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Directed By
Martin Campbell
Written By:
Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade
Cast:
Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Simon Abkarian, Ivana Milicevic, Ludger Pistor, Claudio Santamaria, Isaach de Bankole, Tobias Menzies, Caterina Murino, Clemens Schik, Caterina Murino
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Casino Royale (2006)
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Movie Review by Matthew 
November 23rd, 2006
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Bravo Mr. Bond, Bravo
James Bond (Daniel Craig) earns his double O status with two kills and M (Judi Dench), believing he is not ready, reluctantly sends him on a mission. In Madagascar, he trails a suspected terrorist. But their cover is soon blown and the bomber runs, causing Bond to chase him through a construction sight. Eventually, Bond secures the bomber's cell phone and finds a cryptic text message. ELLIPSIS. The same phone leads him to the Bahamas and puts him on the trail of Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a financier for terrorists. After Bond thwarts one of his plans, and Le Chiffre loses a lot of money belonging to a lot of dangerous men, the villain sets up a high stakes poker game at Casino Royal in Montenegro. The buy in is $10 million with an additional buy in of $5 million; there is a potential $150 million to be won. If Le Chiffre wins, he saves himself and continues to operate. M sends Bond to play; he must win and bankrupt the villain. A treasury official, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green, Bertolucci's "The Dreamers") tags along, to keep an eye on the money. Before long, the game comes down to a match between Le Chiffre and Bond, winner take all. Along the way, Bond falls in love with Vesper and they soon share a holiday in Venice. But neither can get away from trouble for long.
"Casino Royale", directed by Martin Campbell ("GoldenEye") and written by, among others, Paul Haggis ("Million Dollar Baby", "Crash"), marks a remarkable return to form for the venerable franchise. But as I stated to my companion, all three of the former major Bonds had their memorable turns as the deadly secret service agent. With the exception of Sean Connery, these films were usually followed by a series of forgettable entries. "Moonraker" anyone?
"Casino Royale", based on the first book written by Ian Fleming, has inspired the filmmakers to return to the secret agent's roots. The famous pre credits sequence features a brutal fight between Bond and his first kill, the first kill qualifying him for double o status. Throughout, there are references to how he is not ready for the assignment, how unrefined he is, how egotistical. And Craig fits this bill perfectly. He isn't the suave man of the world we are used to in this role, but we see how he may grow into the character. One can almost imagine Craig becoming more refined, more charming and more suave, becoming Sean Connery. Craig is very good as Bond, bringing a raw physicality to the role matching his so called 'raw nature'.
There are some terrific action sequences, most of which are in the first hour or so of the film. As Bond chases the suspected terrorist through Madagascar, they quickly invade a construction sight and Bond's quarry keeps him on his toes. If you have seen some recent martial arts films or the recent "District B13", a French film produced by Luc Besson, you will recognize the technique used by the suspected terrorist. It is called "free running"; basically, the character ricochets down walls, elevator shafts, hoping back and forth, using railings, walls, etc., barely making contact before bouncing off again. It is a unique and interesting addition to the film, as it creates a sense of free flowing movement. This stuntman is actually doing this stuff and he appears to be doing it very fast. It is all the more unusual because Bond isn't doing it, relying on pure luck to keep up with the fast guy. Eventually, they end up grappling high above the ground on a tall crane. Because this style is used sparingly, confined to one sequence, the scene seems unusual and interesting, providing a more unusual moment. When an entire film is filled with this, it just seems a bit silly. Campbell was right to confine this to one scene.
As Bond follows the leads, he romances women, visits exotic locales and the filmmakers have some fun with the origins of the legend. For instance, in the Bahamas, Bond enters a poker game with one of Le Chiffre's henchmen, Alex Dimitrios. Soon, Dimitrios puts his 1964 Aston Martin into the pot. I don't think I need to tell you what happens to the car. There is also an amusing reference to Bond's signature drink.
Soon, Bond is on his way to Montenegro and meets Vesper Lynd. Craig and Green seem to have a lot of fun verbally sparring with one another. And Green shows some Bond girls can hold their own against the formidable secret agent. Upon their arrival, Lynd fines an evening gown provided by Bond. Then, he finds a tuxedo provided by Lynd, each thinking they have one-upped the other. This is followed by some verbal sparring which provides an amusing look at their new, growing relationship. Convincingly, they also let romance bloom. And, of course, their romance makes them more vulnerable to others.
It won't fit. Please read the full review at thornhillatthemovies.com
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