Bond at its best

Rating: 8/10 (29 July 2015)

Bond Review.
Title: Fleming's first Bond novel and straight to the point.
Pre-Titles: We see Bond acquire his double 0 status, firstly by brutally killing a contact in a bathroom and then killing an MI6 traitor named Dryden. This is a fantastic way to reintroduce the character and its great seeing how Bond got his licence to kill. It's very stylishly shot in black and white, with the bathroom fight being brilliantly vicious and the talk with Dryden is suitably intense.
Theme Song: Chris Cornell's 'You Know My Name' is a hard hitting, rocky effort that fits in perfectly. Its urgent melody and more aggressive stylings suit the tone of the film effortlessly, while Cornell's passionate vocals are excellent and even the lyrics are memorable.
Plot: Terrorist banker Le Chiffre takes part in a poker game in Montenegro in order to win back finances he lost. Bond is sent to participate in the game along with a treasury agent and prevent Le Chiffre from winning, while he quickly learns that he can't trust anyone. The storyline flows excellently, taken straight from the book and updated in the perfect way. What I really like is the amount of build-up without it being overlong. We see Bond in a variety of countries and doing a variety of assignments, so the main plot point is given weight and we feels its importance.
James Bond: Daniel Craig makes a near perfect debut here. He plays Bond here as aggressive and intelligent but somewhat edgy and vulnerable. None of these clash and Craig manages to form a very interesting character. He has plenty of charisma and is surprisingly effective in the lighter scenes. His only flaw is that he doesn't fit the traditional image.
Bond Girls: Eva Green does a wonderful job as Bond's partner Vesper. She has such a strong screen presence as ever emotion and expression feels so believable. She is attractive but not in the usual glamorous way which is nice and has very good chemistry with Craig. Caterina Murino does a solid job as Solange. Its short, but she plays an interesting part and is very convincing.
Villains: Mad Mikkelsen is great as Le Chiffre. He has an interesting look and a menacing presence but in a much more grounded way than usual. His motivations are believable and his dialogue is memorable without sounding too clichéd, while his rivalry with Bond is very enjoyable. Jesper Christensen does a good job as the mysterious Mr. White. We never know what his incentives are or who he works for and his appearances are always interesting.
Support: Judi Dench is excellent once again as M, as her chemistry with Craig is especially good and it feels like there is a genuine connection between the two. Giancarlo Giannini is brilliant as Bond's contact Mathis. He's a warm presence and his charming persona brings some much needed humour. Jeffrey Wright does a solid job as CIA man Felix Leiter.
Action: The action is fast-paced with a much needed vicious edge. The action feels real and that is where it succeeds. The parkour chase through a construction site is one of the best action scenes in the entire series, with incredible stunt work and a pounding intensity that doesn't let up. The fight at Miami airport is almost as good, again featuring a genuine tension that works so well. The stairwell fight is possibly the most brutal in the series and the famous torture scene is excellently done. The climax might seem a bit cluttered, but it is effective and shot very well.
Score: David Arnold offers another fantastic score. He doesn't change his work massively, but he adds some lovely subtle pieces for the slower scenes and many truly intense pieces for the action. He again succeeds in getting the balance just right.
Production Values: Like in GoldenEye, Martin Campbell does a great directing job because he knows where to keep the focus. He keeps it all simple and given the films tone that works to its advantage. With that said there are many memorable and beautiful shots throughout. The writing is superb. This is probably the most real a Bond film has ever been, all the characters are fleshed out, they have their own intricacies and the pressures of Bond's job is addressed a lot. It doesn't shy away from the truly brutal, but it remembers to add some humour and keep things entertaining. The stunt work is truly excellent, with most of it looking realistic and Craig himself handles the action very well. As stated the way the plot is built up is fantastic and as this is played as Bond's first major assignment it is fun to see him learn the trade. The locations are all wonderful and well varied, from the tropics of The Bahamas to the lovely architecture of Eastern Europe.
Conclusion: Casino Royale is a return to basics and arguably the best Bond film since the early Connery days. It has possibly the best balance of the series with plenty of action, well formed characters, smart dialogue, great locations and a gripping story whilst always being entertaining. Daniel Craig is the shining light and he absorbs all the most fascinating aspects of the character. Eva Green is one of the best female leads, Le Chiffre is a different kind of villain and the action is really effective. Martin Campbell breathed life into the series for a second time and it seems like every part was done to its best ability.