Directed by:
Martin CampbellCinematography:
Phil MéheuxComposer:
David ArnoldCast:
Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino, Simon Abkarian, Isaach De Bankolé (more)VOD (5)
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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" (Judi Dench), head of the British Secret Service, sends the newly-promoted 007 on his first mission that takes him to Madagascar, the Bahamas and eventually leads him to Montenegro 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 lesson: Trust no one. (Columbia/Sony)
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Reviews (13)
It was a terrible blow at the time. After four adventures with the elegant Pierce Brosnan, along came tough guy Daniel Craig, an uncompromising sharpshooter, a bleeding brawler, a tormented sarcastic, and a rough mountain of secret agent potential. I almost cowered under the seat out of respect for his charisma, but he still didn't fit my previous perception of the Bond brand. The dry lines remained, the technical toys gave way to dirty action, and it was only after a long 14 years since the premiere that I finally realized, during a specific "regeneration", how perfectly balanced the Montenegrin card spectacle turned out to be. From the black and white intro to the Italian shot.
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Casino Royale is a departure from the long-standing British tradition and in many ways differs from its older predecessors. It is less noble, and polished, and contains less (self) irony. It is much more of a modern, fast-paced action thriller, where James Bond's name might not even have to appear. However, that is not, in my view, detrimental, and in some respects, it is a pleasant change from familiar clichés. Daniel Craig is not immediately as likable, and he needs to earn the audience's favor differently. No Bond film has likely experienced such a good character actor who is also physically up to par. Eva Green is not only a beautiful girl in sexy dresses, but the same applies to her acting. She is primarily an excellent actress. The action scenes and chases are well-directed by Martin Campbell and are a highlight of this film. The script is average, but it also managed to avoid absurd sci-fi constructions and devilish inventions. All in all - a pleasant surprise in the action genre. Overall rating: 80%.
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Or: When James walks in Jason’s footsteps... The black-and-white prolog and the first scene after the opening credits sets the bar high, but unfortunately the creators didn’t manage even to come near it for the rest of the movie. The new Bond is not lacking atmosphere, a good technical side and ingenious action. But what it is lacking is a better screenplay to hold everything together better and more balanced pacing.
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After "Bond" (Connery), "Strange Bond" (Lazenby), "Funny Bond" (Moore), "Rambo Bond" (Dalton) and "Mixed Bond" (Brosnan), here's another guy. Daniel Craig - "Rough Pissed Off Bond". Casino Royale is a gripping film that will keep you interested from start to finish. The "crane and all that" scene is one of the most bombastic action spectacles I've ever seen in a movie theater, and clearly the best of the entire film. But the rest of the Casino is not far behind. For example, I would never have believed that it is possible to film poker games in a thrilling and entertaining way. The new generation Bond did not disappoint - Craig is likable, he is human and not a machine seducing busty nymphs, he is tough as nails and entertaining. Great!
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After a year and a half, I’m changing my review. Maybe it's because I've started to enjoy poker, maybe it's because more bombastic action like the opening in Madagascar would only hurt it, and mostly maybe it's because I’m finally willing to separate the terms "Bond" and "Bourne," whilst also acknowledging that a similar concept doesn't mean plagiarism. Instead, I enjoyed two and a half hours of a thrilling adventure that Daniel Craig is happy to drag you through with him. It’s all done with such vigor that you'll take punches too, and when Eva Green whispers sugarplums in your ear, you'll melt. A couple of hours after watching it, I am unbearably tempted to put the disc in the DVD player again. Could a film have a better calling card?
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