Bond returns, so does quality

Rating: 8/10 (16 August 2012)

A fresh start in the 'Bond' series, Casino Royale takes Bond back to his roots in a story based on Ian Fleming's original novel. Having never been a fan of the previous Bond movies, which are famed for their focus on gadgets and an incredibly suave, almost fantastical portrayal of Bond, I was impressed to hear Casino Royale would return to Ian Fleming's original vision of a tough, cold, brutal and more realistic Bond.
Not only is the film a success, but it has converted me to being a fan of the series. What makes Casino Royale so successful is its loyalty to Fleming's original vision and Daniel Craig's outstanding performance as Bond. Whilst all the previous actors to play the part have all been great in their own ways, Daniel Craig portrays the real James Bond, realistically playing a cold and brutal character whilst keeping the audience invested and interest in the character on an emotional level. Not only is he great in the role in smaller, more acting-oriented scenes, but he is incredibly entertaining to watch during the ambitious action sequences the film boasts, and it is easy to tell Mr. Craig is more than comfortable in the shoes of 007.
At its core, Casino Royale is Bond at the very start of his career, and as the film progresses Bond goes through several learning-curves. The film makes an impact in the sense that you feel the pain Bond goes through, every fight feels brutal and painful, the action feels genuinely real and you are always aware of the incredible threat surrounding Bond. There are scenes dedicated to the aftermath of Bond's fights, and you really sense this is a human character going through very human emotions, and allows you to gain more of a sense of who Bond is. Personally, the film gave me the impression that the character is punishing himself, despite his straight-faced talks that killing does not bother him. That is another thing I found made the film so successful- all the mystery of the character remains, yet we understand more about him than ever before.
Speaking about the film itself, the entire piece boasts incredible landscapes that have always been unique to the Bond films, utilising the various settings to be incorporated into stunning wide-shots, camera angles and action sequences, all to their full capacity. Two prime examples include a section in which Bond is chasing a bomb-maker through Madagascar, the climax of the chase taking them to a top of a tall crane overlooking the island, another being an action sequence taking place in Venice within a sinking building. It is undoubtedly a very ambitious film, trying to remain true to the classic exciting action-sequences of the classic films whilst not crossing the line of 'over-the-top'. Fortunately, the film balances it perfectly, making all the action sequences thrilling but believable. Performance wise the film was top standard, particular credit going to Mads Mikkelsen who portrays the films chilling and iconic-looking villain, Le Chiffre. Judi Dench reprises her role as M (ignore her previous portrayals, this is a new story) distorting the time-line, but the film would feel incomplete without her strict presence. Eva Green portrays Vesper Lynd, the 'Bond-Girl' of the story, with a key difference- she is the woman Bond falls in love with, and is ultimately the reason for his coldness towards others.
For the most part, the film flows brilliantly, which is an achievement in itself considering this is a film centred on a card game. Even if you are unfamiliar with the rules of 'Texas Hold 'Em', the film makes short work of making it engaging, overcoming the challenge of making a card game feel exciting to the audience. As I said, the film is entertaining for the most part, however I felt it dropped dramatically during the film's third act and actually felt slightly bored as the film started to trudge its way towards the end. Though I am aware this part of the story is necessary in the continuity, paving the way for Bond's future behaviour, but it just felt out of place in a Bond film.
With no real flaws, Casino Royale succeeds in achieving its goal: Bringing Bond back to his routes whilst making a great film. Daniel Craig portrays the way Bond was always intended to be seen, whilst staring in an incredibly engaging film. Credit must be given to the film's focus on Bond's pain and the ambitious action sequences, however be prepared for a rather average final act. Not to worry though- the classic 'Bond Theme' is played in the credits!