007

[cigcars]

Captain - you crack me up.

Became familiar with Brian Blessed from 1980's "Flash Gordon" with him as Voltan, leader of the Hawkmen. Enjoyed his bohemian emperor-type over-the-top performance!

[Ken Gargett]

i think that with dench as M, they again went with an actor - and a female one probably to get more of that demographic. i always liked bernard lee but i also like dench. i think he works quite well with craig. better than she did with brosnan.

the original moneypenny was terrific but whoever played moneypenny in die another day was truly appalling. missed it by a squillion miles.

[BENN]

I still think the best bond was Pierce Brosnan, followed by Roger Moore, and then Sean Connery. I agree with Shlomo. Not quite sure how I feel about Craig yet. He looks the part of bond, but his lines are often forced (he's not that good of an actor imo). Looking forward to Skyfall...I think Craig might be finally up to speed in this one.

Sean Connery for me, Brosnan in second place. Can't stand Craig, second worst bond ever and pouting his lip does not help his terrible acting.

[Ken Gargett]

Sean Connery for me, Brosnan in second place. Can't stand Craig, second worst bond ever and pouting his lip does not help his terrible acting.

fascinating to see how different bonds appeal to different people. for me, brosnan is the wooden actor, moore the clown.

even more fascinated to see who comes next.

[BENN]

fascinating to see how different bonds appeal to different people. for me, brosnan is the wooden actor, moore the clown.

even more fascinated to see who comes next.

It really is, I will probably see if this one is any better but have zero expectations on him.

Without spoiling the film for those who have seen it do you think it is better than the last?

[CaptainQuintero]

I thought I had read somewhere that Craig had signed up for three more Bond films?

I'd quite like to see Kiera Knightley take a stab at it, still with all Bond's characteristics, cigarette smoking, womanising, cold hearted, quippy one liners, tuxedo etc.. If anyone saw her in Domino that would be similar. I mean with the amount of crazy going on why not.

I'd love to see Daniel Day Lewis do a one off film too, I think he'd be spectacular but only as a single outing 9I don't think he would do more than one film either)

[mk05]

DDL is the best method actor, ever. But Bond, to be successful needs that vulnerable side that you can see just with the eyes - I think.

I'd love to see Decaprio, but the franchise defines a career, not shape it, so I doubt he'd oblige. Maybe Tom Hardy after he figures himself out in several years...or my dark horse Gordon Levitt after a decade.

That's good Craig signed on. I can't even see anyone filling his shoes...

[Ken Gargett]

i could see rupert penry-jones. thought the stuff he did in spooks worked. but yes, the longer craig stays the better.

[mazolaman]

well, we're having to wait a few days here in Italy till it's screened, but we'll be there when it is.

I've rated Craig as an actor since his first big roll in a tv series called "Our friends in the North" where he was excellent, and in "Enduring love" where he played an obsessive stalker, very well.

His Bond is the closest we've had to the Flemming creation, something Timothy Dalton tried to do, but they had some bad scripts, and the makers were still obsessed with the "Ahh, Miss FunnyFanny" type shtick.

No doubt the Bourne films spurred on the current version, but they are trying to add another dimension to the character, only previously seen in OHMSS, which I also think was a great film.

It's always going to be all action cartoonish stuff, but if it's well acted and exiting, where's the problem?

Heineken anyone? I'd rather drink my own......

[dangolf18]

It sounds like a lot of people are judging based on how Bond is portrayed in Flemings's books. I honestly like the goofy one-liners and the sort of slapstick. That's what made Roger Moore's bond films so much fun. I think Brosnan combined both very well, that's why I perhaps like him the most...also it might be the fact that i grew up watching him. Craig is a good bond if you're basing your opinion off of the books, but that's not exactly what a Bond film should be IN MY OPINION. I can see where most of you Bond purists are coming from.

[brazoseagle]

As previously stated, I love Craig as bond, and can't really see anybody else but Craig as bond.

That being said, decent possible replacements might be:

Clive Owen

Michael Fassbender

Tom Hardy

I have a feeling that some of you that don't think Craig is a great bond, are the same people that also think George Clooney was the best Batman!

[dangolf18]

I think Ewan McGregor might be a good.

[mazolaman]

BTW, Skyfall also has a hell of a castlist..of top actors.

[Ken Gargett]

clive owen i could see but he'd be no younger than craig?

[CaptainQuintero]

The only issue with Clive Owen is that his acting makes John Wayne's portrayal of Genghis Khan look sublime.

Sean Bean would have been fantastic if it wasn't for his stint at 006, he outshone Brosnon in Goldeneye.

Tom Hardy was already considered but didn't even make the shortlist for Casino Royale.

Sam Worthington's name is always being thrown about but I'm not overly convinced.

The trouble is that leading men at the moment are pretty bland and poor. Colin Farrel, Colin Firth, Robert Patterson, Shia Labouf, Fassbender, Gerard Butler, Hugh Jackman etc etc they are are such lightweight actors they can only play one or two characters.

Anyway with Craig apparently signed up to five more Bond films it's a moot point really as we will have a decade more of two-hour long commercials for Rolex/Heineken/BMW.KFC/Qatar Gas/Nokia/Facebook

[AverageJoe83]

As previously stated, I love Craig as bond, and can't really see anybody else but Craig as bond.

