Forget that the dismal misstep of Quantum of Solace ever occurred. Totally wipe it from history. The old 007 is back. First time Bond director Sam Mendes takes you on a non-stop rollercoaster throughout the film that bobs and weaves through suspense and all out fear. Daniel Craig’s rugged Bond is a bit older now, perhaps a bit slower and is placed in a position in which no one has ever seen him; rusty, out witted, and basically out matched. Dare I say it is JB who finds himself, shaken and stirred.
Javier Bardem’s diabolically rogue character Raoul Silva steps into a villainous realm that’s only previous resident was Heath Ledger. It was unequivocal brilliance. He made Bond appear human, perhaps even fallible. Mendes described Bardem’s performance as “canny and witty and flirtatious in a disturbing way that even I didn’t expect.” Bardem’s is seriously getting some Oscar buzz for it. Can you believe it? A Bond movie with an Oscar.
Of Course Bond is Bond. Two of the most gorgeous women on the planet found themselves in service to the country. There are also new characters: Ralph Fiennes, who plays Gary Mallory. Mallory is a government cog seesawing as a frienemy cloaked in villainy throughout the picture and just a generally unlikable dude. Ben Wishaw steps in as Q, less grandpa-like and more resembling the nerd who you cheated off of in math class. Both did excellent jobs helping to build 007’s new world.
Sure there were the typical Bond clichés, they were just conveyed in new ways. The exotic locales, the car chases, the tux, the stylish but still kind of sad bouts with alcoholism and lest we forget the guns…oh the guns, the wonderful, wonderful guns. Oh yeah, and some singer named Adele is singing something in the background too.