Casino Royale

Looks like Bond...
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Oh! There's the plot, quick don't blink or you'll miss it!

Last updated: 2010-05-18 07:19:50 by user07

There is another Bond movie in the works, the title is Quantum of Solace. It stars yummy Daniel Craig, however, from everything I have read at IMDB Trivia for Quantum of Solace, I am tempted to say, Uh Oh. Still I will cross my fingers and hope for the best, because Craig brought new life to the 007 franchise. I would love to see it continue.

I was surprised that I enjoyed the last Bond entry Casino Royale (2006). I had been disappointed so often with the casting, but I thought this time they got it right. For me, Daniel Craig brought James Bond back in full-force. Nevermind that he is not tall, dark and handsome. Instead he is good-looking in a boyish Steve McQueen way, think The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).



Casino Royale shows a different Bond. Everything about Craig's Bond is different, his manner of dress, his actions and the way he handles himself. He has just received his “00” credentials and has not yet become “Bond, James Bond.” He is more of a tough street fighter. He is disrespectful of M (Judi Dench reprises her role as M). Also, there are no high-tech gadgets for this Bond, his only tools are his fists and his keen mind. He is street-brawler good as he chases criminals on and over shaky scaffolds and crashes through windows.

The signature smoothness and sophistication that we have come to expect when we watch a James Bond film is nowhere to be found. You do not get that sophisticated veneer here. In one scene Bond asks for a martini, and is asked, "Shaken or stirred?" he looks at the server and asks, "Do I look like I give a damn?"

Early in the film, Bond is spying on a terrorist named Mollaka (Sebastein Foucan). When things go wrong he sets out, without the blessing of M, to continue his investigation of Mollaka’s group. His lead takes him to the Bahamas where he meets beautiful Solange (Caterina Murino) and Alex Dimitrios (Simon Abkarian). He learns that Dimitrios is linked to a casino owner named Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), who is a banker to terrorist groups. Le Chiffre is holding a high-stakes poker game to raise money for his terrorist cause and M assigns Bond to sit in on the game. Unbeknownst to Bond, agent Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) is sent to supply gambling money and to stay close to him, because of his loose cannon actions.

James Bond has always been his own man, but Casino Royale shows him before he has learned the subtleties of being a successful 00 agent. And before he has understood that accomplishing a mission is sometimes a waiting game. It is interesting to watch his transition in the film. Surprisingly, there is real romance in Casino Royale and we see yet another side of Bond.

I loved this movie and the new bond. Actor Jeffrey Wright returns as CIA agent Felix Leiter. Fans may recall that Jack Lord (Hawaii Five-O) appeared as Leiter in the first Bond film, Dr. No.

Rated PG-13. Some nudity, torture and violence.

Ian Fleming wrote other novels in addition to the popular 007 series: List of Ian Fleming Novels.
Casino Royale Official Site.

Vannie Ryanes, <br />
Classic Film Maven

Last updated: 2010-05-05 07:11:10 by user07

***½
USA/UK/Germany/Czech Republic

Seeing as every screen superhero of late has been getting a down-and-dirty makeover (adopting an earnest, Jung-inflected persona in the process and discarding his sense of humour), it isn't surprising to see the trend befall Mr. Bond. What is surprising is how well it works. The fight sequences are no longer trashily entertaining like big budget musical numbers are - they carry a dramatic urgency. Bond himself is no longer a smarmy aging sleazebag who's surely never had to take a punch - he's steely, he's determined and frighteningly vicious. And even the Bond girl is bestowed a personality not entirely defined in relation to Mr. Bond or her cup size.

BACK COVER SYNOPSIS: CASINO ROYALE introduces JAMES BOND before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to "00" status. "M", head of the British Secret Service, sends the newly-promoted 007 on his first mission to face Le Chiffre, a ruthless financier under threat from his terrorist clientele, who is attempting to restore his funds in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. "M" places Bond under the watchful eye of the Treasury Official Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond's interest in her deepens as they brave danger together. Le Chiffre's cunning and cruelty come to bear on them both in a way Bond could never imagine, and he learns his most important lession: Trust no one.

