An exceptional action film, and perhaps even a modern classic

Rating: 10/10 (22 January 2008)

I wasn't sure what to expect from Casino Royale. I am not a particular fan of the James Bond films, but this film was gathering serious hype, mostly on the basis of Daniel Craig's performance. I went to see it on my birthday, which made me hope for the best. Thankfully, this film blew me away. Based on the other films in the series which I had seen, I wasn't at all prepared for the level of intelligence, spectacularly gritty action and sheer brilliance which is on display in this film. It was one of the greatest delights of 2006.
This adventure kicks off with James Bond (Craig) at the beginning of his time as a double "0" agent. He is unpredictable, deadly and just as likely to blow up a building when tasked with capturing a dangerous individual. No wonder he makes his boss M (Judi Dench) edgy.
Bond's first assignment as 007 puts him on the trail of Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelson), a banker to the world's terrorists. After Bond foils one of Le Chiffre's plans, Le Chiffre sets up a card game in order to win back the money that he has lost. Bond is entered into the game in an attempt to stop Le Chiffre from winning, and is joined by treasury agent Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), who is tasked with keeping an eye on both Bond and the money that he needs for the game. While sparks begin to fly between Bond and Vesper, they realise that Le Chiffre will not lose without a fight...
One of the best sequences in the film is the opening. Whilst Bond has a calm, calculated conversation with a traitor whom he is about to kill, the intensely escalating discussion is terrifically inter-cut with a tremendously realistic and pulse-raising bathroom punch-up, which is brutal to watch. It is one of the best moments in the film because from the word go, I knew that I was in for something special, complex, realistic and stylishly exciting, which was exactly what I received.
Craig's performance certainly deserved the hype. Several Bond fans and naysayers were attacking him from all sides, and instead of giving in and failing miserably, he leaves his enemies choking in his dust. This is the first time that I have felt close to Bond, the first time that I have felt that I might actually spot him on the street. Craig brilliantly captures the gritty and emotional battle raging within Bond, as well as giving him a welcome yet nuanced sense of humour.
His bickering with the excellent Eva Green's Vesper Lynd is one particular delight, both showing off their superbly forked tongues and revealing genuinely affecting emotions. Craig's performance is beautiful, and thoroughly drew me into the film. If it was up to me, he should have at least got an Oscar nomination. On top of everything else, he is incredibly fit and physically able, as proved by the film's breath-taking free-running chase.
The film's action shot past all of my expectations. Whether Bond is chasing a bomber intent on blowing up a new jet plane at Miami airport or chasing a free-running bomber through a construction site in Madagascar, the action set pieces are stunningly choreographed, exceptionally acted and terrifically suspenseful.
The acting is also top-notch. Judi Dench is superbly old-fashioned and lends both humanity and stern humour to her role of M, whilst Mads Mikkelson makes a superbly chilling and surprisingly human villain. Giancarlo Giannini as Bond's contact Mathis and Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leitor (who becomes one of Bond's closest associates) pop up in roles full of sophisticated charm and style, whilst Eva Green gives heart and soul to the role of Vesper Lynd, something which I have never seen from a romantic interest in a Bond film.
One of the best aspects of the film is the script. Paul Haggis is tremendously good at writing witty, smart and emotional dialogue, and his dialogue is spot-on, eliciting huge laughs whilst smoothly getting under the skin of the characters. I am now a huge fan of his, and await his new projects with great anticipation.
The direction is perfect. Martin Campbell (director of the brilliant Mask of Zorro and GoldenEye) paces everything exceptionally well. All scenes go on for as long as necessary, giving us the sense of being on a extremely entertaining roller-coaster ride. Campbell also understands the term "back to basics" and allows characters room to breathe, whilst giving the action a welcome sense of danger and suspense.
The locations for the film are fantastic, but there aren't too many as to lead to confusion. There is also some great application of stunt work and visual effects, most notably in the literally ground-breaking finale.
I highly recommend this film for all film fans. It is a sensationally orchestrated action feast, and packs enough human emotion to make it a classic example of a brilliant action movie done right. Bring on the sequel!