'Royale' treatment

Rating: 9/10 (5 May 2008)

My Take: Slicker, leaner and badder. James Bond is back, and just as good as ever!
Although it's number 22 in the Bond film series, CASINO ROYALE is actually the first Bond movie written by Bond creator Ian Fleming, but I bet you all know that by now. Familiar only as a pre-AUSTIN POWERS spoof with Peter Sellers (which didn't exactly fare well with most critics), this new CASINO ROYALE won't just be a superb new entry in the Bond film canon, this is a spectacular reboot to the series, a new James Bond, and the new Bond, Daniel Craig, fits the bill. He's potent as an action hero as he is an actor.
CASINO ROYALE is also a different kind of Bond film, well, at least for a long time. Not since ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE has their been a Bond devoted to script than action, but unlike George Lazenby, Craig provides an above-adequate performance that doesn't make him a tiresome or boring. Due to it's lack of the daredevil and nearly impossible stunt work and action scenes, CASINO ROYALE feels different and fans may find it unsettling, but the substitute is a welcome approach, and it results into one of the toughest, roughest and most seriously satisfying Bond film since 1989's LICENCE TO KILL.
The film isn't another mission for Bond, but actually his first mission. After being promoted to 00 status, after successfully assassinating two victims ("to become a 00, you must need two."), by his boss M (Judi Dench). Bond is sent to find Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a banker to the world's most dangerous terrorists, who owes a great deal of money. To earn back his losses, Le Chiffre intends to win it in a poker tournament at Casino Royale in Montenegro. Bond's first mission is to prevent him from winning and win the money, disclosing the names of the terrorists. Along his side is British accountant Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), the beauty that first catches Bond's eyes. Giancarlo Giannini plays Mathis while Jeffrey Wright plays the "brother from Langley" Felix Leiter.
With excitement mostly pitched on poker tournaments and torture scenes (one of the film's most potent and memorable scenes), CASINO ROYALE is both darker and different than the likes of its predecessors. The fact that Bond must successfully assassinate two people before being promoted would seem too dark for the likes of the Bond we knew from Sean Connery, Roger Moore and even Timothy Dalton (who once held the record as the most serious Bond actor). The film's trademark line "Bond, James Bond" isn't mentioned until the last scene. When pursuing the baddie, Bond does it in style, but very seriously. Hell, Bond doesn't even give a damn if his martini's shaken or stirred! This is not the Bond you've got to know since 1962's DR. NO up to 2002's DIE ANOTHER DAY. No, but this is great Bond. Although serious and often vigilante, Bond is still hammered with humor, making Craig's outing the perfect Bond for the new century.
Director Martin Campbell makes a triumphant return to the director's chair after GOLDENEYE, making the film serious yet exciting as possible. The script is dead serious for most of the parts, but doesn't spare us our craving for bits of humor (when M complains about Bond's vigilante ways in pursuit of a bad guy, Bond replies "Next time, I'll shoot the cameras first") as well as some neat action scenes, notably a chase through an airport that is just as exciting even without being as daredevil. The acting here is even better. Besides Craig, Judi Dench makes an ideal M. If you can ignore the continuity that M is already a lady even before Bond was even a 00, then you'll truly be convinced by this M, a true boss. Ms Green's performance as Vesper ranks as one of the best Bond girl actresses. Although running a long 144 minutes, the film is devoid of boredom. Even with scenes that often lag, the excitement and show-stopping scenes overcome them.
I'd rank CASINO ROYALE is one of the best Bond in years, but any comparison, good or bad, I think, would be quite unfair. Being that this is different from its predecessors, it is just right for CASINO ROYALE to be great as a Bond film unlike the Bond films before. With that, CASINO ROYALE is pure, intelligent and well-written entertainment.
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.