No, he replies. "Single."
Die-hard fans may miss Q and Miss Money-penny or the boys-and-their-toys gadgets or even the smirky tone. But in their stead is a riveting picture that, for all its globe-trotting glamour and eye-popping action, demands we take this new Bond seriously.
And why not? Craig is definitely the Real Thing — dangerous, seductive, with a wired intensity that, along with his irradiated blue eyes, calls to mind Connery's sex-symbol contemporary, Steve McQueen. Roger Moore was — let's face it — a charming buffoon. Timothy Dalton brought back the menace, but was never comfortable in the role. Pierce Brosnan brought back the humor, but was ultimately too comfortable in the role.
They all — with the possible exception of Moore, who sauntered through his films as if he were hosting a James Bond Film Festival, not playing the title role — worked in Connery's shadow. Craig doesn't replace the first, once-and-forever 007, but he brings a ferocity and sinewy sexiness to the part (he's naked more than Green is, most memorably in an already much talked about torture scene) that's totally new, totally right and yet takes nothing away from Bond No. 1.
OK, the movie is about 20 minutes too long. And we're not always sure who is doing what to whom or why. (Luckily, M explains all.)
Still, Craig and company have aired out 007, buffed him up and taught an old horndog some new tricks. As Vesper says to Bond, "Just because you've done something doesn't mean you have to keep on doing it."
Daniel Craig does Bond differently. He does him better. And I hope he does him for a good long time.
RSS