James Bond may be an unstoppable superspy, but he has a recently discovered Achilles heel: product placement.
Integrity be damned, the alcoholic womanizing killer has come under scrutiny for taking $45 million worth of product placement deals for the upcoming "Skyfall," the most prominent being from Dutch brewer Heineken. Star Daniel Craig told Moviefone that such in-movie advertising is just par for the course in today's ludicrously expensive blockbusters, even if it means swigging a beer over Bond's trademark martinis.
"We have relationships with a number of companies so that we can make this movie," said Craig. "The simple fact is that, without them, we couldn't do it. It's unfortunate but that's how it is."
As if having a perfectly sculpted physique and a neverending supply of gorgeous women, chic clothes and sports cars that launch missiles weren't tragic enough, now poor ol' 007 has to go to companies hat in hand begging for cash to finance his missions. He and director Sam Mendes will even shoot a commercial for the green-bottled pale lager. We just might cry.
"This movie costs a lot of money to make, it costs as nearly as much again if not more to promote, so we go where we can," rationalized Craig. "The great thing is that Bond is a drinker, he always has been, it's part of who he is, rightly or wrongly, you can make your own judgment about it, having a beer is no bad thing, in the movie it just happens to be Heineken."
At the end of the day we shouldn't be too hard on 007. After all, we let another famous British secret agent kick back with a Heineken without too much fuss …
