All the wonder of the original 007

Rating: 9/10 (22 November 2006)

If Sean Connery was always your favourite 007, you should be ready to switch. Everyone after Connery was an exercise in stretching your imagination..."No, no. That's not the 'real James Bond'." Daniel Craig is the new standard. He's lifted the role back on its film pedestal.
Like all Bond movies, this one tries to capture the essence of Iam Flemming's books rather than Potterize them. Unlike every Bond movie since Connery retired, this one succeeds.
The chases are completely breathtaking and delightfully twisted. In the showing I attended, the audience winced, oohed and ahhed. The plot was equally twisted -- brought up to date but still well within the genre boundaries.
The movie is two and half hours but it never gets long. Nor does the plot seem like a vehicle to transport you to the next chase or fight.
With so many disappointing movies in the past few years -- movies that substituted gore for suspense and sex for passion -- Casino Royale almost makes me want to pay a few extra bucks and tell 'em to keep up the good work. Almost.