There’s never going to be an actor who takes up the reins as James Bond and won’t be subject to comparisons with predecessors. However, Daniel Craig has not only managed to counter critics, he’s also outlasted every expectation, good or bad. Now that the actor is going to bow out of the role with No Time to Die, we know enough of his version of the James Bond character to make our judgments of his impact.
In this list, by “worst” we don’t mean that Craig was bad in any way, but it is meant to point out that his Bond hasn’t matched well in certain areas than his predecessors. He’s also done some remarkable stuff in this role, and you’re going to find things he did better than the rest.
Worst: No Camp Factor
On the whole, the James Bond series shouldn’t really make sense if you think about the formula and premise; to this end, the earlier Bond films had a very campy tone. This involved things being exaggerated, Bond being a larger-than-life character, and a lot of playfulness in presentation.
It worked very well for Bond to have this hammy quality, which made the films a breeze to sit through. With Craig’s Bond, the tone is far too direct, and you just can’t put on these movies on a whim as his Bond doesn’t have as much of a replay value since he doesn’t stop to have a good time.
Best: Intense Action
While the original Bonds wouldn’t be believable contending with the best action heroes out there, Craig’s Bond is a super fighter who makes every action sequence intense and high-octane. He’s a departure from the dashing figure Bond used to be, making him a true modern iteration.
The previous versions had Bond throw around a punch or two and invoke his theatricality card to make fighting scenes interesting, but Craig does it so much better through his choreography, creativeness during fight scenes, and overall hard-hitting quality.
Worst: Not Enough Puns
The James Bond series used to be one of the funnier ones out there, believe it or not. Along with a knack for comedy from other areas, a lot of the funny moments came from the puns involved. This was to the point where Bond was said to have a “License to Pun.”
It’s a shame that Craig’s Bond doesn’t indulge in these, being a more direct person who doesn’t mess around, especially not being one to go overboard with the double entendres. His jokes have been more sarcastic jabs than making use of wordplay, but just a little visit to earlier Bond films will remind how much fun the puns used to be.
Best: Chemistry With M
To be fair toward Judi Dench’s performance, she had a great dynamic with Pierce Brosnan’s Bond as well, with her antagonism toward him being apparent but engaging. However, Craig’s Bond took it on another level with M, as their relationship was laced with genuine concern, even affection.
They had an entire movie in Skyfall devoted to the dynamic between Craig’s Bond and M, which made for a fascinating take on their relationship being similar to that of a mother and her son. Not to mention that their exchanges always involved entertaining banter and begrudging respect.
Worst: Doesn’t Fit The Classic Bond Formula
As mentioned, Craig’s Bond isn’t really of the same mold as his predecessors. He isn’t that jaunty, raffish individual who seems to be a man plucked out of another place and dropped into another. He’s more of an action hero along the lines of figures like Jason Bourne or John McClane.
This is great for him to have carved out his own legacy for Bond, but he doesn’t fall in that tried-and-tested template that we have for the James Bond character. It takes a lot of getting used to in order to jump from the prior Bonds over to Craig’s, something that can drive away those who can’t accept a drastic change from the series formula.
Best: Managed To Make Bond A Serious Character
By the time Pierce Brosnan’s Bond came about, the series had decided to make him a campy star, and ran away with the idea. There was a lot of reliance on gadgetry, awkward comedy, and his sex appeal, all of which had the side effect of making Bond less of a legit action star.
With Daniel Craig’s version, we got a character who can hardly be taken lightly, doesn’t rely on crazy coincidences, and isn’t associated with his art of seduction. He’s a serious person who gets the job done and demands your respect.
Worst: Not Enough Chemistry With Leading Ladies
It’s probably not the fault of Craig’s Bond, seeing as his storylines have avoided putting him too close with his leading ladies, but there’s still hardly any memorable association he’s had.
Of his romantic interests, only Vesper was a relationship that had the right drama and chemistry; the others have been too dependent on plot. Most of the Bond girls haven’t even been necessary, with the likes of Severine, Lucia, and Strawberry being there just for the heck of it. Stronger characters such as Madeleine and Camille were better on their own rather than with Bond.
Best: Superb At Cool, Suave Moments
Every scene involving Craig in his cut suit oozes class and perfection, and he’s been delectably suave in the times where Bond has needed to be at his classy best. Where he lacks in having that naturally slick appearance like Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan, Craig makes up for in his stylish excellence.
He’s a perfect example of a person who takes control of a situation through his simple presence, and never has it seemed forced that Craig’s Bond can take charge so smoothly.
Worst: Lack Of Characterization Outside Of One Drawn-Out Arc
If you were to take out the storyline involving Spectre, Quantum, and all of those factions, then Daniel Craig’s Bond really hasn’t been seen with much. Skyfall was an excellent feature for it being the one film where we saw Bond have a real background and an arc, but even this was then lumped together in Spectre where it was lazily explained that Blofeld had a hand in its events.
It’s hard to view these films on their own since they’re all so well connected with one another, so we’re always going to associate this drawn-out arc with Daniel Craig’s Bond no matter what happens.
Best: Longevity
Despite the very long gaps between sequels in Craig’s Bond films, you’ll never have heard calls to have him be replaced. He’s had the role the longest out of any actor, and has made it worth the wait whenever the latest flick has arrived.
There’s also an appreciation for Craig at least having made an effort to come up with a version of his own, rather than continue more of the same. Even though his James Bond wasn’t for everyone, he was still a fine action hero who made fans anticipate what the next film had in store. Looking back, this was a pivotal time for the series, one that will be fondly remembered.
