon series. No longer content to have Bond fight a series of isolated mad men and criminals, the new series found a solution around this. Make up a new evil organization! Named Quantum, probably as another justification to go with that oblique title, they are the Illuminati of the Bond universe. With their fingers in everything, they are slowly plotting to totally take over the world’s resources. Their influence is such that M’s bodyguard of years is a Quantum agent. Their covertness is such that MI-6 is only now finding out about them. Quantum’s reach contributes to the film’s themes of Bond not knowing who to trust. It might not be SPECTRE but it still makes me happy to see James Bond fighting an evil terrorist organization.

Something I don’t like about "Quantum of Solace" is what exactly that evil organization is up to. Guess what? It’s another villainous scheme to control utility reverses! The film’s bad guy at first appears to be buying large swathes of Bolivian desert in hopes of striking oil. However, we soon discover that Quantum’s plan is to control the water supply of the country. This feeds into recent events in Bolivia as well as concerns that water will be the in-demand commodity of the future. At least the bad guys aren’t planning to blow something up, to give them monopoly. Instead, their plot involves simply buying up land, bribing governments, and reinstating dictatorships willing to support their plans. This does not make for the most compelling villainous plot.

Another weakness in “Quantum of Solace” is that bad guy. Last time, Mad Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre was a surprising human villain, full of nervous desperation. Craig’s second film was obviously looking to replicate this. Mathieu Amalric plays Dominic Greene. Greene’s runs a utility company called Greene Planet, that gives to charity and pretends to be “green” in order to mask his villainous endgame. Greene, however, is physically unintimidating. Amalric’s performance is weaselly and nasal. His most evil action is an attempts to push the Bond girl over the cliff, a pretty pathetic action. His army of henchmen do all the work. When faced with Bond, he grabs an axe, fidgets around, stabs himself in the foot, and stumbles off a platform. The interpretation of Le Chiffre as a nervous wreck was a fresh approach. “Quantum of Solace” goes too far in the same direction, creating a bad guy that is weak-willed and pathetic.

The film makes up for a lot with its main Bond girl. In his quest to avenge Vesper’s death, Bond makes the acquaintance of another woman. Camille Montes’ parents were brutalized and murdered by a vicious dictator before her home was burned down. She still carries the scars on her back. She now seeks her own revenge on the general, getting close to Greene to get close to him. Olga Kurylenko, though obviously not Hispanic, is great in the part. She exposes Camille’s wounded heart but will to fulfill her goal. Moreover, Kurylenko brings a great physically to the part. She’s as believable an action hero as Craig, getting into serious fights throughout the last act. Kurylenko is gorgeous too. There’s a secondary Bond girl, the cheekily named Strawberry Fields played by the lovely Gemma Arterton. Fields has some nice moments, such as tripping an random goon. She attempts to resists Bond’s charms but its no use. Though its fun to see Bond make another notch in his bed post, I wish Fields contribute more to the story before her death, as Arterton is charming.

Marc Foster’s direction was heavily criticized for being overly reliant on “shaky-cam,” that widely loathed cliché of modern action cinema. However, this was overstated. The action scenes are nowhere near as choppy as reported. The editing is fast. However, the action is never incoherent and the camera never jitters senselessly. As an action film, the movie seems pre-occupied with chase scenes. There’s a tense opening car chase, with Bond weaving through traffic, nearing crashing his car repeatedly, tossing enemy drivers off a cliff. Bond chases M’s dirty henchman over the rooftop of Italy. They run through the sewers, slide down roof tiles, and crash through windows. The conclusion, with the two men tangled in the ropes of a scaffolding, is an exciting, novel action scene. There’s a boat chase, which ends with the vehicle flipping through the air. There’s even a plane chase, Bond shifting through the air to avoid the other plane’s bullets. That scene is not the clearest constructed of the film but builds decently. However, the conclusion, of Craig and Kurylenko free-falling through a sinkhole, features some less-then-convincing CGI and green screen.

