007

Now anyone who knows me knows that I'm a Bond fan.

Got all the movies, tried to drink the Bond Martini a couple of times and found it to be a very tough drink unless Grey Goose is used.

Everyone older than I am are usually fond of Sean Connery as Bond while I grew up with Roger Moore. To me Roger Moore is James Bond. George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan are all tied for third place to me. While I have enjoyed nearly every Bond outing I have to say that Casino Royale ranks among the best.

Roger Moore had a fun charm that he brought to the Bond character. He was serious when he had to be and charming when he wanted to be. He was just Bond to me even though I admit he had a couple of the worst outings as Bond he also had some of the best.

There are many Bond movies that are in a dead heat tie while only a couple stand out. Among them are The Spy Who Loved Me, From Russia With Love, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, You Only....well you get the picture. It is difficult for me to pick a top Bond.

Daniel Craig has a chance to be among the top two. He is a Bond for the times, these times. He has a hard edge, sharp. He lacks the fun charm of Moore and the wit. What he is that Moore wasn't is a cold blooded killer. This seems to be a deliberate turning of the Bond character to match the times, serious, almost too serious.

Yeah Bond has saved the world in nearly every movie but in this one it seems like it is more desperate. You feel like you are watching a cross between Jack Bauer and Vic Mackey as Bond. Willing to do whatever it takes to keep the innocent from perishing and not afraid in the least to jump over the line.

I'm not going to go into the regular haphazard review I usually do, everyone knows who Bond is and what his movies are about. This is more about the franchise and where it is headed. A decidedly darker Bond. Meaner and bloodier.

It is sad to see the old Bond go but this one has promise.