On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: The filmed bit with Daniel Craig as James Bond going on a mission with Queen Elizabeth II herself (compete with ferocious guard corgis), followed by a stunt-Queen and a stunt-Bond parachuting from a helicopter over the stadium and then capped off by the Her Majesty appearing in the royal box…well, it showed tremendous good humor on the Queen’s part. We are amused.
Royal Air Force: Those parachutes weren’t the only mode of aerial travel on display at the Olympic Stadium. We were also treated to the airborne arrival of multiple Mary Poppinses, as well as a squadron of jet packs
Feast Your Eyes: The overall visuals from the ceremony were stunning, and of incredible variety: fireworks, guys on bicycles dressed as giant glow-in-the-dark doves, a massive Voldemort. But perhaps the most impressive feat was the set change between the idyllic pastoral era and the industrial age, with giant smokestacks rising from the middle of the field, and then a pretty darn convincing river of molten steel flowing through them to forge an Olympic ring.
Ladies and Gentlemen, David Beckham: Despite the fact that the U.K.’s most famous athlete wasn’t chosen for his country’s Olympic team, Becks graciously agreed help out with the opening ceremony—looking smashing as ever in a sharp suit while at the controls of a speedboat.
The Next Generation: Speaking of athletes, the choice to give the final cauldron-lighting honors to seven little-known, up-and-coming teen athletes from the U.K. was an unusual but classy move on the part of director Danny Boyle, ending the pageantry with a touch of populism. Well played, Mr. Boyle. Let the games begin!