Compared to the 144-minute run time, “Quantum of Solace” runs at a brisk 106, making it the shortest of the Bond series. So before you know it, Bond and his female sidekick are infiltrating the enemy’s lair. The story is so condensed that Felix Leiter’s role is reduced to two scenes. And Bond doesn’t get captured and/or tortured, for the first time in the series’ history! The attack on the base has Bond dropping down on a roof, shooting through windows, and setting off a massive explosion. While the fight between Bond and Geene is a bit of a bummer; he doesn’t even kill the guy; the fight between Camille and the corrupt general is great. It helps that you’re so invested in her character. It’s an exciting sequence, with lots of action. Truthfully, because of its short run time and straight-ahead plot, “Quantum of Solace” is action-packed, with few slow scenes.

The film’s conclusion is emotional, Bond finally avenging Vesper’s death. With that, Bond’s origin story is finally complete. “Quantum of Solace” attempts some noble ideas, is successful as an action film, and has a strong Bond Girl. The story could have been better constructed and the main villain is disappointing. However, “Quantum of Solace’s” negative reputation is overstated. Mostly, I think the film was so badly received because its predecessor was so good. In comparison to the best James Bond movie ever, a solid mid-tier film like “Quantum of Solace” plays much worst. Taken on its own, it holds up decently and continues to show the strengths of Daniel Craig. [Grade: B]

THE 007 SEVEN:

[X] Destroys Evil Doer’s Lair
[X] Drinks or Orders a Vesper Martini
[] Gets Captured and/or Tortured
[] Introduces Himself as “Bond – James Bond”
[X] Teams-Up with Felix Leiter
[X] Uses Judo or a Walther PPK to Dispose of an Enemy
[X] Wears a Tux

Series Report Card: James Bond 007 (2006)

21. Casino Royale

After “Die Another Day” left the James Bond series in tatters, the only thing left to do was rebuild. For the first time in the series’ forty year-plus history, Eon Productions was doing a complete continuity reboot. The Bond we had been watching for four decades was being discarded. This was a new Bond, with a clean slate. A legal settlement with Sony, which involved trading the franchise rights to Spider-Man, finally gave MGM access to Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, “Casino Royale.” What better story was there to relaunch the long-running series? With a new actor in the part, “Casino Royale” became a big success and completely redefined James Bond for a new generation.

A newly minted 007 agent, his licence to kill just earned, James Bond is sent on a mission to investigate a bomb maker in Madagascar. The man is working for Le Chiffre, the broker for a covert terrorist organization. Le Chiffre’s latest plan involves exploding an airline company’s new plane prototype, sinking their stocks, and making his group a lot of money. When Bond ruins that plan, Le Chiffre is in sudden need of a lot of cash or face extermination by his own group. He hopes to win the money back during a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. Bond is on his trail, determined to beat the villain at cards.

Because this is a new Bond, even the opening credits sequence to “Casino Royale” breaks the series’ established conventions. There are no nude silhouettes of dancing women. Instead, the credits juxtapose Bond’s status as an assassin with gambling images. Thus, the background is the green of a poker table. The faces of playing cards flash over the screen. Bond shoots hearts and clubs from his gun. His opponents tumble to the ground, exploding into scattered shapes. The cross-hairs of a gun morph into spinning roulette tables. Finally, as two zeros are shot into a 7 card, Bond steps out of the shadows, revealing the face of a stone-cold killer. The accompanying song is “You Know My Name” by Chris Cornell. Cornell’s hard rock style and gravelly vocals weren’t well received by everyone. However, the lyrics accurately, beautifully described Bond’s mindset as a cold blooded gunman. The music builds fantastically to an intense finale. It’s a great opening.

At the time, Daniel Craig was a relatively unknown character actor. “Layer Cake,” a British gangster flick that was not widely seen, was his most prominent leading role. However, one important person that did see “Layer Cake” was Barbara Broccoli who immediately decided he must be Bond. There was some silly objections to Craig’s casting. However, most of those concerns were put to rest when people actually saw “Casino Royale.” Craig does not play Bond as an effortlessly cool secret agent. He is those things, in a way. He delivers a sarcastic smirk and well-time line fantastically. Mostly, he’s an unstoppable bad ass, fighting brutally to dispose of his enemies. He has the ability to seduce beautiful women but he does so only in service of his job. His big blue eyes are steely, hiding the heart of a cold killer. His Bond is dark, psychologically damaged, and stuffs down his soul in order to do what he must. Though some successful parallels can be drawn to Sean Connery and Timothy Dalton’s Bond, it’s a unique take on the long-established character. For these reasons and more, Craig remains my favorite take on 007.

