New James Bond film breaks box office records
Just shortly after the premiere, the new James Bond film "Spectre" has broken all the box office records. In the UK, it's the biggest opener of all times, even ahead of all-time favorite Harry Potter.
Everybody's darling
Daniel Craig isn't only dashing on screen. At every Bond premiere - and let's hope this wasn't his last stint as agent 007 - Craig is suave. He always takes time for his fans. Who wouldn't like a selfie with James Bond?
No honeytraps
The 24th Bond film thoroughly shook up role cliches, and that included revamping the image of the Bond girl, who typically relies on her feminine charms to snag the super-spy. In "Spectre," Bond faces strong, self-assured women like Dr. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux ).
Sexy scenes
Stunts, car chases, sexy women - Spectre has it all. Director Sam Mendes has a knack for funny punch lines and surprising twists and turns, too. Monica Bellucci, who plays the grieving widow of a gangster Boss killed by 007, lets that very Bond seduce her in a dramatic, highly erotic funeral scene.
Contemplative agent
A Bond film wouldn't be a Bond film without the thrill of the chase. It's what the fans are waiting for. But this time, Daniel Craig has more to offer than a perfectly sculpted six pack, split-second moves, and brilliant thinking. This Bond is at times pensive, and even wonders about his super-agent job.
A man of few words
Steely blue eyes, the Tom Ford suit a perfect fit - Daniel Craig heads into the battle against organized crime clad in his own version of a knight's armor. Director Mendes created Bond as a macho with a soul. Still, he wouldn't go out for a drink with the agent. "Bond is a very lonely person," Mendes said in an interview, and that would make small talk difficult.
Wise choice
Sam Mendes must have enjoyed working with so many competent actors. Ralph Fiennes (above) debuted in Skyfall as the head of the Secret Intelligence Service, and he is "M" again in "Spectre." Fiennes plays the role with the emotional rhetoric of a terrific stage actor - a pleasure to watch on screen.
Intrigue at its best
Oscar-winner Mendes mainly sees his new film as critical of the surveillance tactics of intelligence agencies like the NSA. But the protagonist also faces doubt, he says: "For Bond, it's about the question whether he should continue to live his life like before - and you'll have to watch the film to hear his answer."