Bond is Back!

Rating: 10/10 (26 November 2006)

Sean Connery originated the role, George Lazenby wasn't tough enough for it, Roger Moore made it more fun and likable, Timothy Dalton made it more serious but humorless, and Pierce Brosnan really looked the part but his films didn't distinguish themselves and were simply pieces of other films strung together. Daniel Craig in Martin Campbell's CASINO ROYALE simply is the best James Bond the series has ever had.
Ever since Daniel Craig, who was excellent in LAYERCAKE, MUNICH, and ROAD TO PERDITION, was announced as the new Bond he was met with nasty comments from the media as well as CraignotBond.com. They said he was bland, blonde, too short, didn't know how to drive, and everything else you could think of. Then the media and the public actually saw his first Bond outing and everything changed. The film has been hailed as one of the best in years and Craig has been given the large majority of the praise.
The film is based upon Ian Fleming's first novel and has obviously been updated to a post 9/11 world. We get to see how Bond achieved his 007 status, how he fared on his first mission, how he first met Felix Leiter of the CIA, the mistakes he made, his interplay with females, and how he ultimately became James Bond. This is quite a tall order for one film and yet it delivers all the goods as Craig dazzles us with a very tough, funny, and human performance.
Craig also never lets us forget for one moment that James Bond is a killer. Ian Fleming's creation has finally been realized and the violence at times is very gritty and very realistic. There's even a terrorist suicide run at an airport that hits a nerve as Bond desperately hangs from an explosive truck and tries to stop it.
The film also boasts a terrific supporting cast, two action sequences that are by far the best of the series, exotic locations, no gadgets and gizmos, plenty of amazing stunt work minus CGI, and a wonderful love story. Eva Green is Vesper Lynd and her dialogue with Craig's Bond is witty, cool, and quite touching. Their relationship genuinely grows on us and we can't help to be a bit shaken by it's climax.
Judi Dench is also at her strongest as M and Mads Mikkelsen is a chilling villain. Caterino Murino is alluring and beautiful as Solange and Giancarlo Giannini is funny and sly as Mathis. Don't forget the understated Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter as well. The writing team of Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis also keep things fresh, exciting, and deadly serious.
Bond is ordered by MI6 to a high stakes poker game in Montenegro. There he must defeat La Chiffre at Casino Royale and prevent him from funding terrorists. La Chiffre is a master card player and not one to underestimate. Both men are gamblers, killers, and desperately want to win. Their eye contact speaks volumes despite the fact that La Chiffre's eyes weep blood at times. Bond's are icy blue and one can't help but to get lost in their magnetism.
The direction of Martin Campbell hits all the right notes as we'll find ourselves squirming at a brutal torture scene, thrilled by a construction site chase, on the edge over some rounds of Texas Hold Em, jarred by a nasty fight to the death in a stairwell, moved by a love story, and caught off guard by a twist near the conclusion.
In the end Craig and Campbell will have you clapping as my audience did at the 10:10pm showing on opening night. I can't remember the last time I heard clapping at the end of a Bond film. Yes, Daniel Craig is the definitive James Bond and he's back like you've never seen him before.