After the CGI-assisted excesses of “Die Another Day,” “Casino Royale” re-commited itself to realism. The film is low on gadgetry. The closest things to gadgets the movie has is a tracking microchip injected into Bond’s arm and a defibrillator built into Bond’s awesome car. Though there’s a quiet humor to Craig’s take, Bond does not crack a single one-liner in the film. The sci-fi contrivances of the previous film have been abandoned for a serious, focused story of espionage. It’s a major course correction for the Bond series, taking the series further back then its cinematic roots. The film closely follows Ian Fleming’s original novel, further solidifying its commitment to making the most serious Bond adventure yet.

That tough tone is established early one. The first scene is shot in stark black-and-white. Bond confronting a dirty MI-6 agent is cut with Bond exterminating a mark in a grungy bathroom. The fight is brutal, both men being tossed through doors and walls. After killing the guy, we cut back to the present where Bond coldly plants a bullet in the agent’s head. Throughout the film, 007 does a lot of spying, sneaking around and following leads. He is focused on the mission. However, he’s also still learning. His tendency to let things get out of control, leading to big explosions, is the result of inexperience, not business as usual. He makes mistake but always keeps fighting, his gaze straight ahead. His ability to read people comes in handy during the poker match. Bond’s real good at killing but his will to succeed and ability to understand his opponents is what makes him a great agent.

If “Casino Royale” features a serious, hard Bond, its villain also plays with expectations. Le Chiffre appears at first to be an expected Bond villain. The scar over his eye, and his tendency to weep blood, follows Ian Fleming’s tendency to give his bad guys deformities. However, Mads Mikkelsen gives Chiffre an unexpected quality. After loosing his money, he has an air of desperation about him. His life literally depends on beating Bond at poker. He is repeatedly threatened by his own employers. At the end, his face is caked with sweat as he looses more hope, time running out. Just to emphasize how fallible Le Chifree is, he frequently huffs on an inhaler. Yet the character never looses his sense of executing coolness. Though fully human, he’s still a serious threat to Bond. This is a testament to Mikkelsen’s ability as an actor, who creates a fully formed character that is still a viable villain.

Though a young agent, James Bond is still a womanizer. He easily seduces Solange, the wife of one of Le Chiffre’s henchmen. Caterina Murino is gorgeous in the part. However, her role is small and, typically, she ends up dead soon. The main girl throughout “Casino Royale” is Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green. Craig and Green share an immediate chemistry. The two meet on a train and spend their first scene sizing each other up. There’s a lot of humor but the two are obviously interested in each other. At first, the bond they share is light-hearted flirting. However, a sturdier connection quickly forms. A touching scene, something Fleming’s Bond would never do, has Bond comforting Lynd in the shower after she nearly dies. It’s a dynamite performance from Green. Her exotic beauty, including those piercing eyes, hides an innate vulnerability.

Since this is a brand new Bond, “Casino Royale” fills out its supporting cast with new faces. Except for one. Smartly, the producers kept Judi Dench as M. Whether or not this is meant to be the same character from the Brosnan film is a question for continuity nerds. She treats this Bond differently anyway. She’s harsher to Craig’s Bond, having a lower tolerance for his bullshit. However, she also sees his value as an agent, sharing a strangely maternal bond with her top agent. Another new face is Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter. Wright’s Leiter has a coolness and a confidence well suited to the character. The character’s role is fairly limited, save for putting up money for Bond so he stay in the game. However, Wright is a welcomed addition. After the character not being around for four movies, it’s nice to see Felix again.

“Casino Royale” works best as a thriller but it still features some great action sequences. The movie actually begins with a great chase scene. Bond pursues the bomb-maker through the streets of Madagascar. The man, seemingly a parkour expert, leaps up walls and around structures. Bond isn’t as skilled. However, his determination sees him through. My favorite bit comes when the bomb maker swings gracefully over a wall. Bond, however, crashes right through it. He doesn’t have time for that shit. An earlier moment, when he takes chase in a bulldozer, also nicely displays Craig’s low-tolerance for nonsense. A stand-off in a museum is nicely tense, 007 never breaking character even when a knife is pointed at his chest. The scene builds towards a struggle with the terrorist, inside the front seat of a tanker truck, careening towards the plane. Bond and his adversary struggle against one another, both coming dangerously close to being tossed from the vehicle. Meanwhile, cop cars get tossed aside by an in-coming jet or harmlessly run over by the bigger vehicle. The pay-off to the scene is fantastically engineered and catches the viewer off guard.

