Monday Morning Quarterback Part I
By BOP Staff
November 10, 2015
David Mumpower: I agree with Mr. Lynderey that the takeaway from this isn't about Spectre. It's that Skyfall receives the benefit of great timing. People love round numbers, and 50 is arguably the most popular in double digits. Half a century meant something, and the bottom line of that film reflects the fact. Spectre had a lesser selling point, albeit a cool one with the re-introduction of a beloved character. Once word leaked that the actor playing the character wasn't in the film much, that limited its upside. If anything, I think $70 million is a solid number, all things considered.
Kim Hollis: How do you think the Daniel Craig James Bond films will ultimately be remembered?
Ben Gruchow: I never really considered this, but Craig's Bond films are possibly the only long-running franchise I can think of besides Batman where the "gritty reboot" aesthetic actually worked. I thought Casino Royale was one of 2006's best films...and even Quantum of Solace, editing and spatial horror that it was, was committed to the story thread from the previous film in a way that this franchise usually doesn't do. Because of this, I think Craig's run as Bond will be remembered relatively fondly - certainly more so than Pierce Brosnan's, whether or not that's necessarily deserved (I liked Brosnan's run, too, albeit for different reasons).
Edwin Davies: I think it'll be remembered as a largely successful attempt to bring Bond into the 21st century by cutting away the campiness and excesses of his predecessor's tenure. It took enough from other franchises (i.e. the aesthetic, and some of the technical crew, of the Bourne series), while retaining enough of the globetrotting glamour to ensure that the series didn't completely lose its identity. Basically, Daniel Craig will be remembered as a more successful version of Timothy Dalton, who tried to do the same thing with License to Kill, but went too far and wound up making a film that was indistinguishable from a lot of similar '80s action films.
Jason Barney: I think Daniel Craig's Bond will be remembered very well. Even despite Quantum of Solace, which is one of the worst of the franchise, it will be seen as successful in the long run. His presence as Bond was during the franchise's transition to true global fandom, and Skyfall was as legit hit. When all is said and done, people will look back and remember he did a good job.
Bruce Hall: Keeping in mind the fact that Mr. Craig is not officially finished with the role, I would say that his interpretation of Bond can safely be called "wildly successful." Many consider him the best Bond since Connery, if not their all-time favorite altogether. And his might be the most faithful interpretation with regard to the novels, as well.
More important, and putting the obvious financial success of his films aside for a moment, Craig's tenure has marked a maturation of the franchise, and a welcome move away from the utter silliness of the Moore and Brosnan films. Craig's Bond films have also attempted to shape the character psychologically in ways we haven't seen since the Lazenby and Dalton years. I'm not sure it's been entirely successful from a storytelling standpoint, but thematically the last four Bond films have covered a lot more ground than the rest of the series combined, and they've expanded the arc of most of the main characters - not just Bond - in some very favorable ways.
While Timothy Dalton's turn as Bond is not well remembered by most (a good actor badly miscast in some very average films), I see Craig having tried to take the character in a similar direction and having been much more successful with it. I personally consider him every bit as ideal a Bond as Connery, remembering that both interpretations are very much of their time, and therefore somewhat difficult to compare directly.
Felix Quinonez: I think Daniel Craig will be very fondly remembered for his run as Bond. He helped reinvigorate the franchise critically and took it to new heights financially.
David Mumpower: He can't act. He doesn't try to act. His Bond films were collectively terrible. If there's any justice, he won't be remembered well. Alas, they did well at the box office, and Craig's dazzling blue eyes seem to distract people away from the reality of the situation. So, they're going to be remembered well despite the fact that the *best* of the first three was mediocre. Only Spectre did anything for me as a Bond fan. So, I say good riddance to Craig. Hopefully, the next actor they cast will try to act like James Bond rather than Oddjob in a white hat.
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