|
After Pierce Brosnan did so many stunts and made “Die Another Day” into some futuristic James Bond film, one may wondered where the producers would take James Bond in the next film. Would it be out of space or some sci-fi adventures where actions and plots need no explanation? Depending which story you believe, that the producers decided to go in another direction or that Brosnan had simply quit playing the role, one thing was for certain, there would be a new James Bond. Big and small names were being tossed left and right from Christian Bale, to Hugh Jackman to the one everybody believe would take the role, Clive Owen. Neither of these men amongst others was chosen. The coveted role had gone to Daniel Craig, who had previous been seen in “Elizabeth”, ‘Mother” and “The Road to Perdition”. The naysayers came out in force, especially since Craig is the shortest amongst all of the men who played the role and he’s also a Blonde. Not even Roger Moore’s hair was that light. In choosing the right vehicle for Craig, the producers did a turnabout and rebooted the series, starting off with the film that launched the name, Casino Royale. Forget what you have seen in recent years. This is the film that will tell you how Bond came to be the man we saw down the road, and not only has Craig lived up to the task of carrying the torch left by Brosnan, but he’s reinvented a character that’s bolder, less action oriented, more fully developed as a character and still a man of mystery. “Casino Royale” has the makings of a franchise that needed resuscitation, and boy does it delivers on all levels.
Beginning in a black and white, we see James Bond (Craig) supposedly on his first mission where he earns the license to kill. Soon afterwards while in Africa on his first assignment, Bond is seen chasing a man whose speed is almost faster than a bullet. To entrench himself in his newly double-O status, Bond talks to his boss M (the ever gracing Judi Dench), who sends him on a quest in the Bahamas to stop the terrorist banker Le Chiffre (Mikkelsen) from obtaining more money for his evil deeds. Joining Bond on his mission is Vesper Lynd (Green), an MI6 operative and banker who oversees the 10 million the agency gives Bond to play in Le Chiffre’s game of Texas Hold ‘Em in Montenegro. Seems that Le Chiffre has enemies of his own and really needs to rack up on some big money to keeps his comrades happy and his life intact. When the stakes are raised, both Bond and Le Chiffre sacrifice whatever it takes to accomplish their goals.
Based on the novel written by Ian Fleming and published in 1953, “Casino Royale” is a faithful adaptation to the screen. Missing from the film is Q, the man who provided comic relief in previous films as he demonstrated the gadgets he would give Bond for his missions. Q was never part of the book. Rather than follow the cold war era which was part of the book, the producers have elected to take on a post 9-11 era, where modern times are most relevant. Craig's Bond is the most agile of all the recent Bonds, except Connery. He's more physical than the others. While Brosnan's performance was finesse, one could use "commanding" to describe Craig's. “Casino Royale” is more character driven than action-paced, which could be fruitful in the long run if folks want substance, but over the years, we sort of got used to the action and gadgets, which were lacking here. Since this is supposedly the "first" of the Bond films, one could understand with this approach. We need to see the human side of Bond and what made him the man he would later be. Much in the same vein as the Jason Bourne films, “Casino Royale”, presents lots of intensity and more, when you include the romance. Obviously, we never saw Bond say the words, "I love you" before, so that was touching. Eva Green compliments Craig’s Bond’s performance. Except for the occasion looks and drop-dead appearance, Green’s Vesper is not the typical Bond girl. She too presents mystique and emotion and together you root for them to make, but knowing what is to come down the road, James Bond is a one man show. Unless you know card games very well, the middle part dragged a
bit, but overall, the film is very engaging and story laced. Performances were good from the start. Nice cameo from Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter, another ally of Bond. None of the villains were as diabolical as the others in past films, for even Mads was vulnerable. Highlights include the opening chase, a staircase fight with De Bankole and the machete, and the poison scene. Except for the Chris Cornell’s uninspiring opening number, you can count on David Arnold’s score to keep the music flowing with the film. “Casino Royale” is certainly a change for the better. It’s intriguing, complex, dark, and exciting. Blond and now Bond, Daniel Craig keeps the franchise alive and well.
|
