Quantum of Solace, the newest James Bond movie staring Daniel Craig, is set to open next Friday and I can’t say I am very excited about it. After countless hours devoted James Bond Marathons on TNT instead of studying for final exams, I have grown quite fond of 007. I have loved every movie from the original Dr. No with the grandaddy of spies, Sean Connery to Die Another Day with the slick Pierce Brosnan. However, Daniel Craig as James Bond just doesn’t do it for me. Daniel Craig is a very good actor, and the movie is probably very good. I’d probably love it if it was called “Bob Smith the Angry Spy”. Daniel Craig just does not fit the 007 mold. Here are 9 reasons why Daniel Craig is the Worst James Bond Ever.
9. James Bond is awesome. Everyone knows the martini shaking, bullet dodging, womanizing ways of 007. Even when Timothy Dalton played the title character, James Bond was still awesome. Yet Daniel Craig feels the need to “redefine the character”. He tells Playboy magazine, “I wanted to play around with the flaws in his character. It was much more interesting than having him be perfect and polished.” Hey Danny boy, why mess with perfection? If we wanted to see a different spy, we’d go watch Jason Bourne.
8. To Daniel Craig’s credit, its not just his fault. Its really the writers and the directors. They decided to take James Bond in “another direction” and reinvent the character. I ask…no, I beg them…WHY?!!!! We liked James Bond the way he was. Why did you feel the need to do the same thing every Superhero movie has done in the last two years and remake a classic awesome movie with a shitty movie with lots of references to the original awesome movie (eh hem….Superman Returns [gag]).
7. James Bond should rival Chuck Norris is in his Awesomeness. Daniel Craig, on the other hand gets his heart broken by a chick. Quantum of Solace focuses on Bond’s revenge over the betrayal of the woman he loved. Does that sound like James Bond to you? Ian must be Flemming in his grave! See the difference for yourself…check out the comparison between this Quantum of Solace clip and the Die Another Day trailer (featuring one of the best 007′s ever – Pierce Brosnan).
6. Don’t listen to what they tell you kids – smoking is cool…if you’re James Bond. Daniel Craig thinks James Bond should quit. Wus.
5. Daniel Craig doesn’t look like he can handle a Martini. He looks more like a Budweiser guy. Although in the clip above, he does drink white wine.
4. Complex plans of world domination are replaced by 45 minute chase scenes. Explosions are cool and all, but where’s the story, the dialog, and the character development? The UK Guardian writes in their early review of the film “I was disappointed there was so little dialogue, flirtation and characterization in this Bond: Forster and his writers Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade clearly thought this sort of sissy nonsense has to be cut out in favor of explosions.”
3. Where’s the cheesy spy music? Just because Dark Knight didn’t have the “Na na na na na Batman!” song, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t hear “doo doo, dooo doo” when James Bond stumbles upon a naked chick while sneaking around the enemy’s lair.
2. He wants to quit. Daniel Craig does not want to do the next Bond movie. Yeah…you know you’re not 007 material, don’t you Daniel? Interestingly enough, Quantum of Solace director Marc Foster, also recently announced that he is passing on the next Bond film. Hopefully Quantum of Solace and the most recent Casino Royale will end up being mere hiccups in the celebrated history of awesome bond films.
1. He doesn’t even say “Bond…James Bond” !!!! WTF? The line has been cut from the film. This is an outright travesty. For this reason alone, how can they justify this as an “Ian Fleming’s 007″ movie? Perhaps a more fitting title would be “James Bond…Returns?”
See for your self…check out Quantum of Solace on iTunes.
For those talking about how great craig is just listen to what Christopher Lee says about his step cousin’s (Fleming’s) description of Bond and from what Lee said Brosnon was the closest fit to that description.
You say you want a real life Bond, than you don’t want a Bond. Bond is the pure Alpha male that doesn’t break. He is confident and rarely if ever loses his composure.
Craig loses his temper. Now while this is great for an average man for a spy who has looked death in the face a hundred times it would destroy his ability to stay rational and without that he would fail his mission and die. Anger and obvious aggression serve no purpose and Craig seems angry and aggressive to be aggressive.
He curses the bartender because he’s frustrated. He fails in missions, fails at trying to bluff the enemy, fails to avoid capture and fails at keeping his lady alive. Seems to me that he should have been fired or killed long ago if you follow this pattern and QOS is just one chase scene after another, it is so boring.
You, sir, are a fucking idiot.
Go pussy-smack your mom for letting you be born, shit-stain, before I do it for you.
I completely agree with the artical.
It use to be spy films wanted to be like Bond. Not no more, now bond trys to be Bourne, and I must say the bourne movies are far superiour to Craigs bond movies.
Bond movies are male fantasys lived out on screen, this isnt the case for Craigs bond
I am glad to see I am not the only one who is concerned about the “new direction” of bond films. Eon has created a money making streak of Bond films that fans return to see over and over again, and they expect to see…BOND. That means there are a few ingredients that you can not mess with:
1. Gun barrel opening shot follow by an exciting pre-credit sequence.
2. A generous amount of Bond music and bond theme song throughout the movie. Not just once. Not just a couple of seconds here and there.
3. Opening credits with partially obscured or shadows of women moving around to the theme song.
4. Martini – shaken not stirred.
5. Smoking – come on, light up. We all know it is unhealthy. Quit trying to be politically correct and be Bond correct.
6. Q – when they got rid of Q (quartermaster) and the gadgets I almost cried.
7. Moneypenny and a couple of flirting scenes.
8. M- Get rid of Judi D. She looks like death warmed over and she can’t command Bond’s respect. Get an older stuffy British guy.
