 Critics responded positively to the film , in particular to Craig 's performance and credibility . During production , Craig had been subject to debate by the media and the public , as he did not appear to fit Ian Fleming 's original portrait of the character as tall , dark and suave . The Daily Telegraph compared the quality of Craig 's characterisation of Bond to Sean Connery 's and praised the script as smartly written , noting how the film departed from the series ' conventions . The Times compared Craig 's portrayal of the character to that of Timothy Dalton , and praised the action as " edgy " , with another reviewer citing in particular the action sequence involving the cranes in Madagascar . Critics Paul Arendt of BBC Films , Kim Newman of Empire , and Todd McCarthy of Variety all described Craig as the first actor to truly embody Ian Fleming 's James Bond from the original novel : ironic , brutal and cold . 
