Bond Reloaded at Midnight-- I loved it.

Rating: 8/10 (17 November 2006)

All,
I won't bore you with the details of how I arrived at the decision to heed the call of my inner Bond geek and go to the midnight showing of Casino Royale, but there I was...
My brother asked for a brief review, so I am coming across with the goods.
I loved this film. Now, this is not your daddy's Bond film. I read that producer Barbara Broccoli had stated that there was a need to "reset" as it were. She pointed to the fact that in Die Another Day, they were resorting to CGI for some of the stunts. I was annoyed at this when I saw that film. Part of the "fun" in days of yore was that some human being really had to do those stunts..
Yes, this film is a "restart." Our new James Bond earns his "00" designation in the opening of the film--and then is thrust into his first assignment with his license to kill. Some gadgetry is there-- but it is not overwhelming. In fact, there is no "Q" guy to engage in repartee as the gadgets are issued. There is even no Miss Moneypenny. I can hear the screams of "Heresy!" now from some of you. But you have to get over that. Some of the "tradition" is there, and there are new twists and some new features for this Bond. For example, the crucial card game in the film is No Limit Texas Hold 'Em instead of Baccarat. And in such a poker game, Bond wins a 1964 Astin Martin from a villain. Bond still orders Bollinger champagne and Beluga caviar when he has a hottie in his room.
As for the plot, it was definitely a worthy update of the original novel--with a lot of extra stuff too. In fact, I was able to see plot twists coming because I have actually read the novel. In fact, I loved some of the touches. But face it-- Le Chiffre ("The Cipher" in French) can no longer be a key Communist agent in the French trade union movement. In this case, he is a terrorist banker, who like the original Le Chiffre, embezzled from the wrong people for his own investments and is playing cards to make up the short fall after the investment pans out. Bond is out to break his bank as it were.
There is humor and irony-- the new African-American Felix Leiter introduces himself as "a brother from Langley." There are or course girls, guns, explosions, chases (one is a "free running" chase on a construction site). Bond also gets physically abused. I can't think of any earlier Bond film where he takes such a pounding. And there is no cheesy Rube Goldberg-engineered would-be death trap for Bond. Le Chiffre tries kill Bond in an "old school" fashion.
I am not sure how much I like Daniel Craig in the role. And it is a matter of looks I am afraid. It's not so much that he is fair haired, but his prominent ears seem to undermine the supposedly great looks of James Bond. He seems battle damaged in many scenes (justifiably so). But this Bond is as cold as Connery or Dalton when it comes to killing. He is not as poncy as Roger Moore--nor as suave as Pierce Brosnan. But I am O.K. with that. This Bond is buff--and you ladies will get a full view of that fact.
I would say more, but I generally don't like to give out spoilers (and hopefully gave out no big ones here). But there is definitely set up made for new sequel. At the end of the credits, there is the statement "Bond will be back," but no title is given.
I for one am very happy with this reboot of the Bond franchise...