Film 'Cowboys and Aliens' premieres at O2 Arena in London

British actor Daniel Craig (L-R) and U.S. actors Olivia Wilde and Harrison Ford pose for photographs as they arrive for the British premiere of "Cowboys and Aliens" at the O2 Arena in London August 11, 2011.

'Cowboys and Aliens' premieres in Berlin

Cast members Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde and Daniel Craig (L-R) pose for pictures as they arrive for the German premier of the movie 'Cowboys and Aliens' in Berlin, August 8, 2011.

Craig, Kurylenko pose for Spanish premiere of Bond movie "Quantum of Solace"

Blogging To The Bank 3.0 - Click Here!

Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko poses during her photocall for the Spanish premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Valencia November 6, 2008.

Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko poses during her photocall for the Spanish premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Valencia November 6, 2008.

British actor Daniel Craig (R) and Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko pose during their photocall for the Spanish premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Valencia November 6, 2008.

Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko poses during her photocall for the Spanish premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Valencia November 6, 2008.

British actor Daniel Craig poses during his photocall for the Spanish premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Valencia November 6, 2008.

Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko poses during her photocall for the Spanish premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Valencia November 6, 2008.

New James Bond film gets buzz

Blogging To The Bank 3.0 - Click Here!

Chinese like their heroes to be refined, noble and warrior-like. Alpha-male Daniel Craig as James Bond is anything but in "Quantum of Solace." Some viewers call him just a thug, writes Xu Wei.

Chinese like their heroes to be refined, noble and warrior-like. Alpha-male Daniel Craig as James Bond is anything but in "Quantum of Solace." Some viewers call him just a thug, writes Xu Wei.

Don't expect a charming but deadly 007 with gadgets and a debonair grin (like Pierce Brosnan). Daniel Craig, the sixth James Bond, is a tough-guy alpha male - a different, more physical Bond with a back story of a broken heart.

Chinese like glamour, elegance and refinement in their heroes - throw in some martial arts and gorgeous settings. This Bond is gritty and emotional, he seems to thrive on violence, and some fans are disappointed, calling him a "thug" and "Mr Muscle."

Great box-office buzz for "Quantum of Solace." It is Craig's second outing as the British secret agent, the 22nd Bond film, and sequel to "Casino Royale" that presented Bond's back story of love and betrayal.

The action-packed movie hit Chinese mainland cinema screens yesterday, a week after its world premiere in London. It is the second 007 film that has been officially allowed to screen in Chinese theaters - "Casino Royale" was first.

"Quantum of Solace" follows Bond's search for revenge for the death of his love, Vesper, who betrayed him in "Casino Royale" - that showed us something we have never seen, Bond in love.
Bond, gritty, flawed and two-fisted, manages to stop an environmentalist from taking control of a country's water supply.

"'Quantum' is one of the best Bond films I have ever seen," says Zhu Tian, a cinemagoer. "It doesn't portray James Bond as all mighty and perfect. He makes mistakes, grieves and gets hurt."

The most expensive Bond movie ever made cost US$230 million to produce. It features more locations than any other 007 film, it's set in six countries - Mexico, Chile, Panama, Austria, Italy and the UK.

It's one of the shortest Bond films, only 100 minutes, but it doesn't skimp on the action. The first 15 minutes are a blistering sequence of rooftop chases. To come are battles on a yacht and in midair.

Craig and German-Swiss director Marc Forster said earlier that they felt the pressure to deliver the highly anticipated movie.

"The challenge is there's a huge amount of expectations, and to rise up to that and have this pressure on hand and being watched by the media and the fans constantly," said director Forster.

Craig is not only an action hero, but he also portrays the character's emotional shifts, ranging from hatred to forgiveness - not your usual implacable Bond.

Some 007 fans say they can't accept the film's shift away from the debonair persona to a more raw and real person. But there are still the trademark lines, "Bond, James Bond" and "Martini ... Shaken, not stirred."

Craig's performance was also panned by some Chinese viewers who said he acts too much like a "thug" to play Bond.

