Best Bond Ever

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2006)

In "Casino Royale," the James Bond legend has been taken to a new, never-before achieved level.
Many movies reveal that they are something special from the first frames. An unconventional and original opening sequence is among the things that grab me from the word go. The opening (black and white) sequence of "Casino Royale" is probably the best of any of the Bond films. It is minimalist but riveting. It takes place in just the sort of unglamorous locations that one would imagine a real-life endgame of that sort would take place. It tells the viewer, with no bones about it, that a new, deadly serious era in the Bond franchise has begun, and that the jokes are over.
Many, many kudos to the director and the writer(s) of the screenplay.
All of those who ridiculed the choice of Daniel Craig as James Bond had better sit themselves down for a huge helping of crow. He is far and away the best Bond since Sean Connery, and in my humble opinion, gives even Connery a run for the money in some respects.
In the beginning, Daniel Craig's James Bond is not a nice guy. He is arrogant, reckless, impetuous, and an upstart. But he's also brilliant and resourceful. He's also an expert martial artist, a ruthless and proficient killer (who even smiles and smirks as he watches some of his adversaries die), and a daredevil who has no compunctions about getting his hands and face bruised and dirty. His interpretation of James Bond, far more than any other, is truly frightening at times--a guy who could walk into any rough-and-tumble setting, of any kind, anywhere in the world (without the tux), and be right at home. He is utterly focused and driven, and it is abundantly clear that he will let absolutely nothing stand in the way of accomplishing his mission--including conscience. He is fearless to just short of the point of a death wish. In short, he is exactly the type of guy that you would expect and want, in real life, in the trenches battling ruthless criminals, defending his country.
But that is only part of the story. Craig's version of Bond, though extremely capable and dangerous, makes some crucial mistakes. "Royale" is easily one of the two or three most intelligent of all the Bond flicks in that the villains he faces--even some of the bit players--are not cardboard cut-out caricatures, but are presented as resourceful and crafty as he is. None of his physical encounters are cakewalks.
The women he has in the film are not helpless smitten damsels; one is, in terms of intelligence and wit, more than his match.
I found "Casino Royale" not only a top-notch action thriller, but one that even pushed strongly at the boundaries of intelligent drama. None of the Bond films that I remember delved as deeply into the complexity of the man, and gave as much of a sense of why he is as he is. The film eventually reveals that beneath his seemingly impenetrable armor, he is very much a human being. Toward the end, after having seen Bond experience something that will obviously affect him for a long time, if not forever, the viewer, in seeing how those things change him, will while not necessarily liking him in the end, at the very least, understand him. This is by no means an easy mission for Bond, nor an easy story for the viewer, with predictable sequences and outcomes.
Gone are the ridiculous camp, tongue-in-cheek comical plot elements and elaborate, almost satirical gadgets. As elaborate as some of the action sequences were, they were all completely consistent with the dark, hard-edged atmosphere of the story. Nothing funny or comical about any of them; one does not forget for a moment that these encounters are life-and-death. One can legitimately put "Casino Royale" in the genre of serious spy stories.
The martial arts skills of this James Bond are by far the most believable of that of any other Bond rendition. In that vein, no objective, fair-minded person can deny that the fight sequences in "Casino Royale" are far and away the best of those in any of the Bond films.
And I cannot possibly fail to mention Judy Dench, who, though always superb, delivers the best portrayal of "M" of any that she has before. We get to see a side of her that we never have before as well.
In summary, "Casino Royale" has it all--great action, an intelligent, even believable storyline, and better character development than any of the Bond flicks that I remember. Daniel Craig--along with some superb direction and a great screenplay--has given the James Bond legend an array of qualities, and a new dimension, that have never been seen before, at least for a very long time. Bond is now his; he's more than earned it. I hope he keeps at it for a very long time to come.