Very good, but not excellent

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2006)

As has been widely reported, Casino Royale IS the best Bond film in well over a decade. Based on the first Bond novel, but set in the post 9-11 world where terrorists are the enemy d'jour and governments "miss the Cold War" (to quote M in the movie), this 007 is a raw, almost bad-guy type character, who could have easily been a nasty villain had he not joined MI6. Not even close to suave, charming, or debonair, he has a huge chip on his shoulder and no time for witty banter. He doesn't want to love and prefers married women because they have no strings - or expectations - attached. SPOILER: The movie falters, though, at about the 1:45 mark. This is when Bond falls in love with the government accountant sent to manage his finances at the high-stakes poker game. As we find how she is involved with the bad guys and takes Bond for a ride, I wondered why it becomes so obvious to everyone BUT Bond. The scene in the hospital, when Bond has her type in his bank password, would have been a perfect time to unveil her dishonesty and have 007 do something as bold and crass as earlier in the film. bond falls in love in other films, but - since this is the 1st Bond novel - they should have avoided it in this one.