Casino Royale is a blast, both literally and figuratively. The starting chase sequence - on foot! - is something you Bond fans out there cannot afford to miss. It's SO fast paced, so thoroughly exciting you could have been forgiven if you thought you were watching The Amazing Race: Roadrunner Edition. The way Craig and the African baddie he is chasing do jumps so ludicrously acrobatic that could only be described as "nuts". Know the construction site part of the movie trailer? That's not even the half of it. But even though I won't say what the movie is all about, lest people cry foul over my "spoiler", I can say that's it's in every way a James Bond film.
However, there is one touch that I like. Since this is Casino Royale - which is supposedly Bond's first foray into the world of espionage - this film focuses more on his "growing up" stages than him fighting the baddies. This film, still helmed by Broccoli's Eon Productions - which has producing Bond movies since god knows when - shows new Bond Daniel Craig as a young Bond, determined to prove himself and his status as a 00 - someone who has a license to kill. Also, since this film is supposedly Bond's first mission for MI6, it shows him as a spy who's still rather rough around the edges. Gone - naturally - is the witty repartee and suave, spotlight-on charm that we are so used to seeing Bond in. In several parts Bond is speaking almost like a normal person. However the filmmakers couldn't do away with the wit entirely and that made for some really wonderful one-liners, e.g. his lady saves him from near death. The first sentence he speaks after regaining consciousness is "You ok?".
I suppose Bond still hasn't found his smooth-talking side yet. However, Craig/Bond still wears stylish Savile Row suits, all hand tailored, and his babe-licious women all still wear plunging necklines so low and deep they could have shown their pantyhose. That's why men watch Bond films. Own up, all of you (raises hand).
This film is Bond like we've come to know, but with a more emotional side. In this film, Bond is shown, for the first time (I believe), more involved with his women. In previous films, Bond is always shown being very detached from his women, lest I venture so far as to say only for sex. It's almost as if there's is actually a human inside all of him. More touchy-feely, though kisses abound. Sex scenes were dreadfully short, or perhaps the good folks at the Censorship Board thought maybe that that was one breast too many. In my opinion I think that's a major fallacy. If they had indeed edited it, then they are taking away the sensuality of it all that characterizes all Bond films.
All in all, in my opinion, this is one of the better Bond films created. Casting a relatively-unknown but very likeable and lookable Daniel Craig, Eon Productions has succeeded in producing a film that stands out above all other Bond films. It's more emotional, more involving and more intellectual, not to mention having plenty of heart-pounding chases sequences. But this film is long. I watched the 1945 one and it didn't stop till 2230. Nearly 3 hours. Needless to say some portions were slightly draggy. However in this case, the good portions far outweigh the bad and that earns it a 4/5 rating from me.
However, there is one touch that I like. Since this is Casino Royale - which is supposedly Bond's first foray into the world of espionage - this film focuses more on his "growing up" stages than him fighting the baddies. This film, still helmed by Broccoli's Eon Productions - which has producing Bond movies since god knows when - shows new Bond Daniel Craig as a young Bond, determined to prove himself and his status as a 00 - someone who has a license to kill. Also, since this film is supposedly Bond's first mission for MI6, it shows him as a spy who's still rather rough around the edges. Gone - naturally - is the witty repartee and suave, spotlight-on charm that we are so used to seeing Bond in. In several parts Bond is speaking almost like a normal person. However the filmmakers couldn't do away with the wit entirely and that made for some really wonderful one-liners, e.g. his lady saves him from near death. The first sentence he speaks after regaining consciousness is "You ok?".
I suppose Bond still hasn't found his smooth-talking side yet. However, Craig/Bond still wears stylish Savile Row suits, all hand tailored, and his babe-licious women all still wear plunging necklines so low and deep they could have shown their pantyhose. That's why men watch Bond films. Own up, all of you (raises hand).
This film is Bond like we've come to know, but with a more emotional side. In this film, Bond is shown, for the first time (I believe), more involved with his women. In previous films, Bond is always shown being very detached from his women, lest I venture so far as to say only for sex. It's almost as if there's is actually a human inside all of him. More touchy-feely, though kisses abound. Sex scenes were dreadfully short, or perhaps the good folks at the Censorship Board thought maybe that that was one breast too many. In my opinion I think that's a major fallacy. If they had indeed edited it, then they are taking away the sensuality of it all that characterizes all Bond films.
All in all, in my opinion, this is one of the better Bond films created. Casting a relatively-unknown but very likeable and lookable Daniel Craig, Eon Productions has succeeded in producing a film that stands out above all other Bond films. It's more emotional, more involving and more intellectual, not to mention having plenty of heart-pounding chases sequences. But this film is long. I watched the 1945 one and it didn't stop till 2230. Nearly 3 hours. Needless to say some portions were slightly draggy. However in this case, the good portions far outweigh the bad and that earns it a 4/5 rating from me.
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