9. A briefing scene in M’s office.
10. Tons of beautiful women that Bond seduces to complete his mission. If you have the entire collectors edition set (like I do) and have seen In Her Majesty’s Service then you know Bond is jaded from his wife’s death at the hand of Spectre. He uses women as toys and to gain information. He protects them, and has his limits (Bee-Bee / Lynn-Holly Johnson from For Your Eyes Only). But there needs to be several women.
Beyond that, the creators have some license to remain ‘current’ but if you don’t have the above ingredients, then you don’t have a Bond film.
I plan to address each of your reason singly.
9. There is nothing wrong with a new James Bond approach as long as it does not drift too far away from the James Bond palette. As a matter of fact, the same old, same old tends to get BORING.
8. The last time I checked, Daniel Craig’s movies were doing better financially than Brosnan’s as far as box office figures. Brosnan’s Bond films averaged approximately $499 million dollars whereas Craig’s averaged $627 million. The figures DON’T lie. So apparently you are wrong in saying that the films are “SHITTY”.
7. The fact that James Bond gets his heart broken by a chick helps to define James Bond as being HUMAN, one thing Ian Fleming’s novels actually did CORRECTLY. And it is very immature that you label Craig a Wuss for this. Have you never had your heart broken by a lady…HONESTLY?
6. Cigarettes needlessly kill many, many people each year. I lost my grandmother before I cared to lose her due to that very filthy habit. And I envy Bond filmmakers for moving away from this. It is about time that somebody stood up to say, SMOKING IS UNCOOL AND DEADLIER TO YOUR HEALTH THAN EVEN DRINKING. I respect a smarter, more healthy Bond. Now if the filmmakers do away with his drinking and womanizing, THEN I will have a problem.
5. I can halfway agree with you on the point that Craig looks more like a Budweiser guy. He’s definitely more brutish than all the other Bonds. But that is what I love about him. I’m not crazy about the fact that he is a blonde (which is a TOTAL difference from Bond’s actual description). However, even Ian Fleming described his character as having a dangerous air about him. And you get this with Daniel Craig. But his performance makes all of this forgivable in my humble opinion.
4. I personally had enough “world domination” and “explosions” in all the other films. I really appreciate the dialogue and storyline in these newer Bond films. They take the story in a new direction not straying off too far from the path of Fleming and Broccoli, but overall arriving at the same destination: A tremendously awesome film with plenty of thrills, action, and suspense to keep you entertained.
3. I thought I remembered hearing the James Bond theme somewhere in the new films. Hmm. I may have to rewatch them just to be sure! I agree that they should ALWAYS use the James Bond theme in all the films at some point or another. That helps brand the movie as a legitimate Bond film and not a knock-off like “Never Say Never Again” was.
2. I don’t know where you got this info. But it has been proven OBVIOUSLY ERRONEOUS.
1. Again, I have to watch both of Craig’s films. I could have sworn he said it in Quantum of Solace, though I cannot remember for sure. Again, I will agree with you on this point too. “Bond…James Bond” out of the actor’s mouth(s) is another important part of the brand.
Overall, I will concede on three of your nine points made. But I have to gracefully disagree with your other six. I’m really sorry that you hate Daniel Craig’s films and the idea of him as James Bond. Who would you recommend replace him when the time comes?
Okay. I just watched Casino Royale again. And you are DEAD WRONG about the 007 theme not being used in the movie, and Craig not saying the famous line: “Bond…James Bond”. The theme started playing at the end of the movie right after he shot Mr. White, but before he introduced himself, saying the famous line. And then the credits started with the rest of the James Bond theme playing solidly and proudly as ever.
Not to be rude or anything, but you really should get your facts straight when you try to debate whether a movie or an actor sucks. Doing so will lend much more credibility to your argument.
Peace!
Dear All,
The subject is about Daniel Craig as 007!!!
Not about the script, the story, the music, analysis of character 007, and so fort.
The question again: is Daniel Craig the person who should play 007?
My answer is simply no. Why?? There is a difference between qualities of playing a role in a movie AND natural charisma. Daniel Craig is a good actor, no doubt. But he lacks the natural charisma for 007! So you all honestly think Daniel Craig can compete with Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan? These 007′s have both natural charisma and acting skills. All the girls and guys I have spoken, admit Daniel Craig is a good and played well in the bond movies. But they all agreed that they wanted Pierce Brosnan or equivalent of Pierce, but no Daniel Craig. So again. It is no doubt that Daniel Craig is a good actor. But the question is, does he have the stunning presence and charm of 007? And the answer is no.
Daniel Craig is the worst bond ever, the reason is, is because of the following.
Where’s Q ?
Where’s the gadgets ?
Where’s the weapons that pops out of the Astin martin. This is what people want to see in bond movies, but this Daniel ” the jackass ” Craig doesn’t have any of it. Step down as 007 please and let the real James bond take over Pierce Brosnan.
Daniel Craig is NOT Bond. He betrays almost every single characteristic of Bond in Ian Fleming’s books. All the previous Bonds were sophisticated, had charm, personality, – not to mention acting ability – even some charisma (especially Connery and to a slightly lesser extent Brosnan), but Craig has nothing. It’s a travesty that he was cast as Bond in the first place. Goodbye Bond franchise, unless they can find a new actor to play Bond very soon. Hell, even Jason Statham would be miles a better Bond than Craig.