The New Bond

No Q
No moneypenny
Not untouchable

This new bond is hardened. Dirtier. Aggressive. Driven. This new Bond is a Bond for the new world. Notwithstanding the 9/11 (and, interestingly enough, 9/12) references in the film, the new world that Bond operates within is one of international businessmen, personal relations, and money.

Not only is his female counterpart alluring and intelligent, she is an accountant. Not only does the plot hinge on a terrorist attack for financial gain, it then shifts to $100 million poker showdown; which bothers me, but I had to accept. This is the contemporary Bond, and I am certain that most baccarat dealers are out of work. Bond is, furthermore, elevated through status symbols: from Ford to a '64 Aston Martin, won at a poker table, to the newest DB7 coupe. He promptly destroys the coupe, proving that nothing about this film is untouchable.

The Bond of the new world is a sign of the times. No longer does Her Majesty's Secret Service serve the interests of international peace and security. No longer do the conflicts and actions intiated by villainous men seek to spark conflicts between nations. No, this new world is guided by ambiguity, plausible deniability, and greed. No one can be trusted. Even M cannot "trust" Bond. She must only keep him alive as long as he is useful and can get a job done.

In this new world no-one is untouchable.
In this new world, Moneypenny dies.
In this new world, Q and his gadgets appear only in commercials for TBS super station.
For this new world, a new Bond.