Back to the Basics...Casino Royale Shines as a Great Addition to the Bond Collection

Rating: 10/10 (18 November 2006)

I first have to say that I am a James Bond fan, including the books. I first read From Russia With Love - my mother's copy - when I was in High School. I liked Ian Fleming's style of writing and the subject of a rather gritty life a secret agent lives everyday. I was hooked from that first book. I then read the Fleming books in order and went and then read Casino Royale. As a fan of the books and movies, I was always fascinated with the story of Casino Royale. I was also disgusted with the spoof Casino Royale with Peter Sellers, Orson Welles, and tons of others. It was funny but rather stupid to use this first Ian Fleming book as a spoof. Well, finally, after 40 years, the movie adaptation of the Fleming book was well worth the wait. I have to admit that I was highly skeptical of the new actor Daniel Craig playing a so beloved character that any true Bond fan does not want to get their hopes up too much to then be disappointed. Upon reading many of the comments here on IMDb from the UK opening I was extremely surprised to hear the movie was rather good. Now, after seeing last night I have to admit that Casino Royale puts James Bond not just on his game, but excelling. Daniel Craig and Eva Green do an excellent job as do all of the cast. The dialogue is well done and is also kept quiet when none is needed. The special effects are back grounded in what we are all amazed with the rest of the Bond films - the stunts - not necessarily special effects - that are done and amaze us all. To know that a stunt was done with real cars, people, etc. is what brings back the Bond movie fans. That is the wow factor of the Bond movies versus the books. Show me a tale that is believable but fantastically extraordinary. Being a secret agent in the world plants the seed of such a fantastic and extraordinary story that is already there for the taking for producers and directors to wow us with. If you go too far in science fiction and in making the story just utterly unbelievable - then you lose that wow factor because it is just not believable. In Casino Royale, James Bond is brought back to us by the telling of how he became the secret agent who is seen in all those other wonderful movies. Casino Royale is a pleasure to watch for any James Bond fan and is definitely a wonderful ride for the newest generation who is seeing there first Bond movie. Congratulations, 007 - your license to thrill has been confirmed!