New James Bond greeted with rave reviews in British press

Nov 15, 2006, 12:06 GMT

London - New Agent 007 Daniel Craig was hailed as 'the best Bond yet' by the British media Wednesday following the world premiere of Casino Royale.

Rapturous reviews said the opening night, attended by Queen Elizabeth II late Tuesday, had been a 'personal triumph' for 38-year- old Craig, whose suitability for the secret agent role had earlier been furiously questioned.

'He started off as junk Bond, panned by the critics for his blond hair, arty manner and lived-in face...but Daniel Craig has had the better of them in the end,' wrote the Daily Telegraph.

'The blond Bond era began in style,' said the Times, which praised Craig as 'the best Bond yet.'

Dismissing the suggestion that he had sought to answer his critics with his performance, the star himself said: 'I just set out to make a good movie.'

But, according to the Daily Mail, it was the Queen who calmed any nerves Craig might have had with the 'warm smile' she offered during the handshake with her secret agent.

Actress Caterina Murino, who plays Solange, said: 'Daniel is giving James Bond something else we never saw before. Daniel is visceral, sexy and vulnerable - in fact he's quite perfect.'

Richard Branson, multimillionaire owner of Virgin Atlantic, said: 'Craig is brilliant. He's brought Bond alive.'

Based on the very first book in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, Casino Royale takes movie-goers back to the early career of Britain's most famous spy, including his promotion to 00 status, which gave him a licence to kill.