James Bond Deconstructed

Now I’m not saying that Daniel Craig isn’t a good Bond, indeed Connery and Moore really took three movies to seriously get into their stride.

However, I believe there is one aspect of his Bond performance which seriously falls down.

One of the strongest themes running through the classic Connery and Moore era Bonds and which also occurs in other great action movies such as the Indiana Jones movies is the feeling that the hero is somewhat in over his head and he knows it. They portrayed the impression that they were ‘winging it’ through the whole movie. This is what gave the films their tension.

Connery and Moore portrayed this perfectly. You got the feeling that they were really having to rely on their wits and fortitude. As Indiana Jones says in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, “I dunno, I’m making this up as I go along.”

Daniel Craig has far to much conviction in his performance to allow this important show of humanity to the audience. He is more machine than man.

Witness Craig’s unflinching confidence in every move he makes in the opening sequence of Casino Royale.

Now view the famous laser sequence in Goldfinger. Bond has been thrust into this situation and Connery portrays the ‘flying by the seat of your pants’ spirit of his Bond perfectly. We can see him sweating as he grasps at anything he can to try and save himself.

Daniel Craig is just playing it far too cool at the moment. A bit more realism is required when it comes to Bond’s convictions.