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All right, that guy has done a dozen movies and all you've got to prove his range are a few seconds out of the trailer of a yet unreleased movie? Hmmm ...
No less to cite a trailer specifically, as if it's some kind of ace in the hole. 45 seconds of chopped together clips. Beat that.
When I saw DC in CR I was so overwhelmed I had tears in my eyes and butterflies in my gut. When I walked out of my first showing I thought :This could be the offspring of Fleming, Fiona and Connery (in a wild threesome!).
But that's not to take away from the other actors. They've all been great, one way or the other, and some people, like me, may be drawn to the more rugged and physical (as well as sexy and charming) in the SC and DC mold; I can appreciate Moore (very much) and Brosnan (seeing glaring weaknesses in him as a physical and emotional actor); I love Laz, and my least favorite is the dour (but sometimes exceptional!) Dalton.
In the end, one's taste in one's preferred Bond, shouldn't negate what the others brought to the role, nor the obvious talent that each one has, to varying degrees....
---- Ok, fair enough. I think Hatcher was just a case of terrible casting all round, but I agree that Bond girls tend to end up being iconic (even if for the wrong reasons) and therefore picking the right actress is quite important. Denise Richards is another one of the jokers (whoever thought she could be credible as a nuclear physicist should reconsider their casting career).
As for DC peaking in CR, @bondjames, I am of the mind that he just started with CR, continued expanding (and, indeed held-up) QoS, did a 1-80 on the tough exterior/armour Bond and stripped the character down to a broken and betrayed agent in SF--
-- and not one of these performances was beneath the other... until...-
-- SP (which I still found DC to be mesmerizing and charming, but, in a script that failed to emphasize his strengths...)
However, I love the guy to death in the role and I can still find many, many scenes that I adore him in.
-- that experience can't help but reveal itself in the other films, notably in QoS (scenes with Camille in the caves and at the end where they share a kiss), and in SF with (and especially) with Severine, when he notes that he's aware of when a woman is scared, but pretending not to be (he learned from his experience with Vesper).
There are traces of this greatness, in both character and actor in SP as well (L'American scenes, and; what they then tried to do on the train (cringe-worthy to me)).
Hmm, that's a very fair point.
But the others just say more "James Bond" to me. Sean, George, Rog, Tim and Pierce are more classy, just look how they walk or move. It's another class for me.
While I enjoy some of the recent Bonds, I'll take the original timeline over it any day.
Yeah, more people are beginning to come forth with this opinion lately.
But generally speaking, I can find something to enjoy about each of them, even if I disagree with their take on Bond in general.
However, as just an actor, I'd wager Craig is at or at least near the top. So is Dalton.
Say what you want about the start, but I definitely disagree about the ending. From the moment Bond realizes Vesper betrayed him, to the moment Mr. White walks off with the money, is excellent. We don't see Bond sneak around in the shadows much these days, but when he's stalking Vesper it reminds me of Bond's good 'ol days hiding in the shadows instead of leaping into the action right away. Who doesn't love the part when she turns around and Bond is removing the safety/ cocking his gun? That shot is better framed than the entirety of QoS :)
Carrying on, the sinking house is a unique action set-piece and nicely gives Vesper a suicide like in the book. Of course in the film it's more dramatic, but more importantly, more cinematic. The acting from Craig beside the lift/elevator (and Green's "I'm sorry, James") is some of the best in the franchise. That's not hyperbole talking.
After she drowns, Craig's suppressed rage and sorrow is my favourite acting from him in the films and we all have to thank the finale for giving us the chance to see that happen. Thus, for my taste, the ending is entirely solid.
Great! I agree, SPECTRE was the height of bloated Bond for this generation. They can only scale things back from here. It's why I think now is a natural juncture to go back to the drawing board with a new Bond.
By the time they realized their cock-up, it was like a collective shrug back to the retired (fired) writers, P&W to just write something passable they can film, film fast, edit and get out on the allotted dated.
As I have said time and again, SP was a beautiful mess (looked beautiful, great costumes, sets, lights, actors (minus Waltz, Seydoux, and, sadly Fiennes))...