Reviews

Casino Royale

Many reviews are all saying the same thing about Casino Royale. The compliments are lavish such as that Craig is the best Bond yet, or that this film is the best Bond film to date. To a certain degree I have to agree with them. In many aspects this is a Bond film that stands above the rest due to character development and superior acting and action scenes. I think director Martin Campbell (who also did the outstanding Goldeneye, which was Pierce Brosnan’s first 007 film) learned quite a lot from the Bourne Identity series, which had fine acting, development and awesome and believable action scenes.

Royale shows an early James Bond, who has just been promoted to 007 status and we see him making his first official kills. What we also see is a James Bond who is cocky as usual, but under qualified, suave and flirtatious, yet emotionally available. In other words we see Bond fuck up, a lot. He is not perfect and refined as an agent and this is wonderful for the long time Bond fans to see. This is a story that has only been told in the original Ian Fleming novels (from which this film is based on the first of those).

On the other hand, we do see a much rougher and ruthless Bond than we have seen in the past. I think it was the beginning of Diamonds Are Forever where a very brutal Sean Connery avenges the death of his wife, was where we saw one of the few times that Bond is pissed off and makes a rather cruel turn. Royale is filled with these moments, and that is what adds a great dynamic to the film.

Despite some avid 007 fans protestations, Daniel Craig is by far my favorite Bond. Yes, I know that everyone sucks Connery’s dick, but that is just because he was the first. We have seen four other actors try to do their own version, but let them become intimidated with Connery’s shadow. Craig, on the other hand, doesn’t do that. He is truly his own man with the role. In defense of the other actors, though, Craig has a little more leeway with the role, seeing as this is a sort of reset for the franchise. Craig has already proven that he is a gifted and versatile actor, and he has also proven his mettle in action films as well, so I had the utmost confidence in the producer’s decision and was excited to see the film.

The payoff is great. The film is a lot of fun with some very well choreographed and exciting action scenes. There is an absence of gadgets and some of the stretching of the imagination, which went along with every Bond film, but is absent from this installment and seems refreshing. I do confess though that I did miss Q, but I imagine we’ll get him in the next film.

Simply put, see this film, because you’ll enjoy it. Whether you are a Bond fan or not, it is a fun movie, especially if you enjoy the Bourne films. In a few movie franchises there has been a new level of reinvention that has been refreshing and wonderful to see, and as long as the 007 films follows along this path, I think we will see more outstanding films, with equally outstanding reviews of popcorn action films.

9.5/10
George

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