The New James Bond

I haven't even seen Casino Royale yet. Octopussy was the first Bond movie I saw at a theater. Actually, I saw it at a drive in theater if you can believe that. It was the only time I had ever gone to one of those. After Octopussy I used to always catch the new Bond movie in the theaters.

Alas, I managed to miss Casino Royale. It's probably not very good anyway. It doesn't sound very good. Great title, but bad interpretation of the James Bond character, and the entire franchise for that matter. I still don't buy Judith Dench as M. A female M is a little ridiculous. The M character is supposed to be a man, not a woman. Dench's M is condescending and mean while previous Ms were condescending and worried. A worried and male M is much more appeasing than a mean and female M.

After watching Die Another Day, I figured these new Bond adventures could only get worse and worse. I think, still, I may be right. Ice castles and graphic violence just do not mesh with the James Bond franchise. These modern Bond projects do no justice to the character, the established style of James Bond filmmaking or the actors that played Bond in the past. These new movies should pay homage to previous ones. They should emulate for the sake of authenticity. They clearly do not. Unfortunately, the current Bond filmmakers apparently feel that they can't make anything that lives up to what's been done before, so they've gone off on their own ultra-violent, fast-paced, low brow tangent, creating a complete and total mess that will certainly annoy me.

And I am aware of a story arc for the Daniel Craig version of Bond in which the British government would like to see Bond dead. This is an absolutely inexcusible idea. It was insulting enough to have to sit through Die Another Day as the Pierce Brosnan Bond was captured and beaten. And to top that all off, the Brosnan Bond didn't even escape. He was set free by way of negotiation. This is absoulutely stupid and absurd, unconscionable, would never happen. James Bond isn't the kind of character that gets captured, beaten bloody and set free through a hostage trade. He effects escape on his own, bests his opponents and saves the girl. That is how the Bond story works.

Now the British government wouldn't mind if Bond were dead. Nice. This too is absoulutely stupid and absurd, unconscionable, would never happen.

Oh, and I also understand that Quantum of Solace is a sequel to Casino Royale. That means I have to see Casino Royale before I watch Quantum of Solace. I have been told that I will not know what is going on in Quantum of Solace if I skip Casino Royale. This urks me. I want to just run to the theater on my day off and watch Quantum of Solace. I can't do that. I have to rent and watch Casino Royale first. To top things off, I know there will be major style changes in both movies that will not agree with me.

I feel fortunate that a complete catalog of Sean Connery and Roger Moore Bond films exist for my enjoyment. If I feel annoyed enough by the the new Bond films, I can always resort to the archives and enjoy Bond the way Bond is supposed to be.

One last note: Anyone who thinks Daniel Craig is the best Bond ever is likely too young and dumb to know what they are talking about. Craig is third best at best. He will never be better than Connery or Moore. That is not opinion. That is established fact.