Last night, I was lucky enough to attend a screening of Quantum of Solace, the new 007 flick you might've heard a thing or two about. Sadly, the title's not the only letdown—the Bond girls are misused (too much Olga, not enough Gemma), and director Marc Forster crosscuts the hell out of the action scenes, as if he thinks they're boring. (They're not.) On the plus side, Judi Dench's M is more prominent than ever, relishing juicy lines like "I don't give a shit about the CIA or their trumped-up evidence." (Your move, Tenet.) Then there's Mathieu Almaric's slithery villain, an environmental activist named Dominic Greene (get it?). His motives are, of course, nefarious (if a tad routine by Ian Fleming's standards), but the performance is spot-on.

Still, a Bond flick's only as good as its Bond, which is why this ranks among the series' best. Whether gulping down martinis on a melancholy transatlantic booze binge, or stabbing a bad guy in hand-to-hand combat, the unflappable Mr. Craig always looks cut from 007 cloth; the role fits him as well as those famous Tom Ford suits. And while the movie doesn't shrink from big set-pieces—007 pilots a boat and a twin-engine plane, in addition to his familiar Aston Martin—Craig's never overmatched by the scenery, handling everything with a creased brow and bone-dry wit. Here, he's out to avenge Vesper Lynd's death, and it's hard to imagine any other 007 (yes, even Connery) delivering the goods with such steely, steady resolve—all without sacrificing Bond's inherent tragic qualities. So while Quantum might not achieve the heights of 2006's excellent Casino Royale, it offers incontrovertible proof of something I've long suspected: Daniel Craig is the best Bond ever. (Sorry, Lazenby.)