This felt like it was going through a list of elements for a good espionage movie and ticking boxes gleefully. Serious soul-searching? Check. A maniacal yet slightly sympathetic villain? Check. Some jaw-dropping explosions? Check, check, check. Death on both sides? Definitely. They did their homework.

Rory Kinnear is deeply uncomfortable to watch ever since that Black Mirror episode. It’d be okay if he wasn’t playing another bureaucrat.

It’s nice when actors are actually given room to act - Quantum of Solace never took a breath, and as a result everyone felt a little rushed (even Bond) - here, even the smaller characters are given time to show their range.

Can I take Ben Whishaw home? Christ.

The confrontation in the prison cell between Bardem and Dench is brilliant. In fact, every scene that Javier Bardem is in just lights up the screen. Would have been lovely to see a best supporting actor nod somewhere, but… awards shows are stupid.

I hope they keep getting good directors in. The script here is so much better, and the casting is inspired, but the whole thing really feels like it’s guided by Sam Mendes.

Skip Quantum of Solace and watch this instead.