"I can never equate the image Craig creates on screen with the glamorous secret agent," says Tony Qiu, a loyal 007 fan. "We don't need a British 'Mr Muscle' who handles everything with violence. Can't he reveal some other facet of his personality, such as elegance and humor?"

Film industry observers say this kind of comment is great box office.

"In the film business, viewers don't get everything they want," says Wu Hehu, deputy director of Shanghai United Cinema Lines, the city's largest cinema chain. "But the movie's large global fan base, impressive stunts and lavish scenes are certain to draw big crowds."

Meanwhile, cinemas feature a number of interactive 007-related activities. Smirnoff Vodka, a film sponsor, offers pubs limited-edition Bond-themed cocktail shakers, "shaken not stirred" vodka martinis and new wine recipes.

Coca-cola Zero (zero calories) is looking for China's "007." Applicants send their photos to www.icoke.cn. Three winners will enjoy a luxurious 007 day, driving a Bond-favored Aston Martin and staying at a five-star hotel.

Quantum of Solace - The Royal World Premiere - Part 1 of 2

This Royal World premiere was so big there were two cinemas used. Both Odeon and Empire were dedicated to the task. The main Odeon hosted Princes William and Harry, the films stars, filmmakers and invited celebs. The Empire hosted lucky members of the public seeing the film at the same time. Millions were spent on the event and party and it showed. The Squares garden had a 30 metre curved projection screen fitted for the spectacle. Garden premieres offer a choice for the visiting fan, garden or outside. The capturista's material is often best collected around the media line, so I elected for garden this time. We weren't allowed in till two o'clock. By that time the queue was massive, Id been out there wrapped up in three layers since 5:30am. My fanline neighbour was Meri from Tokyo, Japan who flew in just for this event arrived half an hour before I did. She's a big Daniel fan so to get his autograph was a dream come true. Then after a few minutes another dream come true when Prince William came over and shook her hand and spoke to her. Catch this in part 2 of this video. There were stars aplenty to compensate. Daniel Craig still with his broken signing paw was able to use that right hand a little to sign some pics and autographs along the fanline. The two leading ladies looked so lovely; Olga in red and Gemma in purple. Only Gemma could be persuaded to come to our part of the line. Dame Judi had so much media work that she couldnt come to our barrier. I heard from my fan-mates outside the garden that Olga and Judi did sign there. Producer Michael G Wilson, Director Marc Forster signed and others.

Bond souvenirs have licence to thrill

Britain's Prince William (L) meets actor Daniel Craig at the premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in London October 29, 2008.

Shaken by the financial markets' gyrations? Maybe a look at James Bond memorabilia as an investment would stir your imagination.

Experts say the value of 007 memorabilia has shot up, not least because of the world premiere on Wednesday of "Quantum of Solace," the new Bond movie starring British actor Daniel Craig.

At the top end are 007's cars, most notably a 1965 Aston Martin driven by Sean Connery in "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball." The gadget-laden car fetched more than a million pounds at auction in the United States two years ago.

But there are less pricey ways of owning a piece of Bond memorabilia.

Due to the spy's enduring popularity, there is a high level of collector interest in original Bond movie posters, and their value has risen dramatically over the past decade.

Original British posters advertising "Dr No," the first of the action-packed films, can fetch between 5,000 and 7,500 pounds (US$8,300-12,400). A decade ago, they could have been snapped up for just 100 pounds, according to Bruce Marchant, co-owner of The Reel Poster Gallery in London.

Royal premiere for new Bond film "Quantum of Solace"

Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko arrives for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" at Leicester Square in London October 29, 2008.

Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko arrives for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" at Leicester Square in London October 29, 2008.

British actor Daniel Craig and Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko arrive for the premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Paris October 30, 2008.

British actor Daniel Craig and his partner Satsuki Mitchell arrive for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" at Leicester Square in London October 29, 2008.

British actress Gemma Arterton arrives for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" at Leicester Square in London October 29, 2008.

British actress Gemma Arterton arrives for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" at Leicester Square in London October 29, 2008.

Britain's Princes William and Harry (R) arrive for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" at Leicester Square in London October 29, 2008.

Britain's Prince William (L) and Prince Harry arrive for the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" at Leicester Square in London October 29, 2008.