Quick Big Mi6 Actor Ranking Game - 4th PLACE

GoldenGun

Before I give my views on Craig as Bond, permit me to first fully acknowledge that I think he is a terrific actor. He's 100% believable in almost every scene I've seen him in, in and outside this wonderful series.

However, a terrific actor doesn't make for a terrific Bond necessarily. Overall, I was never too happy with his more brutish and perhaps more everyman variation on Bond. I'd like my Bond to be refined and elegant, and I found that largely missing in his portrayal.

In CR, even though a great film, he's a bit too overly arrogant at times (at least until we get to Venice), in SF he's so washed up and depressed I almost feel the same way watching him, in NTTD he's a bit more jovial but scenes like the ones where he's facing Blofeld or Safin are cringeworthy for me.

Controversially, I think his best Bond performances came in his two least-liked (not by me though) entries: QOS and SP. Love the down-to-business approach to QOS, when he chuckles when Mathis and his companion are arguing over the wine, when he refuses to stay in a bad hotel, when he wants Fields' bravery mentioned in the report, when he goes up on the roof in Mexico, when he waves to the baddie sidekicks, when he says he's "Topolino", during Madeleine's questionnaire, etc.

I really love his portrayal in these two films, and SP is for my money his most Bondian film partly also because he himself is at his most Bondian, the only one also where he's neither a rookie or a relic of the past, he's Bond in his prime in this single film, wish he had more films like it.

Alas, that's not the case. Craig came in penultimate for me. I'm sorry. I like all the cinematic Bonds, but I just like the others better than him. Regardless of his obvious qualities as an actor. I suppose I'd take his Benoit Blanc over his 007.

007ClassicBondFan

GoldenGun wrote: »

Before I give my views on Craig as Bond, permit me to first fully acknowledge that I think he is a terrific actor. He's 100% believable in almost every scene I've seen him in, in and outside this wonderful series.

However, a terrific actor doesn't make for a terrific Bond necessarily. Overall, I was never too happy with his more brutish and perhaps more everyman variation on Bond. I'd like my Bond to be refined and elegant, and I found that largely missing in his portrayal.

In CR, even though a great film, he's a bit too overly arrogant at times (at least until we get to Venice), in SF he's so washed up and depressed I almost feel the same way watching him, in NTTD he's a bit more jovial but scenes like the ones where he's facing Blofeld or Safin are cringeworthy for me.

Controversially, I think his best Bond performances came in his two least-liked (not by me though) entries: QOS and SP. Love the down-to-business approach to QOS, when he chuckles when Mathis and his companion are arguing over the wine, when he refuses to stay in a bad hotel, when he wants Fields' bravery mentioned in the report, when he goes up on the roof in Mexico, when he waves to the baddie sidekicks, when he says he's "Topolino", during Madeleine's questionnaire, etc.

I really love his portrayal in these two films, and SP is for my money his most Bondian film partly also because he himself is at his most Bondian, the only one also where he's neither a rookie or a relic of the past, he's Bond in his prime in this single film, wish he had more films like it.

Alas, that's not the case. Craig came in penultimate for me. I'm sorry. I like all the cinematic Bonds, but I just like the others better than him. Regardless of his obvious qualities as an actor. I suppose I'd take his Benoit Blanc over his 007.

Sounds like you and I are in a bit of alignment on this one @GoldenGun. I see the merits in his performance of course but it’s a bit too much of a departure for my tastes. I’ll always hold CR and SF in high regard but the rest of his tenure is a bit tricky. I too also hold the opinion that his best performance as Bond was in QOS - it’s actually the best element in that entire film (sort of like how I always leave DAD thinking Pierce was the best thing about that movie.)

GoldenGun

007ClassicBondFan wrote: »

GoldenGun wrote: »

Before I give my views on Craig as Bond, permit me to first fully acknowledge that I think he is a terrific actor. He's 100% believable in almost every scene I've seen him in, in and outside this wonderful series.

However, a terrific actor doesn't make for a terrific Bond necessarily. Overall, I was never too happy with his more brutish and perhaps more everyman variation on Bond. I'd like my Bond to be refined and elegant, and I found that largely missing in his portrayal.

In CR, even though a great film, he's a bit too overly arrogant at times (at least until we get to Venice), in SF he's so washed up and depressed I almost feel the same way watching him, in NTTD he's a bit more jovial but scenes like the ones where he's facing Blofeld or Safin are cringeworthy for me.

Controversially, I think his best Bond performances came in his two least-liked (not by me though) entries: QOS and SP. Love the down-to-business approach to QOS, when he chuckles when Mathis and his companion are arguing over the wine, when he refuses to stay in a bad hotel, when he wants Fields' bravery mentioned in the report, when he goes up on the roof in Mexico, when he waves to the baddie sidekicks, when he says he's "Topolino", during Madeleine's questionnaire, etc.

I really love his portrayal in these two films, and SP is for my money his most Bondian film partly also because he himself is at his most Bondian, the only one also where he's neither a rookie or a relic of the past, he's Bond in his prime in this single film, wish he had more films like it.

Alas, that's not the case. Craig came in penultimate for me. I'm sorry. I like all the cinematic Bonds, but I just like the others better than him. Regardless of his obvious qualities as an actor. I suppose I'd take his Benoit Blanc over his 007.

Sounds like you and I are in a bit of alignment on this one @GoldenGun. I see the merits in his performance of course but it’s a bit too much of a departure for my tastes. I’ll always hold CR and SF in high regard but the rest of his tenure is a bit tricky. I too also hold the opinion that his best performance as Bond was in QOS - it’s actually the best element in that entire film (sort of like how I always leave DAD thinking Pierce was the best thing about that movie.)

It would appear so indeed :)

Personally I would put his SP performance at the top, followed closely by his QOS one.