I'm going to get any suspense out of the way right away and make a very bold statement for those who don't want to read the entire review. Casino Royale is, hands down, the best Bond movie made to date. Furthermore, it is so superior to the previous Bond movies as to make them very nearly shameful in comparison. In every area, Casino Royal shines. There are two things that you should know though, before you get to the theater...
1) This is not a prequel. It has been marketed as such since it deals with the beginning of Bond. However, it is set in our time and has, just like Batman Begins, ripped the old sheets out of the book and started at a new beginning. It is in no way disrespectful of the previous films, but it very clearly aims to re-define what Bond is. And what a job it does in the process.
2) This is to the Bond franchise what BSG is to the Battlestar Galactica world. This is an extreme re-envisioning of what Bond is and what he is about. I will explain how below...
Daniel Craig is incredible as the new Bond. I've only seen him in Tomb Raider previously but I was very impressed with him here. He is certainly more of a man's man than the previous Bonds. He brings much more raw physical power to the role and the writers make good use of it. He's also able to pull off a very human performance of a role that is often too one-sided.
The new vision of Bond is also bold. Very few cheesy one-liners here. This Bond is far too busy doing his job to be the funny man. He is a calculating killer who will get the job done with as much brutal force as is necessary. He also manages to not sleep with every female who crosses his path. In addition, he is a much more physically in your face. This Bond isn't above getting bloody and dirty to get the job done. It is refreshing to finally see a Bond who can't take on three goons and regain his perfect facade with a turn of the necktie. Craig is working far too hard to look like he's sat in a styling booth for hours. The added realism was appreciate on my part. And also, we finally see a Bond who wears clothes a bit more appropriate for the kind of action he is undertaking. Craig is more likely to come onto the scene wearing a polo shirt and a pair of kahkis. And he still looks good doing it. Finally, he's above all else, a real human. This is no cardboard cut out. Craig plays a character who is fully fleshed out with an array of emotions. He cries, he gets angry, he truly cares for other characters, etc.
The technology is interesting and useful, but never flashy. The previous several Bond outings had become nothing more than extended commercials for every product that could be shoved down our throats. Here, the focus is back on highlighting technology that is useful and not just about showing a brand label.
The baddies in this movie are also quite different. When Bond comes up against even a henchman here, he's got to fight like he means it. Every battle truly feels like life and death is at stake. Even the lowliest goon is not without abilities and, like most people, actually thinks when confronted by an adversary. As a note, one encounter with a particular enemy features a torture seen that is truly cringe worthy, and effective. The entire audience gasped in horror and several were squirming in their seats during the thankfully brief scene.
In closing I will say, as I said at the beginning, that this is easily the best Bond we've seen yet. Certainly, some will disagree. But I feel it is the most human and the most compelling of the movies yet. I find the new approach refreshing and I hope it will recapture the spirit of the movies for a new generation.
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