In contrast to its action-packed first half, the second half of “Casino Royale” is all about poker. It’s a testament to the film’s strengths that these scenes are no less exciting. Now, there’s still some action. Bond grapples with a pair of killers inside a cramped staircase, nearly getting cut with a machete and tumbling over banisters. His opponents poisoned him, leading to a last minute attempt to revive himself, an incredibly tense moment. For the most part though, it’s all about poker. The script and Martin Campbell’s direction are so well coordinated that even someone like myself, who has no understanding of the game at all, can easily follow the action. The player’s shifty-eyed observation of each other and game of wills is as captivating as the fight scene. And just in case you lost interest, the film wraps up its second act with an impressive car crash and a sickeningly intense torture scene. That torture scene, with its bruised testicles and knotted rope, is probably some of the most disturbing, uncomfortable stuff to ever make it into a PG-13 blockbuster.

Interestingly, the story doesn’t end with Le Chifree’s defeat. Instead, “Casino Royale” goes on a bit further. We see Bond and Vesper recovering from their ordeal. He declares his love for her and the two have a seemingly idyllic happy ending. Anyone familiar with Fleming’s book knows what comes next. The love of Bond’s life betrays him before killing herself. The movie includes a tense fight-scene in a collapsing Venice home, featuring nail gun murder and tossed bodies. However, the emotional climax of the film comes when Vesper dies in Bond’s arms. He speaks the infamous line from the novel, about “the bitch" being dead, but his hurt and pain is obvious. In “Casino Royale’s” final seconds, he properly introduces himself as Bond, James Bond, the theme song roaring in on the soundtrack. This is it, guys, the birth of the Bond we know, the cold-hearted blunt instrument, building a wall of violence and national loyalty over a wounded heart.

“Casino Royale” features great performances, a beautifully realized romance, some fantastic action, but maintains a thrilling, intense tone throughout. Though the longest Bond movie yet at 144 minutes, the pacing is constantly barreling ahead and never falters. This new dark n’ gritty Bond was obviously influenced by the Jason Bourne series. But it one-ups that franchise at its own game, proving that there’s only one king of the cinematic spies. I’ll go ahead and say it: “Casino Royale” is the best James Bond movie yet made. It’s serious film making but still wonderfully entertaining yet also surprisingly touching. [Grade: A]

THE 007 SEVEN:

[] Destroys Evil Doer’s Lair
[X] Drinks or Orders a Vesper Martini
[X] Gets Captured and/or Tortured
[X] Introduces Himself as “Bond – James Bond”
[X] Teams-Up with Felix Leiter
[X] Uses Judo or a Walther PPK to Dispose of an Enemy
[X] Wears a Tux

Series Report Card: James Bond 007 (2002)

20. Die Another Day

Before starting this Series Report Card, I had seen every James Bond movie, even the unofficial ones, at least one. Except for “Die Another Day.” This wasn’t an intentional move on my behalf. Maybe it was my lack of interest in the Brosnan era. Maybe it was because I came into the franchise so late. However, the real reason was because “Die Another Day” was so badly received. The film is widely considered the worst entry in the series of all time. Considering the stinkers the franchise had birthed over the years, that’s saying something. Going into “Die Another Day,” I hoped the movie was better then its’ reputation. As the run time went on, my spirits sank lower and my eyes rolled harder. “Die Another Day” is, truly and without exaggeration, the worst James Bond movie ever made.

After an infiltration of a North Korean camp goes wrong, James Bond is captured by the Korean government. He’s tortured for over a year before the South Korean government trades him for Zao, a soldier that was brutally scarred by Bond. His mind and body trashed by his ordeal, MI-6 tells Bond he’s over. The agent doesn’t listen. He goes rogue, tracking Zao to Cuba. His investigation takes him further to Iceland, where he discovers Zao is working with industrialist Gustav Graves. Graves is not who he appears to be and his high-tech satellite is actually part of a villainous plot. Teaming up with an American NSA agent, Bond goes about stopping the madman and saving the day.

