The perfect Bond film...

Rating: 10/10 (25 December 2006)

Quite a claim to make, I know, but Casino Royale is worthy of it. Believe the hype. This film actually lives up to it (and then some). I'd never been one of these people who was complaining about Craig being cast as Bond. I actually got sick of hearing all the negative comments made towards him. He wasn't given a fair go, and now I'm sure a large percentage of those naysayers are eating their words. Craig might not be as "handsome" as previous Bonds, but he's a heck of a lot more believable. Craig shows us depth, edginess and even a side of Bond we've rarely seen before: emotional vulnerability. In previous films, he's been with dozens and dozens of women, but he never truly loved them. In this film he *does* actually love someone. Being a reboot, the movie takes us back to the beginning and shows how Bond gets his double-0 status and becomes the cold, non-trusting, user-of-women we're familiar with. By the end of the film (where the traditional Bond theme is used to great effect), he is finally the Bond that we all know.
While Craig is clearly the stand-out of the film, there's also a solid supporting cast. Judi Dench is Bond's perfect match as M. Their exchanges are some of the best in the movie. Mads Mikkelsen is effective as the villain, Le Chiffre (though he really should have seen someone about that weeping blood problem). The torture scene between him and Bond is far superior to some of the more elaborate torture scenes we've seen in Bond films previously. It's not about blood, but rather a rope (with a knot at the end of it), a naked Bond, and a bottomless chair. It's one classic scene in a film FILLED with classic scenes.
The most important relationship in this movie is between Bond and Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). She is probably one of the *best* Bond girls to date (if not THE best). The chemistry between the two actors is immediately evident in the scene that they first meet. Green's Vesper is believable (in that she's vulnerable and flawed, but strong at the same time). She's a three dimensional character, and has something Bond girls of the past have sadly been lacking: a brain. She's a smart, gorgeous woman, who proves to be a mystery to Bond until he allows himself to get close to her. And this is what the film's about: Bond being open to getting hurt (not physically, but emotionally). Though there's plenty of physical stuff that takes its toll on Bond as well.
The fights in this movie look real/like they actually *hurt*. In the other Bond movies, we hardly ever see the repercussions of the fights he has. You want realistic, bloody, dirty fight scenes involving Bond? This film has that in spades. The stunts are spectacular, but at the same time they don't go overboard like the last few Pierce Brosnan outings. The director, Martin Campbell, proved in Goldenye that he knew how to make a great Bond film, and proves that it was no fluke with this film. He should do more Bond movies in the future.
I will admit that I was not familiar with Chris Cornell before hearing his song for this movie ('You Know My Name') on the radio. It's even better when you hear it playing over the visually-stunning opening credits sequence. The simplistic-looking silhouettes and the four different suits of the cards (hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds) being incorporated into the main titles (along with quick reveals of both Craig's and Green's faces at different points) make Casino Royale's titles the most imaginative and visually-exciting I've ever seen. Not to mention the gun barrel sequence finally shows us who is shooting at Bond/is getting shot by Bond.
While originally I had thought the film lost a little steam towards the end, upon re-watching...I think it maintains its momentum throughout. There are quiet scenes, yes, but there are action scenes at exactly the right time (and not thrown in just for the hell of it). There's rarely - if ever - a misstep in the movie. So, in conclusion, Casino Royale has my favourite opening credits sequence & song, favourite Bond, favourite Bond girl, and has beaten Goldeneye as my favourite Bond film ever. Not bad for a movie that very few people had faith in early on. I'm proud to say that I had faith in this film (as well as Martin Campbell as the director and Daniel Craig as Bond) from the beginning. I'm pleased to see that my faith wasn't misplaced. You'll be hard-pressed to find a superior Bond film to this one.