Bond is back and better than ever

Rating: 10/10 (21 November 2006)

Casino Royale marks the twenty-first return of the quintessential stylish spy, James Bond, and does so with so much enthralling action and engrossing story that you will find it hard to look away from screen for even a second of this unique action thriller. Based on Ian Flemming's first novel about the super cool MI6 agent written in 1953, the film captivates audiences by bringing a type of Bond movie that has not been seen before.
Controversial choice for the new James, Daniel Craig, gives a stunning performance and proves his worth as one of the best Bonds of all time. He maintains the character's main traits of being smooth with women and keeping cool under pressure, but adds a level of humanity to the man in black as he struggles with the demands his new double 0 status requires.
Up and coming actress Eva Green plays Vesper Lynd, Bond's beautiful leading lady. Audience members feel a real connection with Vesper, as well as other characters, because acting throughout the film is absorbingly superb.
Casino Royale does not follow the usual Bond formula. While high tech computers and tracking devices are used throughout, gadgets such as laser watches are hard to find in this realistic story. There are no gun turrets or rocket launchers that pop out of the hood of Bond's classic Aston Martin DB5 or his brand new Aston Martin DBS. The absence of such formulaic elements does not take away from the film, but rather gives it individuality from other movies in the series.
The story is a major selling point in Casino Royale, as the unbelievable story lines from the previous movies is replaced by one that is compelling and realistic. James Bond has just gained his 007 status and is on his first mission. He's not out to save the world, but to stop a banker from winning a poker game. A slight understanding of poker terms helps during the intense poker scenes or else such expressions as fold, raise, check and all in will be lost on the audience. Casino Royale is not merely a two hour film about a poker game, as exquisite action and chase scenes are found throughout which are so well done that you will most likely stop blinking for ten minutes at a time.
Daniel Craig rivals Sean Connery and Timothy Dalton for being Ian Flemming's definitive James Bond. He plays an amazing egotistic main character that is not bland or one-layered as some previous actors have portrayed the famous spy to be.
Director Martin Campbell seems to do little wrong throughout the picture, as special effects are nearly flawless and camera angles and movements do not try anything special but are nevertheless pleasing to the eye. Campbell has made one of the best Bond movies of all time that is bound to entertain and captivate movie viewers everywhere.