FILM REVIEW: The James Bond films are nothing short of legendary and this installment just might be up there with the best of them. Returning to the much more down-to-Earth, early Sean Connery style Bond, we are treated to a James Bond film like none other that has proceeded it but still manages to deliver on all the elements we've come to love about the films over the years.
I grew up in the era of Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton. I've enjoyed them all, but I found the Pierce Brosnan films the most entertaining. Brosnan's ability to combine the tough, ruthless elements of Connery with Roger Moore's comic timing made him in my mind my favourite Bond of the lot. Given that Brosnan had only done four Bond films, I was disappointed to hear that the next installment would not feature him for the fifth time. I figured he had at least one more in him. On top of that, they cast Daniel Craig and I have to admit, I probably had the same reaction to most people which was, "WRONG!". An unfair judgment to say the least and as it turned out, completely unjustified. Daniel Craig is the best Bond. I know the purists will say Sean Connery is the best but that's because he was the first (and that will never be taken away from him). But Daniel Craig delivers something in a Bond film that you might not expect - a realistic, gritty, deep portrayal of the early James Bond. He doesn't have his witty lines down yet, he doesn't have his panache in place, and he doesn't always win. We learn what makes Bond what he is. It's just what the doctor ordered; after all, this is the 21st film. You have to try something different. And it works so well.
The film is a little different to the standard Bond plot in that Bond at times is at the mercy (and at a few points in jeopardy) from the bad guys. Mads Mikkelsen acts brilliantly as the evil Le Chiffre (a down to Earth bond villian with a weeping-blood tear duct), He falls in love with the Bond girl (haven't seen that since 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'). Eva Green isn't my cup of tea but she does bring a reallness to the Bond girl this time around. And Bond doesn't bring the villians down totally at the end; in fact, the story just begins at the end of the film! Bring on the next one.
It's a Bond film so it has big action scenes but surprisingly, they seem to be in the first half of the film only. The first chase scene with the free-running stunt man is about one of the most inventive and thrilling put to film in a long time. Bond's chase of a man trying to blow up an airplane is equally impressive and brutal. There's an edginess to the whole thing that's reminiscent of the 'Bourne' films. Perhaps they took a leaf from that book. Good idea.
Strangely, and unexpectedly, the most thrilling scenes are not the action scenes at all but the poker-playing scenes. It's all about reading the opponent and Bond doesn't always win despite being the best poker player in the service.
This is a great spy film all on its own. That it's a Bond film is even better.

TECHNICAL REVIEW: The film has been given an absolutely flawless transfer (I actually thought I was looking at a Blu-Ray disc). The images are sharp, clear, colourful and spectacular. The sound will give your surround system a good workout - make sure that subwoofer is turned up so you can cause an Earthquake. The DVD-makers have delivered a technically perfect disc.

EXTRAS REVIEW: The extras on this DVD are of quite high quality but not extensive. We are treated to three extended featurettes. The first is a half hour documentary, "Becoming Bond" where we see a brief overiew of what went in to making Casino Royale and the thought process behind why they chose to go with a new actor and a new direction. "James Bond: For Real" takes a look at the creation of the action scenes. "Bond Girls Are Forever" is a TV special hosted by former Bond Girl, Maryam D'Abo and gives a brief history on all the Bond girls. There is also the Chris Cornell Music Video of the original song for Casino Royale, "You Know My Name". The extras make for some interesting viewing but they're not extensive. They're just a little longer than promotional featurettes. They give you a taste but it would have been nice to have more.

BOTTOM LINE: Must have in the DVD Collection.

FILM RATING: 9/10 -- EXTRAS RATING: 6.5/10 -- OVERALL DVD RATING: 8/10 

Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net

Another James Bond film? What, haven’t we seen enough? Doesn’t it the same old thing over and over again? No, not in this film. This is something else, this is a new Bond film, this is a different Bond, believe it or not, you might be amazed.

Forget the old Bonds you’re used to. This is no funny, charming Bond who gets any kind of woman he desires for the night and than continue with his secret missions to save the queen and the world, this is the new and improved Bond.

Yes, I liked this Bond film a lot. In this film James Bond is re-invented. In this film, Bond is a true secret agent of the MI6. He is ruthless, he is cruel, he is focused on his mission and he does not smile. This is a true killer and like it or not, Bond is a killer. That’s his job and in this film he delivers big time.

The BMW is replaced with an Aston Martin and his charm is replaced with focus and determination to his mission. He is no longer a “superman” like before, able to get out of any given situation, a one man army. In this film he will need help and he will get it, he is one man and one man alone that can get into trouble. In this film he shows emotions, when things go wrong he gets angry, he gets mad and he makes mistakes. Yes, you read it right, the all mighty Bond makes mistakes in this film and it costs him dearly...like I said, this is a new Bond, a more realistic one than before. This my friends is no superman, this is a human-being, finally someone has made a great Bond film and brings us Bond that can be hurt but can also get out of situations, but not without help outside. Bond here can feel. I guess that’s the main thing that is different from the other films, and he shows his feeling. You can truly relate to him as he plays a human being and not a well programmed charming killing machine who can do it all at once.

I’m not saying you’ll love it, I’m saying it’s different. The film got mixed reactions. Some fans loved it (as did I) and some rejected it, crying for the old Bond. I say go with an open mind to watch this film. After its done, think a bit of what I’ve written here and see if I’m right or not...after all, it’s just a film, but yet again, it’s not just any film, it’s Bond...James Bond.