Daniel Craig drowns a man in a bathroom sink and then shoots a traitor in the head. The separation from those excesses is clear from the opening frame of Casino Royale. We were a long way from the more serious take of Timothy Dalton. Brosnan jumped off a cliff and “flew” into a plane to save himself in ridiculous fashion. Goldeneye announced that Bond had entered the big-budget world of the ‘90s. Within the first few minutes, the film makers are presenting their mission statement about the future direction for the franchise. Introducing a new James Bond is a tricky proposition.
