Daniel Craig's James Bond Series

Nostalgia recently drove me to revisit Pierce Brosnan’s Bond films. Growing up, I watched those DVDs almost everyday. Back then, I thought they were the pinnacle of action cinema. However, while rewatching them now, I struggled to even get through the second film. It was far "cheesier" than I remembered.

I realized that perhaps I’ve outgrown that era of 007. Life is too short to force yourself through movies you no longer enjoy, so I decided to abort the mission and pivot to Daniel Craig’s run instead. I first saw the first one of the series - Casino Royale - in my uni years, and I remember being struck by how much grittier, rougher, and more action-packed Craig’s Bond was compared to the polished charm of Brosnan. I never had the chance to watch all five so I guess, this is the time. 

As I mentioned before, I watched Casino Royale during my uni years which is decades ago and therefore I barely remember the movie. I can recall the tone and mood but I forgot about the specifics.

After I finished watching, I got to say that Casino Royale is indeed a masterpiece. The most memorable part of the movie for me is Vesper Lynd played by Eva Green. I don't have to tell you about Eva's beauty but I have to emphasize on how great her acting is in this film. The part when Bond first kissed her in the casino was mesmerizing. She may not be the badass type but emotionally, I felt her message. She made me believe that she could in fact really lure Bond into retirement. I was like, "Yeah, I would retire too if it's for you, Vesper." Then, my God, her death scene is Eva's best performance ever. It stayed with me for a long time even after the credits rolled.

As for the lead, Daniel Craig did a good job too portraying someone rough and yet meticulous when doing his job. Honestly, I'm not a fan of Daniel Craig because I don't think he's good looking. I really don't get the obsession towards him. However, I can see the producers' vision. They wanted a brawler — someone who looks like he could wrestle a bear and still get the mission done. 

As soon as the movie starts, I can immediately feel the difference between Brosnan's and Craig's Bond. Craig's Bond kicks off with a parkour chase scene that tear the street of Madagascar into complete chaos! There are no gadgets and cheesy one liners, just pure brawling power and brute skills. 

However, the true beauty of this film is the most intense scenes are not the action ones. Instead, I found myself leaning toward the screen when Bond was at the poker table, literally face to face with the main villain, Le Chiffre played brilliantly by Mads Mikkelsen. I don't even gamble so I don't know what's going on with the cards. Is he winning? Is he losing? But the intensity at the table is high as if someone can die at any minute. Well, yeah, Bond did almost die because of the poison in his drink. Oh I love the way they portray how close it is for Bond. It's not a miracle that he survived. It's thanks to his meticulous preparations and a little bit of help from Vesper.

In the end, it’s Vesper Lynd who defines this film. She is the reason Bond becomes the man he is in the later movies. Her loss makes his brawler persona make sense; he’s not just rough because he’s a spy, he’s rough because he’s broken. It’s a masterpiece that stays with me long after the final shot of Bond standing over the water.

Next in the series is Quantum of Solace. I have to say, the drop in quality between the first and second films is astounding. While it's understandable — given the production took place during the writers' strike — the film still falls short in both storytelling and emotional impact.

I don't have much to say about this one, other than the fact that it felt incredibly rushed. While there are certainly some high-octane action sequences, they are ruined by shaky-cam editing that makes it hard to actually enjoy the choreography. Ultimately, I just didn't feel the emotional depth that made Casino Royale so special. Even though Bond is fueled by Vesper's death, the movie feels cold. It lacks the intimate chemistry that made me love the first film so much. It felt less like a movie and more like a collection of stunts. 

After Quantum of Solace killed the mood, I was hoping Skyfall would bring it back home, especially given all the hype. Online, fans and critics often claim this is arguably the best entry in the entire franchise.

Perhaps I was overhyped, but after the credits rolled, I struggled to see how this surpassed Casino Royale. I was waiting for the "masterpiece" moment to reveal itself, but I couldn't help thinking: “Wait, that’s it?”

That isn't to say there weren't highlights. The best thing about the film was undoubtedly the villain, Raoul Silva, played by Javier Bardem. He underwent a chilling physical transformation to sell just how internally and externally twisted he had become. His performance was so effective that he even managed to make the stoic James Bond look a little disturbed—which was a fun change of pace! 

I also didn’t quite buy the final act. Whose idea was it to go the Home Alone route? Personally, I think if they wanted to make M’s death more impactful, they should have had Bond retreat to an MI6 training facility. That would have provided a logical emotional connection with M, and—more importantly—a proper weapons cache.

Instead, going all the way to Bond’s childhood home felt non-strategic and completely random. He headed into a final showdown with no backup and no weapons, just a big, old house with a secret tunnel and a lot of bad memories. For a meticulous agent, it felt like a very poor tactical decision. 

