Know When to Hold 'Em

Rating: 8/10 (18 November 2006)

For all of you out there that disrespected Daniel Craig as the new James Bond before even seeing the film, I say shame on you. You owe it to yourself to go and see the film. I've been watching these films for over thirty years now, and I can say that Casino Royale while not the best Bond film, clearly makes the top 5 list. Other reviews will cover the plot details, but suffice to say the story is sublime. I like the way it unfolds, without stopping for the "slow kids in the class". Next to Connery, I think Craig had the best debut in a Bond film and will have a huge upside. Given his age and how the film ends, we know there's more coming down the pipe.....
My only complaints are admittedly petty in nature but are as follows:
1) Bond driving a Ford? Thank God it's only seen briefly and we have a return of our senses with the grand reappearance of our beloved 1964 Aston Martin DB-5.
2) While the opening credit sequence is nothing short of exquisite featuring a color palatte that's never been used previously, Chris Cornell's title song is possibly the worst of any Bond film. There's a reason that historically, the theme songs have featured female singers, so let's be sure we get back to that the next time around, eh? A good guide to a good Bond theme song is, whether or not you are humming that theme as you are walking out of the theatre. Needless to say, I wasn't after Casino Royale.
3) Fleming's novel featured a game called "Chemin de Fer" which is largely played in European casinos. In the film, they play "Texas Hold 'Em" which is largely played in American casinos. Clearly, they changed the game to "Hold 'Em" to appeal to a broader audience and I think that's a mistake. Who cares if the audience understands the game being played? What matters is, can Bond beat his nemesis "Le Chiffre"? You can have plenty of "Ooohs.." and "Ahhhs..." by people surrounding the gaming table coupled with steely looks from the players to indicate the action of the game.
At the end of the day, see the film, you won't be disappointed.