One of the best movies of the year? Oh yes.

Rating: 10/10 (17 November 2006)

Reboot, Re-Imagining, Remake, whatever you want to call it, it was pretty clear that the James Bond franchise had reached a crossroads of late and when Casino Royale was announced it seemed in to be a great opportunity and great risk. The Brosnan era, which had started with such great promise in the gritty action of Goldeneye, had ended in the realm of self-parody and farce with the cartoon antics of Die Another Day. Props like the truly idiotic invisible car conjured up images of the worse excesses of the Roger Moore era, in a way it was Brosnans Moonraker, a movie bereft of any real originality or spark. Royale's makers promised a Bond for the 21st century, realistic, cold, and believable. In theory this seemed to be what the franchise needed until you remember the last time this approach was tried in the ill received Dalton Bond's of The Living Daylights and License to Kill. While this reviewer enjoyed the Dalton entries to the series, it was clear from the box office performances that the rest of the general public were generally cold to the idea of a real-life style Bond. Cartoon Bond had run its course but the diametric opposite wasn't welcome either. But time is a great changer of opinion so the question that has to be asked, is the general moviegoer ready for a new style of Bond? And does Casino Royale and the rugged unconventional face of the new Bond Daniel Craig deliver the goods? The answers to both questions are resoundingly yes and it is quite possibly one of the best Bonds ever committed to the screen.
From the opening scenes this Bond sets out its stall as we witness Craig's Bond earn his 007 stripes in brutally cold kills in a public bathroom and office, the black and white camera-work bleeding out any piece of unrealistic air. This is a Bond devoid of novelty Gadgets, cheap quips and one who pointedly doesn't give a damn if his Martini is shaken or stirred. Leading on from the Chris Cornell penned theme song and conceptual title sequence the film flies straight into action, as Bond gets busy flexing his muscles in a breathtaking chase sequence. It's raw and exhilarating to watch and sets up the pace for the rest of the movie. Bond is a raw rookie who shows a reckless nature that serves to infuriate Judy Dench's M, who sees him as a cold killer with a lack of discretion. Craig plays the cold detachment perfectly. He's committed to his job and is very good at it but it is only out of not knowing what else to do. As he says himself "I wouldn't know what an honest job is".
The locations are suitable varied and interesting ranging from the soft beaches of The Bahamas to the bustle of Miami and on to the picturesque settings of Montenegro. Miami's scenes include the airport action sequence spied in the trailer which although slightly redundant to the main plot still show off Craig's physical acting chops and acts as a highly entertaining interlude to the main plot of Bond tracking down La Chiffre, a known funder of international terrorists. It must be said that in the pantheon of Bond villains Chiffre isn't the most menacing. I mean how much of an impact can a man who bleeds out of a dead eye have but he does serve his purpose as Bonds opponent with functional efficiency and his cold manner helps add tension to the immensely enjoyable poker scenes.
It's in these scenes that Bonds character is fleshed out in a manner not seen since License to Kill. The interplay between Bond and Eva Green's Vesper Lynds crackle's with energy. The writing of Paul Haggis is clearly in play in many of these scenes as there is a clear smoothness to the dialogue not normally seen in a Bond movie. Bond shows himself to be a slightly bitter man who never lets anybody in and it's a real pleasure to watch Green's Lynd crack his cold exterior.
For fans of the original novel the torture scene also deserves a mention. If you haven't read the book then think of something like the Syriana style of torture only with a different body part in danger and you'll be close. It's easily one of the most brutal scenes you are ever likely to see in a Bond movie and will have many members of the audience wincing in pain.
By the time of the tragic climax it's pretty clear this Bond has rescued the franchise from its dull torpor and then some. Everything in this movie works and this reviewer is still stunned at how good it is. Craig leaves the trademark line to the last scene and when it's finally delivered you're left wanting more. From this evidence Bonds next installment can't come soon enough.
One of the best movies of the year? Oh Yes.
5/5.
Review posted by Gulli on boxofficefanatic.com