To be clear, I’m not trying to be overly critical or dismiss the "hardcore" Skyfall stans. I can see the cool moments—the action is top-notch, and the film itself is visually stunning. It’s a beautiful movie to look at, but I just don’t think it lives up to the massive hype. For me, Casino Royale remains the gold standard of the franchise because it had a balance of grit and heart that Skyfall traded for theatricality.

While Skyfall is recommended by most movie enthusiasts, the next installment titled Spectre is not on the list of everyone's favorite. I had no expectations towards Spectre because I'd heard so little about it. Maybe that's the reason why I enjoyed watching it so much. I mean, I had high hopes for Skyfall and I was a bit let down. But I went into Spectre with zero expectations and came out satisfied. This is why I often refuse to watch trailers of most anticipated movies.

In Spectre, the action sequences are the highlight. As usual, it starts with a bang and maintains that momentum for more than half the movie. But the true standout is Dave Bautista’s portrayal of Mr. Hinx—the silent but deadly antagonist. He speaks only with his massive hands, swinging Bond around like a sack of potatoes. It was refreshing to see a henchman completely overpower Bond. Every time Mr. Hinx appeared on screen, my immediate thought was, "Oh shit."

Spectre does have glaring flaws. I felt several key roles were miscast. The main villain, Blofeld (played by Christoph Waltz), is only intimidating when he’s in the shadows. Once his face and identity are revealed, he loses his villainous aura. Even the torture scene falls short. I dont want to be that guy but to be honest, it feels like Waltz’s intimidating presence was already "spent" on his iconic role in Inglourious Basterds.

Furthermore, I struggled with Léa Seydoux as the supposed "love of Bond's life." For one, I couldn’t shake the thought that she looks exactly like Jesse Eisenberg in Batman v Superman—it was incredibly distracting! Secondly, the chemistry just wasn't there. They tried to recreate the magic Bond had with Vesper in Casino Royale, but Léa is no Eva Green.

The story is also all over the place, held together by convenient plot armor. The "it was Spectre all along" twist felt like a major stretch. And after literally having his brain drilled, Bond manages to escape with a well-timed explosion? That is some indestructible plot armor. I know they’re bad guys, but come on—remove the man’s watch before you tie him up! 

Despite these massive flaws, I was surprised to find I enjoyed this movie much more than Skyfall. I’m not trying to stir the pot or post "ragebait," but for me, the action and the "Bautista factor" made it a much more entertaining ride.

Okay okay okay, I am beyond excited to share my views on the final film, No Time to Die, primarily because I am absolutely in love with Paloma! I’ve been a huge fan of Ana de Armas since Blade Runner 2049, but she is easily the brightest highlight of this movie. Paloma begins her mission looking nervous and jittery, but the moment the bullets fly, she kicks more ass than "old man" Bond. She’s bubbly and quirky, yet incredibly efficient. I was genuinely sad when she said goodbye. I was thinking, “Wait, you’re not joining the rest of the mission? Come on!!”

I need a second to get over her. Honestly, let’s start a petition for a Paloma spin-off — we need a full movie dedicated to her! 

Turning to the rest of the film, the vibe of No Time to Die is quite similar to Spectre. Once again, I found myself enjoying the action sequences so much that I was able to ignore the flaws. I stand by my view that Léa Seydoux was miscast as Madeleine; I just don’t feel the intensity of their connection, even when Bond finally lets go of his ego and trauma to confess his love.

Rami Malek’s performance as Safin also felt lacking. Even with a child as a hostage, I didn’t find him particularly intimidating. Much like Christoph Waltz’s Blofeld, who was only scary when he was a voice in the shadows, I think Safin should have kept the white mask on for the majority of the film. It feels like the producers have been trying too hard to recreate Javier Bardem’s "Silva" aura, but they haven't quite cleared that bar.

Finally, the fact that Bond actually dies at the end is really hard to accept. I was holding out for that cliché movie miracle where he miraculously appears with a cure in his hand. I’m not even a "hardcore" James Bond fan, but his death really bothers me—I can’t imagine what the lifelong fans felt watching that ending.

All in all, if you treat this as a pure action movie, you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. Paloma is awesome, and I desperately want more of her.

I have to say, I really enjoyed Daniel Craig’s portrayal of James Bond. He brought out the human side of the character: he bleeds, he feels pain, and he yearns for love, yet he always gets the job done. Okay, maybe he destroys a building or two along the way—I never said he was a perfect spy—but he delivers results.

Now that Daniel Craig has officially hung up the tuxedo, I’m excited to see who will be the next Bond. What I’m really looking for is an action level that is on par with—or even surpasses—the Craig era, but with a generous splash of Brosnan’s suave charm. I don’t necessarily miss the gadgets, as I find them a bit too gimmicky, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a truly iconic new Bond car.