That being said, decent possible replacements might be:

Clive Owen

Michael Fassbender

Tom Hardy

I have a feeling that some of you that don't think Craig is a great bond, are the same people that also think George Clooney was the best Batman!

This arguement makes no sense. You're basically saying " I have a feeling that some of you that don't think apples are great, are the same people that also think grapefruits are the best citrus fruit". Ridiculous.

Anyways, Michael Keaton was the best Batman. Period. No contest.

And the reason I feel the Craig bond films aren't worth their weight in salt is not Craig's fault. The new Bond films have been made into generic action films, what made them great fun to watch was the corny secret agent gadgets and over the top scenarios. Yes they may not be a literall interpretation of the book, but so what? They used to be fun to watch. Now they are just boring. With the generic downhill slide the next bond could be any hypermasculine action hero, insert Sly Stallone/Arnold Schwarzenegger/Dolph Lundgren, err, basically anyone from the cast of expendables lol, with a british accent lmao. If I want those types of movies I look to those actors, not to Bond films.

[Fuzz]

Probably gonna cop flack for this, but I haven't seen a single Bond film since the first 30 minutes of Casino Royale. I just shut it off and walked away. Craig's performance in it ruined the Bond film franchise for me. I haven't seen a single one of his Bond films since CR, and I probably won't. The guy just rubs me the wrong way.

[CaptainQuintero]

The guy just rubs me the wrong way.

That's ironic because I'm pretty sure that's how he got the role in the first place

[MIKA27]

Craig is most like Fleming's original intent for Bond in his novels, and minimal gadgets, minimal cartoonsihness.

That's why I like Craig as Bond above all else followed by Sean Connery.

Pierce Brosnan whilst fittingly British, was a little non masculine for such a role IMO.

Craig is gritty, slightly ugly but suave and is believable as Bond as intended by Fleming.

[mazolaman]

The only issue with Clive Owen is that his acting makes John Wayne's portrayal of Genghis Khan look sublime.

You havent seen" Children of men", or "Croupier", then?

An excellent actor, but one who doesn't use his face to tell the story.

Sean Bean...? Really?

Tom Hardy yes, but he is an actor of Craig's class.

Colin Farrel is also a pretty good actor, see "In Bruges".

Doesn't matter, Craig is the man.

Never liked Connery too much as an actor or a person, wife beating comments, saying how great Scotland is, while living in the Caribean....hmmm.

Meanwhile...the power of the films advertising influence is amazing...we have just been to Montenegro, where the casino scenes were set....but they were filmed elsewhere (maybe Czech)...but still, I lost count of the number of Casino Royale monickered casinos we saw...with plenty in them..

As Daniel Craig said himself "we have to remember that without Heineken stepping in, the film would not have been made".

I have a friend who works on the set construction, who told me they spent three months on the one minute tube crash scene, building the train, bridge etc (I havent seen the film yet)..so thats scores of people,materials, a bloody great warehouse in London..etc etc...for one minute. He also made a gravestone in the film, which he was very proud of, I guess I'll know when I see it.

It's a lot of money, and this aint Hollywood...British people should be proud that more and more high class filming and production is happening there.

[CaptainQuintero]

An excellent actor, but one who doesn't use his face to tell the story.

It's a good job too because he's got less conviction portraying emotion than Han Solo post-carbonite

Look there is pain, suffering and anguish and it's not even moving! That's 300% more acting than Clive Owen could have done in 2 hours.

Eg here is Clive Owen showing Happiness:

this is him showing Anguish:

Him showing Anger:

Mixing it up with a little Surprise:

and who can forget his portrayal of despair:

A subtle sense of wonder:

and of course, his range of emotion in Children of Men was on full show, like in the final scene when he is finally captured and humanity's fate seems sealed to destruction:

[mazolaman]

Well, I'd rather look like he does than I do...or Sean Bean .

To each their own I guess.

[AverageJoe83]

It's a good job too because he's got less conviction portraying emotion than Han Solo post-carbonite

Look there is pain, suffering and anguish and it's not even moving! That's 300% more acting than Clive Owen could have done in 2 hours.

Eg here is Clive Owen showing Happiness:

this is him showing Anguish:

Him showing Anger:

Mixing it up with a little Surprise:

and who can forget his portrayal of despair:

A subtle sense of wonder:

and of course, his range of emotion in Children of Men was on full show, like in the final scene when he is finally captured and humanity's fate seems sealed to destruction:

ROFLMAO

[Ken Gargett]

That's why I like Craig as Bond above all else followed by Sean Connery.

Pierce Brosnan whilst fittingly British, was a little non masculine for such a role IMO.

Craig is gritty, slightly ugly but suave and is believable as Bond as intended by Fleming.

spot on.

and i think some of you guys are way too harsh on clive owen. he was a shakespearean actor in his youth at the young vic and i think he got a nomination for an oscar? but i think he'd be a bit older than craig so i suspect his time for 007 has passed.

and i believe that craig has actually only signed for two more films not five. i gather that the dills who first reported it added the two to his first three and then decided that five meant five more.

[Cohiba Stevie]

That's why I like Craig as Bond above all else followed by Sean Connery.

Pierce Brosnan whilst fittingly British, was a little non masculine for such a role IMO.

Craig is gritty, slightly ugly but suave and is believable as Bond as intended by Fleming.

In what world is pierse brosnan british?!

Hes irish for gods sake.

I must say i loathe the bond movies, i think the whole franchise needs a rethink. Much like chris nolan did to batman.