Not Just a Great Bond Film... A Great Film. Period.

Rating: 10/10 (19 January 2007)

The Bond series is a perhaps the most unique series of films in cinema history. Most people who have a TV or are reading this have no doubt seen nearly every film in the series at least twice (thanks to ITV's Christmas time!) and a lot of people would say they probably enjoy watching the films. In the words of Keith Barrett, "It's a bit of fun." But thats just it. So far I'm pretty sure there is no one out there (not even the most die hard Bond fan) who would apply the term cinematic masterpiece or whatever to any of them. Indeed bar a couple of the "classic" early Connery Bond films such as Goldfinger all the ratings this website appears to have for the films hover around the 6 to low 7 mark. Certainly with the Roger Moore period came the fun comical bond series and with Lazenby and Dalton (well lets just say I probably lie with the masses on those ones!) With Goldeneye, came Pierce Brosnan - my favourite Bond Film and Bond Actor. Its the only Bond DVD I have chosen to buy. Unfortunately, as would probably be expected with such a long series, the formula was getting repetitive and it culminated with the crime against humanity that was "Die Another Day!"
Then came Casino Royale and suddenly my childish excitement of having seen a James Bond film came rushing back. The first thing to point out is that I see it as no coincidence that my now two favourite Bond films were both directed by Martin Campbell. If you could just for a second forget the ludicrous idea of playing a card game to save the world for one second (Ian Fleming's idea anyway) both these films felt in some kind of way real, not realistic, just real. Good description - I know. I mean there was no Chinese turned ginger villain, no Denise Richards as a Bond girl, no blatant beyond belief innuendo or general BS that has plagued many a Bond film. The trademark bond scenes in this film have been give a touch of genius. Daniel Craig - like many other reviewer or critic has said already - gives us a truly awesome and different Bond - indeed the closest to Fleming's Bond. The girls provided elegance and style (M included!) The storytelling is immersing and you will enjoy the constant moving action of the film. Like I say, Casino Royale is a great film by itself and to be honest I couldn't stop smiling for a long time afterwards because it made the rest of the series look like a farce. I really do think it deserves an overall rating of above 8.0 and perhaps even a place in the TOP 250!!!