I went to see the new Bond film yesterday with the boy.

Most likely once again I'll be in my usual minority of one, but I didn't like it that much. but I'll try to be dispassionate in my summary (and I won't give away any plot spoilers)

It's a much more physical Bond film than previously, less relaince on gadgets and more on fists, guns, and guile. The director seems to be trying to get back to the early Connery days, close in fighting, sneaking, lots of martinis, Bond not quite as effortlessly confident as he normally is; they even used locations and props from the early 60s. Stylistically it works well and I suppose for younger people, it's a great retro experience, for me it was "haven't I seen all this before?"

And for all that it's a physical film with very graphic stunts and muchos punching, it shamelessly is designed to appeal to females. Bond's a hardcase but he's just sensitive enough to be vulnerable and for the right woman to melt his heart, but of course, she's not the right woman (boring, get back to the guns!) The Boy was utterly cringing at those moments and I must confess they were making me squirm too.

The plot really confused me and I didn't know who was who by halfway through, I suppose that reflects the murky world of the secrent agent but it doesn't half make for difficult entertainment. Craig is a worthy Bond and reminds me of a cross between Connery and Lazenby (the film's ending is very reminiscent of O.H.M.S.S.)
and thankfully he plays it very seriously and not for laughs. The girls were as glamorous as ever but they are of course largely just eye candy, and as i don't like modern fashions much I mostly just ignored them. And it was obvious from the start that Bond's relationship with the lead female was doomed and that she'd betray him in some way (even my 12 yr old had that figured out)

As per usual, Bond gets out of impossible situations that no sane human would ever get into in the first place - fortunately in this he doesn't have laser watch cutters, submarine cars, or rocket firing cigarettes, and what gadgets he does have are all fairly low key and quite sensible. He also gets beaten up quite badly and is frequently cut to ribbons, rather graphically too. So on the whole, apart from a confusing plot and far too much touchy-feely stuff for my tastes, it's ok and of course will prove immensely popular.

However, it baffled the Boy because he was expecting a contuation of the Bond story, but it is really more of a "re-imagining" of Bond for the modern day. Bond's career has been turned back to the beginning when he's just become a 00 agent, and hasn't even met Felix Lighter yet. I suppose this was one of the only courses left to the writers as they have long been running out of Bond plots, Fleming's original stories having been thoroughly mined for ideas and situations, Casino Royale being the only one that hasn't been done, except as a comedy spoof starring David Niven.

There were some nice little touches - Bond gets hold of an original 1964 Aston Martin in the Bahamas, and MI6 joke about him being "on holiday"; M also makes a comment about "missing the Cold War" because at least you knew then who the bad guys were. Some lovely shots of Venice too, we were squeaking "been there! stood there!" as it involved a pleasant little ride up the Grand Canal