CASINO ROYALE

Your Bond is back.

And so is director Martin Campbell. He was the director of the first, and probably the best, Brosnan-Bond film, GoldenEye, nearly 11 years ago. He has once again taken on Bond telling the much-anticipated story of how Bond became who he is. Ian Fleming’s first ever Bond story enlightens us on how he earned his ‘OO’ status, why he devotes his life to his profession, and his first mission.

Casino Royale is extraordinary. The film is gritty and powerful. This is not a fluffy Bond movie with cheesy humor and weak fight scenes. This is a film for the real Bond fans that might not have been exceedingly satisfied with the last few Bond flicks. This story stands apart because it is not just another Bond episode. It is the chronicle of how Bond, James Bond, came to be, and it is told superbly.

Casino Royale also shows that Daniel Craig is the real deal. He brings a whole new light to the character of James Bond after much speculation about his ability to fill the role. He acts like he was made to play it. Craig seems confident as hell and it shines through in the Bond character. I really liked how Bond’s demeanor was so on edge and vulnerable throughout the film. It gives him a sense of reality that most viewers haven’t seen before.

The start of the film was portrayed in black and white. This was a touch that I really enjoyed. I saw it as a metaphor to the way that Bond was thinking. He had to make his kills to get his ‘OO’ status. He was a pawn that was doing what he was told. The film switches to color and Bond doesn’t seem to know what to do. His world is uncertain and no longer black and white. He has new freedoms and a set of rules to play by. The story then unfolds as he finds himself and ultimately becomes the Bond that we all know and love.

His new journeys through torture, love and betrayal all are a big part of Bond’s character development, and are thrilling to watch from beginning to end. The film is action packed and loaded with characters. The main “Bond girl”, Vesper Lynd, is played by the stunning Eva Green who I found often stealing the screen. Her character is crucial to the development of the Bond character and is a big part of the story. Green gives a sensual and strong performance. Judi Dench also stood out in her role once again as M. She hit the character just right and gave M the sense of humor and power that she should have.

The locations were also beautiful to watch as Bond traveled through the Bahamas, Montenegro, London, and Madagascar among other places. The cinematography is impressive throughout the film. The camera went from these beautiful settings to gritty fight scenes with ease. I really enjoyed the shaky camera shots and realistic feel that much of the film had. The characters did not seem like they had just stepped out of make-up; they were sweating and bleeding and all around great to watch. Also great to watch were the beautiful Aston Martin DB5 classic and the exquisite, brand new DBS. Both vehicles perfectly cast and perfectly Bond.

Casino Royale is absolutely one of the greatest Bond films made to date. Be prepared to see a Bond you are not used to. It was cast well, and it directed very well which makes it a whole lot of fun to watch from start to finish. The writing is sharp and just what you want it to be without being what you expect it to be. Casino Royale is a very fine piece of filmmaking.


GRADE: A+

TRAILER: http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/casinoroyale/trailer1a/