Bond, stripped down, lean and mean, yet 007 to the core.

Rating: 10/10 (27 November 2006)

In my 52 years, since 'Doctor No' onward, from the wild and windswept movie drive-ins in Kansas, I feel like I grew up with this 007 guy.
A Bond movie was and is forevermore "the ticket" if you want to see great action, beautiful women, and exotic location shots. And oh yeah, all of it soaked with that soundtrack, variations of which comprise best movie theme of all time.
Casino Royal knocked my socks off, plain and simple.
With par-excellent direction, editing and cinematography, it's really the brain+brawn combo that is highlighted throughout. There is such a level of detail in these scenes that it will likely take a few viewings to really catch it all. But the real payoff here is the story behind the story.
Basically you "get it" that James Bond is fallible. He's not just steely-eyed-mean. Not just focused to almost super human levels. But also yes, dare I say it; He actually makes mistakes, which is THE thing that makes this character one of the most powerful Bonds put ever. As with the mythical heros of the past it's the flawed aspect, that Achilles' heal factor that really oils this theme machine. It is also an understatement to say that Daniel Craig's complex edge-of-your-seat portrayal is not to be missed.
This 2006 entry depicts Bond's beginning. Low on gadgetry, nearly devoid of the trademark one-liners, and get ready for this Bond fans..... nearly all the chase scenes are on foot!!! And I'm not talking about simple chases here. We are treated with complicated, unusually heart pounding, gritty, death defying high altitude jaw dropping leaps and falls, bone jarring crash-throughs, flesh ripping, bullets flying, surprising cut-offs and twists in abundance, the likes of which I have never before seen. And all the while there are glimpses of intellect-in-motion as this 007 continuously calculates the next strategic turn as if in some rapid action, extremely physical game of chess.
But again, in my opinion it's the fallibility aspect that really fleshes out the James Bond character in full (perhaps for the first time ever). Add to this: impeccable taste, enduring confidence, unmatched style, riveting physical capability and an edgy coolness taken to a dramatic new level, all of it shaken - not stirred, and you probably have the best Bond movie that has ever been made.
Joseph Maas, LinkSky.com