Welcome return of Fleming's hero - Craig delivers the goods.

Rating: Null/10 (18 November 2006)

In many ways, "Casino Royale" is a return to traditional Bond movies. With an air of an early Connery movie in places, this gadget-free adventure proves that Bond is most successful when freed from the horrible gimmicks of invisible cars and where an Omega watch is a time-piece and not a laser device.
Daniel Craig has, I am glad to say, buried any doubts I had about him. Physically transformed from the slight actor who strode nervously onto the stage at the Bond announcement all that time ago, Craig is a powerhouse of a star in this film. He looks every inch the part of Fleming's hero. You really believe that this man could kill with his bare hands - he has a physical presence that outdoes Connery. With this movie, Craig brings muscles back into fashion. If nothing else, his latest appearance on the silver screen should see gym membership increasing as fans embark on the painful quest for the Bond body!
While the plot of the film was convoluted, I enjoyed practically every minute of it. Even the uncredited blink-and-you'll-miss-him fleeting appearance of Richard Branson didn't spoil the proceedings. When the end-titles rolled, I was left longing for more.
The film's not perfect, though. I missed Moneypenny and Q; found the the rather low-budget title sequence disappointing (a Bond film just doesn't feel right without naked, trampolining ladies); found the mono-chrome opening rather lacklustre and the ending anti-climatic....
In a nutshell, "Casino Royale" just didn't feel like a Bond film. It lacked that bit of escapism that separates James Bond from Jason Bourne.
Despite reservations, this is a genuinely exciting introduction to the new Bond. May he work on his majesty's secret service for many years to come - just make sure there's more Bond flavouring in the ingredients for the next film!