Saw it last night. I like this movie. Re-watched Casino Royale a week ago.
Doesn't feel like a stand-alone Bond movie with the conventions flipped around/tinkered, but makes sense when directly picking-up after Casino Royale. Bond wasn't Bond at the beginning of Casino Royale (tho teased at the end), and isn't Bond until the end of Quantum. Casino and Quantum are a definite 1-2-punch pair or series, like Kill Bill and Bourne. Mini-series as movies.
First half-hour had me worried with all the actiony-chasey. I need those slow breather stretches in thrillers to set me up for the eventual ride, not throw me into the ride immediately.
I'm surprised at all the "Bond action" shoved into this one movie, considering the number of different vehicle chases. I kept asking myself, "OK, when will they show Craig SKIING? oops, i guess not this scene, maybe the next one." Not sure if cramming so much was a good idea. Still, there's a good amount of references to previous Bond scenarios. It was interesting to see so much fire and explosion since License to Kill. The unfortunate ratio of action over non-action meant Bond didn't talk a lot, reminding me of the product-of-the-80s stunt-heavy action-man Timothy Dalton Bond movies.
What bothered me is how the action made Bond seem unnecessarily "invincible." To make Bond make sense as a "modern" agent, they ended up turning him into Jason Bourne, minus any sense of pain or injury. Then add a little sprinkle of Batman Begins to account for long-range jumping stunts. Near identity ripoffs here. Definitely wasn't smooth, resourceful secret agent Bond in this light, just Daniel "Killing Machine" Craig.
I supposed Bond hasn't lightened-up and developed his traditional character yet. Maybe when Q-branch has a proper appearance, Bond will happy surrounded by gadgets.