not an all-time champion Bond film, but one that makes me anticipate Craig- and more Bond movies like this- in the future

Rating: 9/10 (19 November 2006)

Casino Royale goes back to the basics in the sense that it's from an Ian Fleming novel, the first time in many years that the franchise reaches back into Fleming's old bag of tricks. That the filmmakers also decide to transfer the story- however much it sticks to the original source I can't say- from communist villains to just plain terrorist dealers and the like. It still has the formula going for it, but not cranked up as it has been in the Pierece Brosnan James Bond films as of late. And it's great to see that the sense of humor is not too keyed up on itself, but rather back to the sly, almost sophisticated lines and moments of innuendo. It's also overlong by at least five minutes, if not more, and despite a good romantic angle in the story with Daniel Craig's 007 and Eva Green's Vesper, that too could've been trimmed just a little. But the dramatic power is matched only by the ruthless abandon of the action from director Martin Campbell; not even as twisting and double-crossing a plot like this can get can get in the way of the real delights of a Bond film, which are exploited well.
In fact, I'd say if for nothing else go to see the films to see Craig run, and then run some more, and kick ass and take as many names possible. The franchise decided with Craig to go back all the way to the beginning to Bond's first major assignment after making rank, by taking devious part in an ultra high-stakes poker tournament with its main guy Le Chiffre (Maks Mikkelson, excellent as a tearing-blood villain who may or may not be the middleman-bad guy). But even before this we've already seen Bond at work chasing down a hired-gun in Madagascar (quite the almost opening action sequence if I do say so), and another at an airport, which is the highlight action sequence for my money. These action scenes are done unpretentiously, and with an equal voracity on hero and foe- it's really a question of who can get who off one's back, or run faster or drive harder during these scenes. And in all of this Craig, if not as handsome as previous Bond stars, is assuredly up for the challenge of being rough and gritty in all of this. It helps to see him in this almost cold and detached secret-agent mode, as it does help make the romantic sub-plot- the usual one- with a little more depth.
This romantic plot unfolds already after Bond's first semi-rendezvous with a lady in the Bahamas, with Vesper, played by Green in the great tradition of sultry leading ladies. But this time, being that she's not as big a star as some of the more recent Bond ladies, adds to her appeal. You might wonder what side she's on at first, but it's hard to question her vulnerability. One of my favorite scenes of the film, following a daunting fight in a stairwell, is in a shower, but not at all in the usual seductive way you might think once Bond enters into the shower with her. It's actually really touching, showing Bond's humility in calming her down after being frazzled like that. The romance then unfolds as one might expect, though perhaps to far too quick and extreme lengths (then again, what else do you expect from 007). There is a climax that does lean more to the emotional than the usual catharsis of 'he kills all the bad guys, yey', and actually helps to make the Bond character much more cynical and ready for detachment from his love interests than before thought.
But I'm making this sound a little more ponderous than I should. Casino Royale isn't a great picture, but for the bulk of its time on screen it's extravagantly good entertainment, even when scenes are meant to be more about psychological tension like in the poker game scenes. Seein Craig and Mikkelsen face off at the table is just as enthralling as a good chase scene is. And it assuredly makes me anticipate more adventures with 007, particularly with Craig, who I think should now be poised for a great career as both Bond (for however long it will last) and as a leading man too. A-