At last a realistic Bond!

Rating: 9/10 (29 November 2006)

Unlike the other Bond outings, Casino Royale offers a fresh and vital new beginning to a franchise that was heading towards a catastrophe. The film overcame all the criticism and unnecessary hype that surrounded the recasting of Bond and the doubts of success. In fact, if Daniel Craig hadn't held the cards, Royale would have certainly flopped. Craig carries the film with inevitable ease and balances all the complex aspects of Bond including the harsh, violent and sexist front, the sarcastic joker and the man behind the wall. Eva Green cannot be forgotten here either, she is the 'Bond Girl' most independent and anti Bond women as such have been longing for. Green's Vesper Lynd is Bond's dynamic other half, ensuring that he doesn't get it easy, yet not too hard either. The chemistry between the two is undoubtedly strong. Action sequences are fantastic as well as the other actors yet Royale stumbles a few times towards the end,lacking enough gel between certain scenes yet Royale is the best since Goldfinger.