SimplyAbuDhabi VII

2 7 3 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I say anything specific about the role, but has tantalised fans by describing it as "[a] really interesting part which is really quite fun". Naomie Harris will play the character of "Eve", who will be "a field agent". Harris herself dismissed claims that she would be playing the character of Moneypenny, stating that "Eve is not remotely office- bound". Harris has also offered fascinating glimpses of what the role holds, saying that Eve "[believes] she is Bond's equal, but she is really his junior". We know, too, that in keeping with tradition the film will take in a huge breadth of spectacular locations across the world. Some scenes have been shot in Istanbul, Turkey, in historic locations such as the Spice Bazaar, Yeni Camii, the Imperial Post Office, Sultanahmet Square and the Grand Bazaar. This is also the first Bond film to have been partly shot in China: filming was scheduled to take place in Shanghai and other parts of the beautiful and energetic country. Set reports have also indicated that some scenes will be set on Hashima Island, an abandoned island off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan. Filming has of course also taken place in the UK. Many scenes have been shot in some of London’s most iconic locations, including stately Whitehall, the splendid National Gallery, and the historic Smithfield meat market. Other fantastic locations include St Bartholomew's Hospital, Canary Wharf, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, and Parliament Square. Vauxhall Bridge was closed to traffic for filming the aftermath of an explosion at the MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross. And residents of the city's Deptford district were thrilled by the presence of an adapted Aston Martin DB5 on location. Timeless appeal These stunning locales will be the ideal venues for the star-studded cast to shine. But it’s Craig who will be taking centre stage – and rightly so. It’s now widely accepted that he is a truly class act as Bond. There have been many classic James Bonds through the ages – we only need to think of legendary names such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore – but Craig can stand alongside them as an equal. His screen presence is simply phenomenal. After watching him in Casino Royale, the leading film critic Roger Ebert described him as ”superb”. And that’s certainly a verdict that we agree with wholeheartedly. If we were to list all the massively exciting aspects of the new film it would take forever, but we simply have to share our delight that Skyfall will see the return of designer Daniel Kleinman, who was responsible for creating the popular and captivating title sequences of previous Bond films such as Goldeneye and The World is Not Enough. On the theme of innovation, it has also been announced that rising star Ben Whishaw will play the role of Q – Bond’s quartermaster and creator of endless, inventive gadgets. It is in keeping with James Bond’s daring character that the films surrounding him should always be on the cutting edge of technology and creativity: for example, Skyfall will be the first Bond Film to be released in IMAX venues. But ultimately, the series is so breathtaking because it blends this innovative approach with a respect for timeless quality; because everyone knows that for the past fifty years, the world has been in thrall to one cinematic star, and his name hasn’t changed: it’s Bond – James Bond.