Daniel Craig is the most realistic James Bond. This is the darkest and most human version of 007. He is therefore probably the actor who best embodied the character.
The previous ones
First, let’s talk a little about previous Bond performers. It’s a very long saga that has existed since 1962. So, suffice to say that many actors have played 007! Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan for the most famous.
Each actor played Bond differently. For example, Sean Connery was charming, even charismatic. Roger Moore played with a humor that was so British you could say, but which seems a little bland today for some.
New version
Daniel Craig’s interpretation promised to be different. When the actor was chosen to succeed Pierce Brosnan, he was violently criticized by the media: too short, too blond, not handsome enough. Websites were even demanding Brosnan’s return.
But critics quickly fell silent over Craig’s performance in Casino Royale , considered one of the best parts of the saga, perhaps even the best.
A dark James Bond
Daniel Craig offers a very dark version of 007, undoubtedly the darkest of all. On screen, he is very cold, he kills without feeling the slightest emotion. In a word, he is ruthless.
And that’s what makes Craig’s interpretation so realistic, or at least believable. Indeed, a secret agent who is used to killing acts coldly, at least in the cinema. Even if he feels emotions, he is careful not to show it.
Of course, we find this coldness in other actors who have played 007 but it is particularly striking in Craig.
A more human James Bond
But paradoxically, Craig’s Bond also has a more sensitive, softer side, which makes him deeply human.
Bond is a tormented character, hence his sensitive, even fragile side. This manifests itself when we study his past, particularly in Skyfall where we discover his family origins.
We also learn that his parents died during his childhood, which left him tormented for life, and this can also partly explain his apparent coldness because he had to harden himself very early.
Bond and the women
His relationships with the famous James Bond Girls also help to further humanize the character.
Indeed, in the Daniel Craig era, Bond’s relationships with women evolve. Previously, he only “collected” female conquests, that is to say that almost the women he dated were only crushes.
On the other hand, Craig’s James Bond is capable of building lasting romantic relationships with at least two of them: Vesper Lynd and Madeleine Swann. This further accentuates his humanity.
And besides, when Bond loses Vesper in Casino Royale , the pain pushes him towards a quest for revenge that lasts throughout the following film, Quantum of Salace . This torments his life even more.
Conclusion
Daniel Craig plays a brilliant James Bond. When we think about it carefully, we realize that his dark and tormented interpretation makes him a very realistic or credible character in addition to being human.
Can’t wait for the next one, No Time to Die.
But this only concerns my personal opinion. Everyone is free to think differently and prefer another actor.