A look back at three iconic Bond movies and their quality months/years on from release!"How did he die?" "Not well." Daniel Craig's first trilogy of James Bond 007 films are known worldwide for their supreme innovation and daring gritty reboot of the lore of the 50-year old film franchise. The trilogy's over now, though. As such, it's high time for a retrospective of what's come our way these past few years, as a strong method of starting to look ahead at what we can expect from days to come.
Without further ado, then, let's journey through seven years of Bond greatness for a trilogy of hit motion pictures, and see just how well each film fares countless months later...
CASINO ROYALE (2005)- It's safe to say that Daniel Craig's debut movie as Bond made a colossal impact upon release. Looking at Casino again seven years later, for the most part it fares just as well. Craig is an excellent incarnation of 007, taking the character into unique new territory. Indeed, with iconic sequences such as the crane chase and the infamous torture scenario, there's a real sense that MGM Studios wanted to drive the franchise forward firmly into the 21st Century with a bang. That said, Le Chiffre is a rather underwhelming new take on the Bond villain, and the 150 minute running time does outstay its welcome somewhat. However, despite its flaws, Casino Royale remains a mostly gripping watch and benefits most from its daringness to bring the Bond series up to date. 4.5/5
QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008)- Where Casino Royale made a successful leap forward for Bond storytelling, though, its follow-up failed to impress quite as much. Quantum is, in essence, a simple revenge tale that takes its unique premise that's new to the franchise and runs a little too heavily with it, moving through predictable motions in a host of gritty setpieces which defy realism too far. I'm sure the initial concept seemed fantastic to the film's writers, but when the running time still nears a hefty two hours, there's still far too much filler content. The saving grace? Craig's still brilliant, and his interaction with Judi Dench in the film's subtle denouement works beautifully. 3/5
SKYFALL (2012)- For this viewer in particular, Skyfall represents the defining experience of the James Bond film franchise in its fifty-year history. The Britain-set setpieces are wonderfully handled, directed masterfully by Sam Mendes and once again performed in supreme subtlety by stars including Craig, Dench, Javier Bardem, Ben Whishaw and Ralph Fiennes. There's a strong sense of refinement and definition of where this treasured British series can go, what it can be in the decade ahead. Dench's final portrayal of M is by far the best element of this masterpiece of a motion picture, her quoting of Tennyson's fateful words and her heartbreaking goodbye truly iconic moments for the trilogy finale. Skyfall came 3rd in our Best Films Of 2012 list, a truly staggering achievement for a series that was once so dull and predictable, and it still remains a fantastic centrepiece of the 50th Anniversary that redefines the entire James Bond franchise, providing a fitting climax to Daniel Craig's first trilogy as 007. "How did he die?" "Not well...but at least safe in the knowledge that it was going to be a hell of a ride." 5/5
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