Genre

What codes and conventions do you historically associate with Bond? The Bond cycle car chase henchmen silent but deadly killer (assassin sent to kill Bond and fails) action set pieces gentlemanly pursuit between Bond and the main villain one overarching villain who has a range of minions/henchmen Gun barrel sequence is used just before the credit sequence physically disability which signifiers the evil nature of one of the henchmen Q and his wonderful gadgets opening chasing sequence (pre-credit) Bond girl femme fatale character who succumbs to Bonds irresistible charm and often sacrifices herself (sacrificial lamb) stylistic animated credit sequences a complete song honour to write the Bond theme typically the song will be a new popular song for key theme the female helper (Bond girl), whose stupidity gets Bond in trouble
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Genre
The Bond Cycle guns Aston Martin cars exotic international locations sophisticated clothing he typically dresses in a formal dinner suit regardless of situation a sense of Britishness about Bond, Bond girls are glamorous
often a false helper (who seems to be there to support Bond, but is actually playing him)

final showdown high action, literally moments of cliffhangers to build suspense debriefing with M what the mission is / since the 1990s also internal conflict with M encounters over games such as card games, chess, etc. which act as metaphors for the chase/secrecy and deceit that drives the story Bond girls are typically introduced through a POV shot from Bond

point of no return Bond is indestructible

headquarters clearly based in London

James Bond and all that he represents must be present! He has the ability to mix pleasure with business; he is suave, charming and irresistible to women. specific phrases Martini shaken, not stirred, the names Bond, James Bond, 10 catchy sarcastic sense of humour witty one-liners and cheeky chat-up lines

Can Bond be classed as a genre in its own right? Thomas Schatz (in Hollywood Genres, 1981) describes genre as the product of audience and studio interaction...[impressing] itself upon the culture until it becomes a familiar, meaningful system that can be named as such. Bond films are clearly an amalgamation of the detective, suspense/thriller, action, and spy genres. But as the series has progressed, it could be argued that the Bond franchise has developed into a genre of its own, with a recognizable set of codes and conventions, including structural components such as plot, character, setting, thematics, style, and so on, that Schatz defines as the key ingredients of any genre.

Schatz noted that genres do not stand still, but evolve over time. Like every other film genre, the Bond genre is both a static and a dynamic system. On the one hand, it is a familiar formula of interrelated narrative and cinematic components (like those you have outlined above), but at the same time, as the series evolves, it examines new attitudes, technological advancements and other societal changes (e.g. the changing roles of femininity and masculinity). Can you think of any of these dynamic genre components in Skyfall?