CASINO ROYALE [2006] Review
DIE ANOTHER DAY was a film that could've killed the Bond franchise. When Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson started on the production of GOLDENEYE [1995] there hadn't been a Bond film since 1989, critics started to ask did we still need Bond? After all, the world was at peace, the Berlin wall had been knocked down, why did we need Bond? Skip to 2002s DIE ANOTHER DAY, the world had changed on September 11th 2001, the world was no longer a safe place -- DIE ANOTHER DAY showed us a large scale Bond picture, with cartoon caricature villains, an outlandish plot and SFX filled action with the usual one liners and line-up of Bond women -- whilst DIE ANOTHER was a success at the box office, it was given a large negative reaction from critics and fans alike, people started to ask if it was possible for Bond films to be made when we now lived in such a dark & dangerous world, how could a Bond film still entertain audiences in a time like this?
Enter CASINO ROYALE [2006]. Darker, grittier & down to earth, where as DIE ANOTHER DAY [2002] tried to exist as a huge piece of escapism, CASINO ROYALE acknowledges the world in which we live giving us a Bond that bleeds & exists within a very dangerous and above all REAL world.
The films opening is perhaps the most unique, gripping & interesting opening sequence of any of the Bond films, filmed in low key black and white lending the sequence a noir feel, it's pitch perfect -- like From Russia with Love it doesn't need big explosions and stunts, instead it gives us a fascinating prelude to the rest of the film (and yes, I would say that this is a FILM rather than a movie). The new gunbarrel may shock fans too which has also been brought into the 21st century with a new look which I loved very much.
I'm going to try and not give a scene by scene review, but I just HAVE to mention the title sequence, which may just be the best title sequence of the series, it's utterly fascinating to watch, I don't want to spoil it to much so I'll leave it at that.
Daniel Craig has been a source of controversy for a number of months on the lead-up to this film, let me tell you... he's one of the best Bonds we've ever had, and I'm sure if he keeps up the standard of his performance in Royale throughout his next Bond films then he will be ranked as THE best, beating even the likes of Connery... yes, he's THAT good. He has no problems with the one liners, the women and the action... he's the perfect Bond, if you say that Moore added humour, Dalton brought a serious tone & brought that character back to Fleming's original concept of the character, Brosnan used a mixture of all the past actors portrayals with a flair of style, then Daniel Craig most definitely brings a gritty, realistic nature to the role... and boy, does it work! James Bonds character development through the film is subtle, it’s not as obvious as say BATMAN BEGINS [2005] but it is there, it leaves you with things to think & talk about after the credits have rolled.
Eva Green gives a fantastic performance as Vesper Lynd, it's in my opinion the best performance of any of the Bond girls in the franchise, you really grow to love her character with Bond, plus she's extremely beautiful to watch, she
Edited by Bond... James Bond, 17 November 2006 - 12:26 AM.