Bond? Or just another action flick?

Rating: 8/10 (22 November 2006)

What starts off as a promising Bond flick, takes a sharp turn down "ugly" road as it progresses. As I sat down eagerly awaiting the new Bond flick, I didn't know what to expect. I have seen every Bond film and am a big fan. I was anxious to see the new Bond. And while I wasn't totally disappointed I wasn't completely impressed either.
Starting off with a great opening scene then progressing through a cool opening credit sequence with a great song, and then going on to an awesome scene in Africa, Casino Royale starts off great! Yet that's the problem. It only starts off great.
Daniel Craig is a new, different kind of Bond. Personally, I thought he was great. He is more of a strong silent type. Not to many witty remarks like Roger Moore and he isn't as classy as Pierce or Sean but he's right up there with Sean as one of the greatest Bonds.
Unfortunately not even Craig could completely save this film. Right after the first 20 minutes is over the film spirals down. The plot is weak to say the least, the stakes never seem to high, the girl is to young for Bond and the villain isn't much of a threat.
I miss the layered plot, the neat gadgets and the good BOnd girl and villain that we got in almost every other Bond flick.
When it comes to plot, I pretty much could have turned on my TV to watch some World Series Poker, because essentially the plot revolves around Bond winning a poker game. Although this is one of the better poker scene I have seen in a movie and it was quite well done and intense.
Another thing is that the action is hardly anywhere to be found, save for three scenes throughout the entire 2 and half hour movie there is basically no action, and the action that is there does not further the plot at all, it is kind of there just because it has to be. The plot was weak, thin, and had no depth.
Neither Bond nor his allies never seemed to be put in high risk danger, there is never a lot at stake either.
Eva Green would have been a good Bond girl if the part was written right. She comes in from absolutely no where, her character never serves any purpose in the story, it's only towards the end that the writers decided to throw her into the main story which really just confused things more rather than excite them.
Last but not least is the villain. Le Chiffre is nothing compared to some of the great Bond villains. He is a henchman for the big boys. He's basically like a middle men, he holds money for the terrorist, he's not even a terrorist. He's not tough, evil or cruel. He also has medical conditions that are never explained (bloody tears?? the puffer he takes??) He is just not the diabolical villain I was hoping for. He is essentially a banker for bad guys.
In the end though there is enough good to out-way the bad. Or at least balance it out. The first 20 minutes of the movie are simply fantastic( the first scene, the opening credits, the Africa scene) also all the poker scenes are very intense and well done. Daniel Craig shines as a different more darker type of Bond and he is great in the role. The action sequences that are there are fantastic, but there is just not enough action for a 2 and a half hour Bond movie. The movie might be missing some key Bond elements (girl, villain, action, gadgets) yet in the end when those mediocre elements are combined with some fantastic elements (Bond himself, the action that's there, opening credits, theme song, poker scenes) Casino Royale proves itself to be better than just a decent action flick, while it's not the Bond I was hoping for it wasn't the cheesy popcorn flick either. Like I said before there were some fantastic things about it, and some very bad things. Although when it comes down to it Casino Royal is a good Bond flick that will be remembered more for Daniel Craig as Bond rather than the villains, gadgets or girls.
I give this 8/10