“Die Another Day” makes an interesting decision with its opening sequence. For the first time, the credits are incorporated into the story. While Bond is being tortured by the Koreans, he has visions of beautiful nude women made of fire and ice. The idea is fascinating. However, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Cutting between the day-glo fantasies and the harsh realities just makes the credits look more ridiculous. And then there are those CGI scorpions. Not helping matters is Madonna’s theme song. In addition to be being the worst James Bond movie, “Die Another Day” also has the worst Bond theme. Madonna’s techno styling, which includes the genre’s expected bleeping and blooping, is a poor fit for the series. Her lyrics are inane and seemingly unrelated to the film. The song also throws in some bizarre vocal effects, utterly out of place. Twenty years earlier, Madonna might have delivered a decent Bond theme. During her latter day, “striving to be relevant” era, she just embarrasses herself further.

“Die Another Day” begins with an interesting idea. The opening has the spy doing his usual thing, exploding an enemies’ base and killing quite a few people. However, instead of getting away, he is captured. 007 faces consequences for his actions for the first time. The first of many disappointments is that “Die Another Day” disposes of this after the opening credits. Bond goes against his boss’ orders, like in “Licence to Kill.” Brosnan continues in the angry mode he found in “The World is Not Enough.” However, before long, it’s business as usual. The film forgets the year of torture and degradation Bond faced and Brosnan is cracking cheesy one-liners like always.

“Die Another Day” was made during the five minute period when it looked North Korea was going to become Hollywood’s new go-to bad guys. The film goes for this with full force. Bond is captured by the Koreans. The villains are Korean. Their final plot involves destroying South Korea’s defense line with a giant fucking laser beam. In a further grasp for relevance, the movie also throws in a subplot about blood diamonds, another hot topic at the time. Unlike the last three movies, “Die Another Day” doesn’t do much with its real world subtext. It’s simply window-dressing.

There’s so much wrong with “Die Another Day.” However, it’s biggest problem is the film’s pathetic attempts to be "cool." Lee Tamahori’s direction is highly stylized. Characters often swish around in slow motion, making the simplest movements melodramatic. The best/worst example of this is Jinx dives off a cliff, the movement augmented with CGI. That’s another thing the movie does. “Die Another Day” makes heavy use of CGI. And, boy, is it shitty. Two scenes stick out the most. Bond races off an ice cliff in a snow mobile, which looks like a toy on a tiny set. Not long afterwards, he’s wind-surfing off a tsunami. It’s a ridiculous scene to begin with and the horrible special effects only emphasize the unlikely situation. The nadir of the film’s attempted sense of coolness is Madonna’s cameo. She contributes nothing to the film, showing up in a egregiously unnecessary scene. Even the movie’s repeated in-jokes, which range from Bond going undercover as an ornithologist to appearances from “Thunderball’s” jetpack, feel self-serving and overly winking.

And this is before the movie reveals itself to be a partial remake of “Diamonds are Forever.” Yep, both movies feature diamond smuggling and a satellite-mounted laser beam. Aside from its aggravating attempts at being “cool,” the biggest problem with “Die Another Day” is the sudden insertion of unbelievable sci-fi elements. Characters have their entire physical appearances changed with gene therapy. Zao’s surgery is interrupted, leaving him with oddly white skin. Bond trains in an immersive, photo-realistic virtual reality simulation. The main villain, for reasons that are never explained, doesn’t sleep. Instead, he spends an hour a day inside a “dream machine,” a flashing mask that goes over his face. Later, the villains tortured Jinx with an electrified Power Glove. The movie even pushes the idea of a satellite death ray further then is believable. And you thought “Moonraker” was ridiculous. Why is this shit in a James Bond movie?

And then there’s the invisible car. Of all of “Die Another Day’s” excesses, the fucking invisible car might be the most heavily criticized. John Cleese’s R has graduated to being the new Q, Cleese doing much better then last time. He gives Bond a pretty cool watch and a glass-shattering ring. He also gifts the agent with a car that turn invisible. That car is absurd and utterly unbelievable. The vehicle plays a major role in a chase through the villain’s ice palace. The worst part? The chase is actually pretty cool. The car’s other features, like its ejector seat and front-mounted shotguns, are fairly neat. The chase is decently constructed, the villain’s car also being outfitted with a machine gun. The conclusion, however, is ridiculous. How does Bond beat the bad guy? He moves out of the way, driving up the wall with ice-spikes, the bad guy plunging to his death. Lame. The whole thing is dumb.

