FANTASTIC movie! Daniel Craig was a brilliant choice!

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 2006)

The best Bond movie to date! That's right - it's better than any of them! Casting Daniel Craig (whom I thought would be great in the role anyway after seeing Layer Cake a year ago) was a really brilliant choice to fill the suit left behind by Pierce Brosnan. After seeing Casino Royale there really is no doubt that Craig was a worthy successor to the franchise.
The actual movie in and of itself was more real-world and less fantastic gadgetry, bringing a grittier and dirtier inexperienced Bond to life and steering way clear of the improbably mundane trappings of an "impending doom for the world" film. No, the plot within Casino Royale is more believable because it doesn't rely on James doing anything more than keeping his cool and keeping his feet on the ground.
Of the entire franchise I believe Casino Royale really takes the lead in the pack, perhaps by a nose, as a spectacularly grounded and hard-hitting James Bond embarks upon his first mission and truly earns his keep as a double-o agent.
Great job, Mr. Craig... please return soon!