James Bond rewrites his own rulebook for one of his greatest entries.

Rating: 9/10 (24 December 2015)

The gadgets, humor and giant lasers were certainly fun, but after a while the series was getting a little bit too silly. Casino Royale offers completely new experience for the long-standing franchise. Using Fleming's novel of the same name, infused with the politics of a post 9/11 world, the film has a strong story with believable characters.
The first half of the film is action-based, creating scenes like the parkour chase and the airport terrorism plot to perfection. Daniel Craig's Bond is a game-changer: rough, tough, morose and thuggish, but also romantic and vulnerable. The 2nd half settles into the high stakes poker game in which a terrorist financier tries to win back his lost fortune. There's a couple of welcome twists and turns along with a strong ending, making this one of the greatest Bond films ever.