it was..  different.

probably because all the other Bond movies have always had a certain bit of hollywood slapstick about them.  like the scene from the last movie, where pierce brosnan is driving a BMW from the backseat with a remote control.  there's always at least one scene in every bond movie that goes a little too far with the trademark 'action-mixed-with-comedy' formula, that the bond movies have become known for.  and that has sort of become Bond's signature "style" in the movies: to kill the bad guy with a dash of the ridiculous, so the audience isn't taken aback by the fact that there's so much killing going on.  then we add the trademark smile (with a twinkle in the eye), a classic catch phrase (or two), and you've got something worthy of a mike meyers parody.

well this movie has none of that.

from the first scene it takes the idea of "killing" very seriously. (minor spoiler:we see Bond's first kill and its... messy).  at no point during this film do they mix action with comedy, and add a dash of the ridiculous, just to put the audience at ease with idea of a guy running around with a 'license to kill'.   the only part in the movie when I heard anyone the audience laughing was, oddly enough, during the torture scene.  and thats probably because we were all squirming so much, that when bond finally made a joke to put the audience at ease and break the tension, there was a lot of tension to break LOL.  but it was definitely not slapstick or silly, as Bond films tend to be.  it was actually pretty intense, and the comedy came along at just the right moment.

--> the problem with previous bond films is they have always tempered the brutality of the character/scenarios with TOO MUCH comedy,  and thats resulted in a kind of "cartoonish" bond character,  with too many one-line catch-phrases for his own good.  all that cartoonish comedy (with names like 'Antie Hill galore' and 'Ivana Humpalot' and all those silly upside-down car-chases) is meant to put the audience in a certain frame of mind,  and give the movie a certain atmosphere, where people in the film can get blown up and killed, and we can laugh at the goofy set-ups.  we're not shocked by the brutality, and the gritty nature of the character, because we're distracted by the comedy thats built into all the action sequences (which is there, by design, to give a man with a "license to kill" a PG-rating. LOL)

and again, this movie has none of that.

it takes itself quite seriously.  and this allows the original character to shine through, AS he was originally written.  we're not viewing Bond through a 'wink and a smile' (and a slapstick-comedy-car-chase), which was the context he was ALWAYS given in the past,  to ensure his PG-rating.

(you'll know what I mean,  when you see the very first scene)

this movie doesn't try to temper the action in every scene with comedy like previous Bond films --> which means Bond himself is no longer a comedian.  thats the biggest change you'll notice over previous 'Bonds'.

 

*not reading anything
im going on friday with my gf  

don't worry I didn't spoil it for you

Hmm... Kind of like Batman Begins, huh?  Making it more gritty/realistic...

And haven't all the Bond movies since the 80's been PG-13?  (In the US, at least)

Anyway, I still look forward to seeing it.  And please, for those who already have, CLEARLY LABEL SPOILERS.

I am a huge Bond fan, but for some strange reason I have no desire to watch this one. I don't know what is up with me! Grrrrr!

From what I hear it's supposed to be very raw, which is a good thing. It's about time.

Don't get me wrong though - my favourites are the Moore ones. They are flashy and somewhat unrealistic, far from raw. Although the recent ones have gone ridiculous! I didn't enjoy Die Another Day one bit, things like the transparent car pushed it over the top for me.

By the way people are talking about this one, it seems they are doing what they wanted to do with the Dalton movies - a more real Ian Fleming Bond. However, this time they seem to have done it right!

I downlo- er- went to see it the other day. It's a very good movie but it's just weird seeing 'Bond Begins', we didnt even get to see Q or R or whatever we're calling him. No gadgets, ####, not even Bond girls in the title sequence, it was different, but good.

Saw it last Saturday.  Thought it was a great bond movie

I accually found on my bookcase the casino royal book. printed in 1953 i think, so I may read it before I go and see it, as im really looking forward to seeing this film

I cant get used to the new guy playing bond... Blonde? and he looks older even though this is supposed to be earlier..

I hope it isn't too gory - eg, a decent date movie. A woman I started seeing really wants to go see it, so I've tentatively agreed, but I'm not really a big Bond fan to begin with, and I'd just like to have a good time.

Actually, I'd rather go see the new Chris Guest movie "For Your Consideration"...