got to this past weekend and I'm sharing my thoughts with you folks. It was a test screening for "alcazar". In reality it was, as we were told the final cut of Casino Royale! It really is something else. I guess I am a Bond fan. I have seen all the 20 films and I love a good action aventure film and the Bond films are classic although aside from Goldeneye the last few film have been GODAWFUL! It was just the same old same old formula story. I have been reading alot of the posts on this forum and just had to laugh! I hate to say this but ALOT of people are going to look extreamly stupid come Novenber.
This really is a very different Bond film. At times it was hard to even think that Casino Royale is even remotly related or connected to the past films. It is just so radically different from say something like the world is not enough of Die another day. I think the best anlogy would be comparing the last 4 Bond films to the first 4 Batman films. They started out good Batman/Goldeneye but slowly degenerated into formulamatic overly campy mediocer crap Batman and Robin/Die another day. I pratically almost walked out of the cinema when I saw Brosnan's "toy car on a string" go over the side of that plastic ice cliff in Die anothe day. All saying about how this is more realistic back to the basics reboot a-la Batman Begins is true.
Casino Royale will be to Die another day as what Batman Begins is to batman and Robin. I feel so lucky that being a fan of both Batman and Bond noe both franchises are getting a much needed make-over. Now about Craig as Bond. He ain't Connery, he isn't Moore, Dalton or Brosnan. He's Craig. I wouldn't call that a bad thing though. He is definatly cool infact cooler than Brosnan I dare say. He has that badass, ruthless edge to him. He says and does things I can't see Borosnan or someone like Moore or even Dalton doing. That alone for me sets him apart. While he ain't Connery, face it no one is Connery, he does a fine job IMO. He really does do some nasty things like one villain who gets shot in his neck. I can't believe this is the final cut becuase that shot was rather graphic and there are somemore other grisly deaths in a sinking building at the climax.
When I was watching this film it seemed more than just a Bond film with some superhero character out to save the world, kill the villain and get the girl. It is almost like your not watching a normal Bond film. This one doesn't seem to let the formula get in the way of the story. Alot of things done differently. The film doesn't have the normal opening gunbarrel and the usual sequence at the start is in BLACK AND WHITE! They still got the usual titles with the dancing girls. this one has a Card motif with red almost blood look to it on top of Black and white photos of Craig and his handiwork. The theme is great also. Really rockin, makes me think of Live and let Die or A View to a Kill. I also like how they incorated it into the theme. The music isn't even the usual Bond theme. I think it's only once I heard it and that was at end where it reminded me of the how it appeared in the world is not enough and how it played over the closing credits. It's way more blaring this time and that along with the final line had the whole audenice giving standing ovation! Myself included!
The main film is interesting. It's basically Bond's first misssion and he's sent to madgascar I believe, where he has to track down and kill this terrorist who leads him on an eloborate chase through the jungles, a beachside construction site where some real intesne action takes place, and finally an embassy. The guy who plays the terrorist is damn good. He's jumping around the construction site like a monkey and leaping off cranes and jumping onto moving cars in traffic all the while Bond has to MacGuyver it to keep up. Really cool finish to that sequence and the trailer don't even reveal a tenth of the action! And guess what? there really is no cgi! At least none I could see. The story then goes to the Bahamas where Bond is traking down the guy who hired the Trerrorist. He gets the information by breaking into M's flat and taking her security info there's a nice little exchange between the two that really shows what this new Bond is all about. Gone is the cold war spy. This Bond is clearly post 9/11. In the bahamas Bond finds out that this arms dealer named Demitrios is behind things and Bond beats him at poker and wins the guys Aston Martin and beds his wife to find out what he's up to. This sequence really does feel like something you would see in the lolder Connery films. We see Bond doing some real spy and dective work as he tries to find out what's going on. The atmosphear and feel in the bahamas really is classic almost a return to the classic Bond films with that sexy, exotic, jet set vibe yet still old school in execution.
Then we got the best action sequence in any Bond film I have seen and no gadgets at all. It involves Bond trying to stop a suicide Bomber from blowing this new Jumbo jet with a tanker truck. The sequence reminds of the batmobile chase in Batman Begins. you got all these police cars trying to stop this unstoppale vehicle that goes crashing through cop cars, SUV's, a row of jetlines, buses, and whatever else crosses his path leaving an explosive trail of destruction. And it had me at the edge of my seat! Really suspenseful and real looking sequence. I'm glad they didn't spoile it in the trailer but trust me it will blow you away! And that's the first hour or so of the movie. The action really scales back for the second half. Apparently the main Villain Le Chiff was banking on that new aircraft, The Boeing 747-XXX on being blown up and he now finds himself out of $100 million. He intends to win it back at a poker game in Montegro. Guess who they send to face him! Bond mets up with Vesper Lind who is working for the treasury. She gives Bond the money to face Le Chiff. The classic Bond feel continues on and the casino is unreal. It has that classy feel and craig looks smashing in the tux. His delivery is cool. He always sounds the same but he is consistant and he has that cool badass vibe about him. He'll talk *beep* to you and never loese he cool. The main poker game is intense but it goes on too long for my liking but they got a few sequence in there to take a few breathers but the poker seems to go on for 45 minitues! I won't spoil the rest, way too many twists to keep track of and I don't to reveal anything too big, but while there is alot of action it's still all about the story. This time you won't know hats going to happen because like I said before this movie doesn't rely on the formula that much yet it still delivers what you want see.
Craig is compelling in the role. He is not the same Bond as Brosnan, Moore, Connery etc. He is not. It's almost like an entirly new character but he is still cool and suave but in a new way and above all this Bond really is dangerous. I tried watching Tommorow Never Dies and The world is not enough but I just can't get into it anymore. Casino Royale and Craig has totally killed my intrest in thoes films. It's like a whole new stadard for Bond. Be careful when you see this movie because it may totally ruin the way you look at the other films. Casino Royale is on a higher level and you just won't to watch the old films again. this is my opinion but my friend who saw it with me felt the same way, if you don't wind up totally rooting and behind Craig as Bond at the end, then maybe you are better off watching Die Another Day or Moonraker. Pitty really. Well this isn't a kids movie that's for sure! lol
EDIT: I separated it for JimmyBond
Edited by casinoroyale11234, 02 October 2006 - 11:22 PM.
