chinesefan

Yes, this Bond film is a far different from those in the past except for the title sequence, M and the dialogue. Thus, making it the least Bond-like film. In fact, more like Die-Hard Begins. I am sure Bond fans will miss those gadgets and the Bond theme which are minimum here. Hope they will bring them back in the future. It could have been much better if not because of too many co-incidental or accidental situations that favor Bond during those important action scenes. Just too many making them unconvincing although the fights are exciting and realistic. Wonder why they choose this actress to be Vesper. Her acting is not good enough. Her make-up for her glamour entrance to the casino was a great mistake or failure. Penelope Cruz will be a better choice. I would have given it a 9/10 if not for the above flaws.

After reading the earlier comments here, I am quite skeptical about this movie. Being a great fan of the 70's version, I saw this trailer, although quite impressed, the poor cast nearly put me off. I thought to myself, it can't be bad with this director and why would they take such a risk if there is nothing better than the original ? After reading so many comments here about the poor characters development and since hardly anyone criticized the action and effect scenes, I went for it. After all, the most important aspect in such movie is the effects. I am so worried that it will use CGI effects like most Hollywood movies today. To my surprise, it turned out to be GOOD !! The opening scene is a winner. The one take shot showing the all round of the ship far and near is memorable. Make sure you don't enter late. The ship is real, unlike the one in Titanic. Sorry, somehow you tend to compare it with The Poseidon Adventure and Titanic. Those who felt there are short of action scenes in Titanic or if the exterior of the ship in Titanic is unrealistic will be satisfied with this one. At least, here you see where all the money went(although I am not sure if this movie cost more than Titanic or not). Another big surprise for me is, just like The Poseidon Adventure, the shots are all so real, without any noticeable computer effects except for one single fast scene when it showed the interior of the ship when a girl victim fell all the way down. All the other scenes are so real, nothing like this in a Hollywood movie since The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno. Compared to the 70's P.A, this one has more and better exciting incidents, faster paced all the way till the end. Although technically, I don't know whether all the interior settings are based correctly on a real ship, all the incidents are better and more exciting here except that we do not have a memorable one like Shelley Winters' swimming scene. To compare the 2 films, in brief, the 70's one has 3 most outstanding scenes that we don't find it here. That is when the ship went upside down and many people fell all right down to the ceiling, climbing the Christmas tree, and Shelley Winters's swimming scene. In this one, we don't have any of such memorable scenes that you will remember after a few years and there is not a single song fully performed like the original's memorable one. The casts and characters here are not as outstanding but to say that the dialogue and characters are weak is misleading. The movie maybe a bit short but all the impressive settings and actions, non-stop one after another is worth the ticket and the time. I may not like this movie as much as I like the The Poseidon Adventure the first time but I liked this far better than the Titanic. Those who liked disasters movie will like this. Those who have seen the original and The Towering Inferno will not get disappointed. Those who have not seen the original will enjoy it much more. Those who hate to see fake computer effects like in most movies must not miss it.