"Do I look like I give a damn?"

Rating: 8/10 (5 January 2009)

Anyone who has followed the James Bond series over the last four decades knows that the new Bond has changed... In "Casino Royale," 007 do not identify himself with the classic words, "Bond. James Bond," and instead of playing Chemin-de-Fer or Craps, he plays Poker and he doesn't care whether his vodka martinis are shaken or stirred nor he drinks a Smirnoff vodka, or a five-star Hennessey, or a Dom Pérignon'52... He never pauses to take a finger of Caviar He never enjoys a good cigar and is less preoccupied with matters of sex
But he is a more trained Bond, a cold-hearted killer improvising, modifying, and overcoming, uttering to M in one decisive moment his most significant line, "So you want me to be half monk, half hit-man!"
In taking the part, Daniel Craig completely inhabited the character of the super agent 007 There is something empathetic about him and something humanHe so lets you in behind his blue eyes and into his emotional life
His opponent is the villain banker Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) who tries to get rich in supplying funds for terrorists To continue doing so, Le Chiffre wants to win back his losses in a no-limit showdown Poker game with $115,000,000 in chips at Casino Royale in Montenegro
Ivana Milicevic plays Le Chiffre's Bosnian bodyguard who nearly eliminates our hero Valenka is harmful but not pure evil as her boss
Simon Abkarian is the middleman Alex Dimitrios involved with Le Chiffre, who knew where to put his hands on weapons and people who could use them He works with anyone who has money
The Italian actress Caterina Murino (Solange) reveals her sexy side as the frustrated woman so upset in her marriage
Jeffrey Wright plays the undercover CIA agent Felix Leiter 'bleeding chips at the poker tournament;' and Giancarlo Giannini plays the 'contact' Mathis
Eva Green is Bond's love interest Vesper Lynd Green and Craig have electric chemistry on screen together Vesper's character seems ambiguous, impudent and complicated One nightslumped in the shower fully clothed, radiating inner beautyher quiet look is capable to melt Bond's cold heart and free his doubtful mind In another, she disconcerts him with her pretty 'Algerian love knot.'
"Casino Royale" lacks the fundamental technology exhibition which plays an important part in any Bond films... The traditional "James Bond Gun Barrel Sequence" and the "James Bond Theme" disappeared The only thin bit of continuity is Judi Dench's fifth return as the cool, scheming chief Lady M
Directed by Martin Campbell, the movie has it all: spectacular locations from Prague, London, Miami and Nassau and amazing actions involving the superb Aston Martin DB5 coupe in a high-speed mountain chase; a rush to stop a fuel tanker at Miami Airport; a combat with an Ugandan terrorist; a pursue in a four-wheel bulldozer; a breathless foot chase across highest cranes; and an unexpected climax in one of the buildings on the canals of Venice