grimbeard

This is one of those rare Bond films: one which isn't *just* a Bond film (and I speak as as Bond fan). This one would be a good action film even if you changed the character names and title - i.e. if it wasn't a Bond film. That puts it up there with Doctor No (there wasn't a Bond film franchise before, although there were the books, and it was still successful), Goldeneye, and the best of the rest.

I was a sceptic before seeing the film, but Daniel Craig is an excellent star in the role of Bond. Far closer to Connery than anyone else so far (including Dalton's wonderfully raw characterisation) and with a different kind of charisma to Brosnan. Early days, but there is tremendous potential here - bring on the next one!

OK this film tries to do many things: it's a mafia film, it's a "hood" film, it's a hitman film and it's a Samurai film...it can't possibly be 100% great at any one of them,right? OK, but bear with me.

Goodfellas, Casino, Godfather trilogy etc. are better mafia films. Boyz 'n' the hood, Menace 2 society, maybe Juice are better hood films. Leon, The Killer, maybe Nikita are better hitman (hitwoman) films. Yojimbo, Seven Samurai.......well, you know the better Samurai films.

This film is a bit of a blend of all of them - with plenty of knowing references - and it finds the middle ground (or whatever you'd like to call it) in magnificent style. This is helped by one of Forest Whittaker's finest performances (and there have been some good ones over the years) and an overall feel to the film which is almost like a play, set as it is in several acts (works brilliantly on DVD, by the way).

Not a popcorn no-brainer, but a rewarding film. Warm up the Sake and enjoy!