Well.. here I am! Writing a review on something I have mixed feelings about. "The Name is Bond - James Bond". I waited through the whole movie just to hear this but proved to be a long long wait as You hear this only at the end. Infact you have to really wait before you get to hear the trademark Bond Music!! Well.. it was as if "The name is Bond - James Bond" is said at the end because Martin Campbell wanted to remind us that we ARE watching a Bond movie not a regular action flick
Firstly, if this was NOT a Bond movie, it would be a good movie to watch(something in the line of XXX which has Vin Diesel). But this one misses the Bond charisma. No fast cars, no thrilling chases , no hi-tech gadgets.. just RAW action, hand to hand combat. You do not get to see the cunningness / shrewdness of Bond or even his cold hearted nature. Although everyone in the caste seem to fit just fine, the movie just doesn’t seem to be a Bond movie. If this was just Casino Royale without Bond attached, I would have certainly rated it different. How many Bond movies has anyone seen with Bond’s decision being effected by the women he is with(seems like Martin saw a few Bollywood before making this one!) or Bond chasing someone on foot jumping buildings! I mean what happened to all the gadgets he had!
All I can say is I liked the movie but would not remember this one as a Bond movie. I would remember it like any other action movie.
Hope the next one has Bond - James Bond in it ;-)