Back in black.

Rating: 7/10 (22 November 2006)

So it comes to me now to review the new Bond film, but before we go any further let me first say that Daniel Craig is a great bond and dare I say probably the best and closest to the one imagined in the books by Ian Flemming all those years ago. So to the movie, well its OK, it certainly the best since Golden Eye but like all this years big films it falls a little flat. Craig is let down by the script as is Judy Dench who returns as M and apart from the odd one liner from Bond it feels very bland. The director treats us to a few amazing set pieces at the start (just like Superman did) but once they are out of the way it gets a little boring, especially from the moment we arrive at Casino Royale for the poker game, I for one know nothing about poker and even though I could see that they were trying to add an element of suspense to it I felt it dragged on too long, something that was not necessary in a film that is two and half hours long anyway. Gone are the gadgets and the bumbling Q and in are the fisticuffs, I have to admit the realism was great as bonds hands got progressively more bruised with the more punches he threw, there was no Rambo style fights here, when he was hurt he was hurt and it showed. Gone too it seems are the plethora of girls usually encountered by Bond in the course of his service to queen and country, the filmmakers have taken it down the George Lazenby route to the point where Bond hands in his notice to be with Eva Green's Vespa Lynd and to sail off to Venice full of wild abandon. Here we are treated to a strange copy of 'Don't Look Now' as Vespa runs through the back alleys in a bright red dress which surely can't be coincidence? The makers of the film set out to reinvent the saga and take Bond back to basics, this to a certain degree they have achieved, but keeping elements such as all of Bonds foes having to have a minor ailment isn't called for and in Casino Royale its no different as Le Chiffe has asthma and a false eye that weeps blood. For the ultimate reinvention what Bond really needs is a good story and a better script, a credible enemy and some well thought out action (the free running was great but are we just jumping on the bandwagon?) A little too long and a little flat in places, Bond is definitely back lets just see where it goes from here because for all intent and purpose Casino Royale is heading the right way its just not quite there yet. His name is Bond, James Bond, stone cold killer and double hard b*stard and on the way to becoming a rising star across the world again, Jack Bauer shouldn't hang his gun up just yet but maybe he should watch his back.