Daniel Craig: Why the hate?

After being absolutely blown away by Daniel Craig's performance in the new 007 movie, Casino Royale, I was thoroughly disappointed to read some of the reasons why people disliked the new bond film. There were the usual complaints, such as "No one beats Connery," or "Brosnan is god," but then criticism got more specific, and it disappointed me through and through to finally understand what modern audiences look for in an "action" film.

Top 10 reasons to not watch the new Bond.

First reason: Daniel Craig's not "hot" enough.
Second reason: There were no explosions.
Third reason: Where were the Gadgets and Q?
Fourth reason: What's with Bond having emotions! Eww!
Fifth reason: The Aston Martin had no weapons!
Sixth reason: A Bourne Supremecy Rip-Off
Seventh reason: Craig doesn't look MI6-ish. (What the hell does that mean anyways?)
Eighth reason: James Bond is not godly in this movie.
Ninth reason: There was no "Casino Royale" in the title theme You Know My Name by Chris Cornell.
Tenth, most quoted reason: This is just NOT a "Bond" film, and is way too long.

My responses to those complaints:

1. There is a point when bad casting can hurt a movie. But there is also a point where disliking an actor's appearence instead of watching his performance becomes despicable.
2. Explosions are generally reserved for shallow, plotless movies that are used to create adrenaline rushes and keep the audience dazzled and distracted from the crap it really is. Sure, good movies have explosions too, but does that mean movies are bad if they don't have explosions?
3. There were gadgets. Watch closely. And Q? He didn't appear in the book Casino Royale, so he wasn't included in the movie. All's fair game. After all, James Bond IS based off of Ian Flemming's novels.
4. Seeing a realistic hero is so much more meaningful to a sleazy, high class, pun spitting player. I can't understand why a stale, flat hero is so attractive among Bond fans. I understand class, but not watching a film because a character has "emotions"? What kind of bullcrap is that?
5. Again, this is the early Bond as described in Casino Royale. Not all the cars in 1953 had missile launches and machine guns sticking out of doors.
6. All movies with hand to hand fighting are now Bourne rip-offs? Better sue Jackie Chan too.
7. Bond in Casino Royale is not all class. The description is clear: he isn't an english playboy model, he's ruthless, cold, a killer. Craig plays Bond like he's supposed to be played. A Killer. And honestly, what kind of complaint is "He doesn't look Mi6-ish"? Secret Agents don't all have to look like over-the-hill forty year olds carrying pp7s.
8. He wasn't godly to began with. High-budget, technological-extravaganza films of the 90s made Bond CG-ed and godly to compete for viewers.
9. This isn't the first film to do that, and people didn't have a problem with it when it first happened. Besides, the song kicks ass, and it only lasts about 2 minutes of the opening sequence. Deal with it.
10. This is a Bond film. You notice how the character is titled James Bond? Oh, and look, the movie title is identical with Ian Flemming's novel! Oh my lord! Does it lack smooth talking? No, it has that. Does it lack explosions? No, it has that too. Does it lack character? No, Daniel Craig made sure that Ian's "James Bond" didn't go silently into the night. Aren't those all elements of Bond? Huh? And by the way, this film is only two hours and twenty 4 minutes (2:24), about 18 minutes longer than The World is Not Enough.

So why all the hate? Daniel Craig may not be the most handsome man, but his appearence gives no credit at all to his ability, and the aura that emenates from him throughout the film. His James Bond is a man, an agent in training, who has not yet learned the hard ways of being a spy. He demonstrates his melee techniques like a Secret Agent should (what secret service don't teach basic combat anyways? It's the most basic self defense!) and in the process, makes mistakes. The idea that realism has turned off people from watching movies is appalling. If you want superstitious, pure adrenaline rushes, watching Mission Impossible 3 or King Kong.

Don't diss Craig.
Don't diss the new Bond.