Z/Web

Director: Marc Forster

I went into this preparing not to like it, which is unusual for me for a James Bond film. But I’d heard disturbing things: critics were disappointed, it omits the usual Bond gimmicks of Q and flashy tech gadgets, and the running time is well short of two hours (most Bond films are longer). But I actually did like this. It’s not the greatest Bond film ever, and it’s certainly missing humor — the entire picture is grim, grim, grim — but I still liked it. It basically picks up where the previous film ended with Bond looking for revenge on those who killed his girlfriend. This leads him to discover that the secret group behind her death is much larger and better connected than anyone believed, and he follows clues that lead him to Bolivia where a dictator is being put into power by the organization. It’s convoluted and doesn’t make much sense, but who cares: we’re just along for the ride, which is interesting, as Bond meets beautiful mysterious women, gets fired from Mi-6, and gets framed for the murder of his friend. There’s some good gritty action, but everything’s at a lower key, less over-the-top and ostentacious, and more realistic. I liked that. At the same time, like the previous one, this didn’t necessary feel like a James Bond film. Even the opening credits — normally my favorite part of a Bond film — were ho-hum. I’m happy they keep reinventing the series as I want it to go on forever, and it’s good to change things up and try different things, but I think for the next one I want some more traditional Bond elements back. Maybe not the entire movie, but at least a few scenes. I want to see Bond cool and triumphant, doing ridiculous things like skydiving without a parachute and landing in a pool at a party and coming up out of the water dressed in a tuxedo and taking a glass of champagne from the waiter as though he’s an invited guest. This new Bond, while cool, is slightly too gritty and realistic. I want a taste or hint of the fantastic.