A whole new look to James Bond is on the way and the big question on everyone’s mind is, will Daniel Craig — and the movie — deliver. My spidey senses tell me “yes” in a very big way and as a life-long Bond fan, it’s got my butt tingling. Okay, too much information. Despite being a fan of the last Bond entry, this is a franchise that needs a serious kick in the arse. When Quentin Tarantino was talking about making a low-key, hard-edged Bond feature with Pierce Brosnan (they’re neighbors, apparently), I couldn’t help but be excited about the potential of the franchise. I knew, of course, the powers that be would never let Tarantino’s dirty paws touch their beloved franchise and it’s kind of depressing. Where is the imagination? Do they just want carbon-copy Bond films with different babes, villains and stunts inserted?
I must say, however, that word on the latest entry is strong and from the looks of the trailer, we may have an interesting mix of tradition and innovation. But is it too late? Is Bond still relevant in the age of, for example, Jason Bourne and Ethan Hunt? With the impending release of the latest Bond adventure, Casino Royale, we thought we’d take a look at cinema’s three most popular spies for a little comparison shopping. Now I’m going to be judging these three sneaky bastards on four all-encompassing criteria. They are: Quality of the Movie, Box Office Power, Ability to Pull Chicks, and Ability to Work Independently. Let’s get right to it.
Okay, my results from the lab indicate that out of a possible 40 points, Bond scores 30, Hunt nabs 29 (damn you Scientology!) and Bourne, America’s newest hero snares the lead with 31. People, don’t blame me … that’s just how the numbers crunched. Now never fear, things can change if Casino Royale really explodes, Cruise and Sumner Redstone make up and The Bourne Ultimatum tanks. And who knows, there may be another spy on the horizon. Matt Damon is playing a real-life one in this winter’s The Good Shepherd, but something tells me that is a spy cut of a different cloth. As for Bond, he’s primed for a comeback, me thinks. It’s been forty-four years, twenty other features, 5 actor changes and a slew of video games since Dr. No, yet we keep saying “Yesh”. On November 17th, I will be saying “Yesh” again.
