I'll be the first to admit that I raised an eyebrow when I heard he was cast but he really makes it his own.
In this context, Daniel Craig gives an excellent performance as Bond. Yes, the whole franchise is based on an entirely ridiculous and cartoonish notion but the more serious and harder-edged tone works really well here. What gives this the lead over recent Bonds is the more realistic feel: the exotic locales, fast cars, spectacular action, beautiful women and many other Bond hallmarks are all here but gone is the campy tone that marred, say, Die Another Day.
Martin Campbell, who also made 'Goldeneye', was an excellent choice and, for me, is one of the best Bond directors. The action sequences are brilliantly shot and edited for maximum impact and are some of the best out of any Bond movie. The tone is much edgier and nastier than the Brosnan movies, harking back more to Dr. I saw this at a cast and crew screening in London last weekend: I'm not a huge Bond fan, but I do enjoy them on a purely popcorn level and this was definitely one of the best in recent memory.
