Green’s Vesper Lynd, however, was a far more detailed character whose impact on Bond would persist long after her own death. Treated more as accessories rather than people, the Bond franchise’s misogynistic legacy was perhaps the biggest challenge for the Craig era to overcome. Over the years the role of a “Bond Girl” had often been laden with baggage, with the franchise's women often depicted as one-dimensional characters developed purely to become an object of desire for the Bond of the day. Yet, in-between Craig’s solemn characterization and parkour-inspired chase sequences, it was actually Green’s character that proved the film’s most significant departure point. No, Casino Royale dispensed with the camp atmosphere and reliance on increasingly unrealistic gadgetry in favor of a far more serious take on Fleming’s famous spy.
Vesper is ambitious and a bit aloof at first impression, but she feels quite deeply. Intentionally upending various tropes and expectations that had evolved since 1962’s Dr. Personality quick-witted and sharp-tongued.
Following Pierce Brosnan’s tenure, which began in the mid-1990s, Craig’s debut as James Bond marked a significant change in direction for the long-running franchise.
