How Bond Should've Been

Rating: 9/10 (21 September 2009)

I've said it contains spoilers, but I'm not giving any plot twists or in-depth details away...
I give Casino Royale a 9 out of 10. It wasn't the best film of 2006, but it was the best Bond film. Now, I know many will argue that the Bond films of the 60s were the best, or that Timothy Dalton was the best Bond, but Casino Royale is what Bond films should've been from the very beginning. When I was younger, I went out of my way to make sure I had seen all the Bond films past and future, and I enjoyed them thoroughly. However, I was younger, with younger eyes that are far more easily entertained and dazzled. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to see many Bond films in recent years with my more matured and film-budding eyes, but I did happen to catch Die Another Day a few months ago...
I remember going to the cinema to see Die Another Day on it's first day of release and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We were the only people in there. I didn't think much of it then, but now I look back and think it must have been a sign. When re-watching Die Another Day a few months ago, I couldn't finish it. It was so ridiculous and cheesy. Pierce Brosnan seemed more like an ignorant creep rather than a ladies man, and always had something (un)humourous to say after he killed some bad guys. With my more seasoned eyes, it was a shambles that shamed my memory of all the Bond films previous.
So I caught Casino Royale on a TV screening, just to see if they had done what I heard they had done in stripping it down and making it darker and grittier. Not only did they do that successfully, but they made a movie which could easily rival other movies of similar calibre. For once, there was in depth character development and a look into the Bond character beyond "he's a super spy who blows stuff up and beds beautiful women just for fun". Daniel Craig, and indeed the script, added more emotion to the character. He comforts those who get emotionally cut up by what he does, he gets knocked around and genuinely looks hurt. The Bond of Casino Royale isn't superhuman as Bond had been previously, but was more human than ever. He made mistakes and didn't always win. This is what makes Casino Royale the single best Bond film ever, and sets a precedence of what Bond films should always have been. Admittedly they sometimes got close, but never hit it on the head.
There's also less emphasis on action. Don't worry, the action is still there, but it thrills the viewer in more ways than just explosions and and car chases. On that note, I can only recall seeing one explosion in the entire 2 and a half hour running time. The Poker game in particular was one of the most thrilling segment I've seen in any film, particularly of a segment so relatively slow.
There is no Arch-villain who has some crazy plan for world domination and no side-kicks with diamonds in their face or over-large metal jaws. Instead it's an accountant with a problem with his eye that causes it to weep blood. Subtle, but ever much more darker and freakier than previous. On that note, this accountant also isn't a master of every fighting technique known to man. He is merely an accountant with a taste for gambling. In numerous parts of the film, it's strongly and explicitly shown that he isn't even the one running the show. Also, his exit is far less dramatic than any other villain in the past. Disappointing for some, but much more pleasing for those who like an air of believability. Lastly on the note of villains, there is no scene where Bond and the villain sit at a table while the villain unveils his plan and then swiftly orders the murder of Bond, no. Casino Royale makes this point in the very first scene as the villain behind the desk desperately tries to stall Bond with a proud look on his face, as he's rudely interrupted by a bullet to his head.
There are no extraordinary gadgets. The only thing that comes close is a portable defibrillator, and even that could quite likely be possible to see in the car of a spy. There are no prevalent Bond girls and no near explicit sex scenes, and flirtatious one liners are turned into a smart and witty dialogue.
All in all, this film is a quality film, with elements of action, romance, comedy and thriller, that just so happens to have a main character called James Bond. This is what Bond films should've been.