Daniel Craig - 3 Movie Reviews, Part 3

Lara Croft Tomb Raider 2001

Let’s just say that you will enjoy this film more it you have the brain wavelength capacity of an adolescent boy and/or at least can shut off your adult brain function for the duration of the film. Because, make no mistake, that was the target audience for this film. There is a lot of archeological gizmo and gadget-like stuff, cool robotics (if one is an adolescent boy that is), guns and fights, swinging around, martial arts, funky stunts, and occasional glimpses of nude Angelina Jolie. I’m not even sure what Daniel Craig was doing in the film.

But, he is there as her former lover and the other tomb raider that works for the bad guy, but in the end helps Angelina when it counts. She saves his life in return for his good deed, and that is the last we ever hear of him. There is one shower scene that he is in that is sort of hot, but it is nothing that Daniel Craig fans haven’t seen before. Due to camera work, you never get to see anything below his hips anyhow. There is some suggestive talk, but really, I found it hardly worth sitting through the whole film for.

** of five stars

Munich 2005

This is a more violent film than I usually watch which is why I didn’t go see it when it was in theaters. You get to see lots of people shot into bloody bitty bits and blown into bloodier bittier bits. I remember when the tragedy during the Munich Olympics happened and was horrified to watch it play out on television. It was difficult to watch it again in this movie. The main character Avner, played by Eric Bana, also relives the hostage taking throughout the movie. He rounds up a small squad of assassins, including Steve, played by Daniel Craig. Together they killed six of 11 Black September, thought to have masterminded the Munich Black September terrorist plot.

Avner questions whether killing these people was justified or not and what purpose it ultimately served. Eric Bana’s acting is terrific and he is supported solidly by the cast. There are some hot scenes of Eric having sex with his wife, but Daniel Craig remains clothed and we only get to see him shooting and driving. The movie runs 2 hours and 44 minutes, but goes by swiftly as you are drawn in by the characters and the situations. It is a great movie if you aren’t put off by violence.

**** of five stars

The Mother 2004

Oh yeah. Daniel Craig plays Darren, a real hot sexy stud in this film. Unfortunately the femme fatale he is so fervently seducing and screwing is an out of shape grandmotherly looking one. If that is not going to bother you, this movie is for you! Although, this is a very depressing movie because it asks what aging means in society today and the answer is one of hopelessness and uselessness.

May, played by Anne Reid, loses her husband to a heart attack while they are on a family visit to London. She is at a complete loss as to what she is to do next, so she moves in with her daughter who is having an affair with Darren, the married carpenter who is building a conservatory onto the house. May’s daughter presses her to find out if Darren is serious about her and will leave his wife. May set about to determine this and one thing leads to another and next thing we know they are getting it on. She feels alive again and will do anything to perpetuate that feeling. (Who wouldn't if it was with Daniel?) The futility of her quest is well communicated here.

Daniel Craig’s character is a scoundrel in this movie and plays the role extremely convincingly (which is why my sister tells me she will never date actors, but that is another story entirely). I did not enjoy the movie, because the message was so depressing, just as aging can be. But Daniel was fabulous in this role, pretty to look at and you get to see his ass. It's just this grandmother thing that hangs me up. Am I agist? Me?

*** of five stars