When Daniel Craig came along as the new James Bond in 2006's Casino Royale, he, along with director Martin Campbell, changed the entire look and tone of the series. The one-liners and sci-fi gadgets that made the franchise famous were replaced by biting dialogue and raw, bloodied fists. The movie was a tremendous success and it helped modernize Bond for a post-9/11 world. Unfortunately, the writer's strike greatly hindered the sequel, Quantum of Solace, which fell way short of expectations.
Now, Bond is back with a new director, Sam Mendes, for the franchise's 23rd installment, Skyfall. This first trailer from the movie starts out with an eerie word association game that sets up the mood of the movie as well as letting us inside the head of Bond. Again, Craig plays Bond as a pure killer, completely obsessed with the mission and never allowing a grin to creep across his face. From there, the trailer goes into full-on action mode as we're introduced to gunfire, explosions, and the off-putting sight of a line of coffins draped with Union Jacks.
The plot of the movie involves a secret from her past coming back to haunt M (Judi Dench) and how it will test Bond's loyalty to her. Hopefully the movie won't be as convoluted as the water supply storyline of Quantum of Solace. Like Casino Royale proved, Bond is at his best when the conflict is a personal one.
Skyfall will hit theaters on November 9.
