DVD Reviews: Connery vs. Craig as Bond

[007]

http://www.mercurynews.com/movies/ci_11994080

DVD Reviews: Connery vs. Craig as Bond

Head to head, drink to drink, Bond girl to Bond girl, 007s old and new arrive on DVD and Blu-ray this week, with Daniel Craig in "Quantum of Solace" and Sean Connery in "Never Say Never Again Collector's Edition."

While the craggy, blue-collarish Craig's considered the James Bond for the new generation (anyone under 35), purists such as I will forever choose Connery as the quintessential 007 — for his panache and eyebrows that could house a small family.

In 1983's "Never Say Never Again," Connery returns hairier than ever and on the pudgy side since his last go-round as the British spy, in 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever."

Among the film's chatty extras is info on his wife's suggesting the "Never Say Never Again" title, referring to Connery's insistence that he was done playing OO7 after "Diamonds" and his being enticed back to do the "Thunderball" remake — that's not exactly a remake. For legal reasons, the new producers had to use a different title, adhere more closely to Ian Fleming's novel, and not clone scenes from the original.

The extras also claim Connery won the Mr. Universe title in 1949. Based on my research, he finished third in 1950 or 1953; sources disagree.

The basic plot — it never really matters in these films, which are about personality, stunts and scenery — has Bond after stolen missiles. The primary villain is Maximilian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer),

Agent No. 2 for SPECTRE. The good Bond woman is played by Kim Basinger, the bad by Barbara Carrera, who steals the show as stylish, eccentric Fatima Blush.

Craig's "Quantum of Solace," the worst title in the series, presents the darkest Bond story since 1989's bleak "License to Kill" with Timothy Dalton (gasp!) as OO7.

Craig's British spy wears blinders as he seeks to avenge his lover's death in 2006's "Casino Royale." Craig's very good as a rugged, blue-collarish Bond. And the story is well-paced, covers colorful countries, offers slick stunts, and showcases Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Arterton as the Bond women. Keeping current, the villain's an evil environmentalist. Extras include behind-the-scenes shorts.

[James]

While the craggy, blue-collarish Craig's considered the James Bond for the new generation

That says it all really. It's Bond for pretentious 16-year-olds who like to use the word badass a lot.

[Blowfeld]

While the craggy, blue-collarish Craig's considered the James Bond for the new generation

That says it all really. It's Bond for pretentious 16-year-olds who like to use the word badass a lot.

Didn't those yobbos already have a their uncouth heroes? XXX, Hellyboy and the like.

[John Drake]

A little tiresome how these articles usually involve a snipe at Timothy Dalton.

[katied]

A little tiresome how these articles usually involve a snipe at Timothy Dalton.

True that.. IMO Tim Dalton gets short shrift when Bond is discussed.

[Captain Nash]

While the craggy, blue-collarish Craig's considered the James Bond for the new generation

That says it all really. It's Bond for pretentious 16-year-olds who like to use the word badass a lot.

Not all Craig fans are pretentious 16 year olds Jim.
Some of us a pretentious mid thirty year olds to.
You do get worked up when it comes to the subject of Craig and Bond don't you?

[Kristatos]

A little tiresome how these articles usually involve a snipe at Timothy Dalton.

Yes, it's the "groupthink" aspect of it that annoys me. I get the impression that they're there not because the critic has a genuine dislike of Dalton's portrayal of Bond, but because they feel that they're supposed to not like Dalton. It was the same thing with the swipes at DAD in all the reviews of CR, often from critics who had praised the film on its initial release. Would it kill these people to try thinking for themselves for a change, instead of just following fashionable opinion?