Certainly over-hyped but still rather enjoyable

Rating: 7/10 (17 August 2007)

The relentless hype machine would have you believe that Daniel Craig is "The best Bond ever!" and that Casino Royale is the film that "saves the Bond franchise!" None of that may be particularly true. The Bond franchise may have needed a little tweaking and updating but it certainly didn't need to be saved. And while Craig is very good in the role can we let him do more than one of these before we dismiss all who came before? But once you get past all the breathless hype you do have a very good film.
Casino Royale is, at least compared with the slew of films which preceded it, a serious James Bond movie, if there can be such a thing. Many of the Bond films have been overly campy and at times ridiculously over the top. Not here. This is a much more grounded film and the new tone works wonderfully. This movie actually seems believable. Even the action scenes, which in many Bond films were ludicrously impossible, ring true. You get the sense that this stuff could actually happen which is refreshing. And happily, the film is less about action and more about plot, about engaging characters and the dramatic situations they find themselves in. Yes, this Bond film goes in a different direction and it pays off.
Now, for all the positives this is certainly not a perfect film. It definitely drags at times and probably would have benefited from some scenes being left on the cutting room floor. A poker game that takes up a rather healthy chunk of the film's running time is certainly vital to the plot but definitely slows things down. But, as a whole, the film works. The film certainly looks terrific with the visuals as stunning as you would expect from the Bond franchise. The key roles are all performed well. Craig may not be the best Bond ever, at least not yet, but he is certainly very good, entirely believable in all aspects of the role. As always, this Bond movie comes with plenty of villains but Mads Mikkelsen is the key bad guy and his performance is terrific. Appropriately menacing and much more believable than many prior Bond villains. As the requisite Bond girl, Eva Green may not be quite as good here as Craig and Mikkelsen but she holds her own. You get the sense Green and Craig could have had a little better chemistry but it's a minor quibble. In the end, everything comes together rather nicely. The story, while a little slow moving at times, does hold your attention and ultimately goes off in some surprising directions. Add in the fine acting performances, the great visuals, some riveting action and you have a film that's definitely worth your while. Maybe not an all-time classic but a very good film which makes you anxious to see where Bond goes from here.