Well done Daniel...you would have made Mr Fleming proud!

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2006)

Let's begin by saying that YES I am a hardcore James Bond fan, one who has watched all the films countless times before, traveled to some of the locations worldwide and even once blagged my way into the press pit at a 007 film premiere. James Bond is a national icon and a film phenomenon. So when Daniel Craig was originally announced as the 6th and latest incarnation of the character, obviously like everyone else I was somewhat taken back and surprised. Yes, maybe he didn't have the playboy good looks of Pierce Brosnan but let's remind ourselves that the original James Bond character that Ian Fleming wrote was a ruthless agent with a license to kill. The Brosnan and Moore films, though extremely entertaining completely destroyed Fleming's original character. Gone were the tension and realistic action scenes found in the Connery and Dalton films and in their place were fantastical and completely implausible plots. Bond never seemed to be in danger, because the audience always knew that he could whip out his latest gadget and save the day. 'Die Another Day' also had some shockingly bad CGI effects (notably towards the end with the crashing plane). Bond was beginning to look like a glorified cartoon character.
So at last it is refreshing to see that Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Brocoli have completely turned the Bond franchise on its head and come up with an entertaining and highly realistic film. Without a doubt 'Casino Royale' is the best film since 1987's 'The Living Daylights'. Simply because its the first film since then to adapt an original Ian Fleming novel.
Dare I say it...Daniel Craig IS Bond! He is funny, he is suave...but boy is he dangerous. From the stunning pre-credits sequence in which he brutally kills his first two targets...we know that this is a new kind of Bond. A Bond you can believe in. Craig's fight scenes are without a doubt the most realistic fights in the series. The stand-out fight scene takes place in a stairwell and involves a large knife and a lot of blood and body blows. You really feel for him when his crisp white shirt is ruined and covered in crimson blood. There's no smarmy one liner, no joke, just 2 dead bodies and a traumatized Bond girl, who is clearly disturbed by the brutality of Bond. You just cannot imagine Pierce Brosnan in the same scenes.
The interplay between Craig and his leading lady Eva Green is extremely strong and incredibly convincing. They banter off each other and share quips. You can really feel the chemistry between them. Vesper is certainly not just a casual one night fling for 007. Bond falls in love...and you see the relationship develop before your eyes. It's believable.
Another classic scene is when Bond gives Vesper a stunning dress to wear and in return she gives him his customary black dinner jacket. The moment Craig puts it on the first time, looks in the mirror and you hear the faint sounds of the Bond theme tune...you know that Bond is definitely back.
Its a great film full of believable action scenes (the opening chase in Madagascar is breathtaking). There is also pretty much no CGI in the scenes. These are true stunts harking back to the glory days when incredible stunts really made the franchise. A few people have complained about the main villain (Le Chiffre) as being too weak. I for one would have to disagree. Yes, he is not a Dr Evil hell-bent on world domination, but instead he is a real, seedy and incredibly dangerous character. He has faults, he has other enemies apart from Bond...and from the moment you see him puff on his inhaler...you know he has some weaknesses...but that doesn't make him a weak villain. Far from it. His torturing of Bond is incredibly sadistic (lightened by Craig's humor).
Of course nobody is perfect...there ARE a few complaints with the film. The action scenes (though amazing) seem somewhat out of place (an editing issue) and the film is too long (some scenes do drag towards the end). The Bond tune is not used nearly enough and there are a lot of unanswered questions. However, these are just some minor quibbles.
Overall, compared to ALL of the Brosnan films and in fact any other 007 since the 60's this is a great movie. A welcome return to the literary roots of the character. Congratulations Daniel...you would have made Mr Fleming proud! Bond IS indeed back...and here to stay!