At first, “Die Another Day” presents Zao as being the film’s main villain. At first a handsome Korean soldier, he later gets a suitcase of diamonds exploded in his face. The diamonds are embedded in his face. His grotesque appearance is further affected by the gene therapy. Rick Yune is intimidating in the part and is probably one of the best things about the film. Turns out though, Zao is the henchman, not the primary villain. Instead, he’s working for Gustave Graves, a British billionaire. In an incredibly absurd plot twist, Graves is actually a Korean Colonel, who underwent gene therapy of his own to change his appearance. His final goal is to destroy South Korea with his space laser, all a ploy to regain his father’s respect. Toby Stephens is whiny and unappealing in the part, making for an obnoxious bad guy further damaged by a ridiculous plot line.

The aspects about the film that received the most press before its release was the casting of Halle Berry as a Bond girl. Berry was right off an Oscar win for “Monster’s Ball” and the hype surrounding her was huge. She plays Jinx, a NSA agent helping Bond on his mission. Like everything else in the film, Jinx is designed to be as “cool” as possible. The character gets nearly as much action as Bond. She sets off bombs, pulls a knife on the guy, and makes a daring escape. There’s a big problem though. Berry is terrible in the part. Every line is read as flatly as possible. She seems utterly lost, like a child pretending to be a grown-up. Jinx is also nowhere as cool as the film thinks she is. Bond has to rescue her from a goofy death trap, when the ice palace is melted. The film’s second Bond girl is Miranda Frost, played by Rosamund Pike. Frost is a double agent for MI-6, having infiltrating Graves’ operation. At first, Frost takes none of Bond’s shit, treating him like a sexist pig. She still ends falling in bed with him but the character’s personality, and Pike’s performance, makes her interesting. Naturally, she turns out to be evil.

So does “Die Another Day” at least function as an action movie? Not really. The action scenes have the same problem the rest of the movie does. They mistake overblown theatrics for “coolness.” The opening hovercraft chase is okay, once you get pass the ridiculousness of a hovercraft chase. There’s lots of explosions and machine gun murder. There’s not much to recommend beyond that. A fight scene in the clinic with Zao features some ridiculous slow motion and inaccurate treatment of a CAT scan machine. Graves is introduced during a fencing sequence which escalates into an overblown sword fight. That’s neat, at first, but the scene goes hugely over the top. A later fight has Bond and Jinx diving around erratic laser beams, which is also ridiculous. Really, the only action scene I like is when Bond uses the glass-breaking ring to make a quick escape of the villain’s lair.

In it’s final act, “Die Another Day” is consumed by ridiculousness. Bond and Jinx sneak aboard Graves’ airplane. Graves slips on an electro robot suit for no particular reason. He reveals his true identity and his plan goes in to overdrive. Bond explodes a window, probably a reference to “Goldfinger,” and gets to dueling the bad guy. The most absurd moment comes when Graves starts to electrocute 007, a hilarious sight. Meanwhile, Jinx has a ridiculous duel with Frost. The two leap through the air in slow motion, both picking up inexplicable swords. There’s gasping, slicing, and slow-motion kicking. It’s awful. For the final insult, the plane goes up in a cloud of CGI debris.

Not even a cameo from Michael Madsen can save “Die Another Day.” Despite receiving noxious reviews, “Die Another Day” still went on to become the highest grossing Bond movie up to that point. There was even a plan for a Jinx spin-off series which, thankfully, never materialized. Ultimately, the awful excesses of “Die Another Day” was proof that the Bond series needed a serious recalibration if it was to survive into the new millennium. CGI tomfoolery, stupid direction, and uninteresting villains would not stand. Pierce Brosnan’s hugely uneven tenure as Bond would end on a serious down note. “Die Another Day” is the lowest point in the franchise’s long history, the worst James Bond movie ever made. [Grade: D]

THE 007 SEVEN:

[X] Destroys Evil Doer’s Lair
[X] Drinks or Orders a Vesper Martini
[X] Gets Captured and/or Tortured
[X] Introduces Himself as “Bond – James Bond”
[] Teams-Up with Felix Leiter
[X] Uses Judo or a Walther PPK to Dispose of an Enemy
[X] Wears a Tux