Very different but nevertheless excellent portrayal of Bond

Rating: 9/10 (26 November 2006)

The first thing that hits you when you see this movie, is the fact that it is very different from a Bond movie. But remember, different does not always mean bad. This movie is one hell of a lot better than many Bond movies. Although Daniel Craig does not look like a Bond, his acting and portrayal of the character's qualities more than makes up for that small disadvantage.
It is the first James Bond novel, and hence portrays a James Bond very different from the one we know and are familiar with. This Bond is ruthless, and more aggressive than the one we know. It shows a man who has the skill, but lacks the experience. It also has many parts which we may interpret to be the reason for Bond's Beauvoir in the other movies. An example is his detachment to women, as he puts his life and theirs in danger. This can clearly be seen in the movie.
Eva Green sizzles as Vesper, and plays the role well. Although the movie is male dominant, she does justice to her role. The whole movie has breath-taking action sequences and beautiful locales. The title song by Chris Cornell is nice to listen to. The direction is very nice, and the casino card game sequences are kept to a minimum to avoid boredom. The editing is satisfactory, as is the dialogues and the background score. But the real show-stealer is Daniel Craig. Everything from his emoting to his dialogue delivery is perfect. Very nicely done.
So, finally, all those people who thought Craig would not be a Bond would definitely acknowledge his brilliant performance if not accept him completely. I conclude by saying that Casino Royale is a brilliant movie and is a superb entertainer.