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[Cody]

(Written for general readers of various messageboards, thus the repeat of some things CBners know.)

I just got back from Casino Royale, and I LOVED it. Sure, anyone could've called that that would be my reaction, but I really thought it was a fan-ing-tastic movie.

I love that they made an actual movie this time, rather than squeezing a story in between an assemblage of franchise formula checkpoints (flirt with Moneypenny here, banter with Q here), and that they pulled the reins back on the quips that Die Another Day took to the extreme of lameness.

This one had actual scenes! Conversations with some good dialogue! Bond's interplay with Vesper is great, and at various times either brilliant, beautiful, or heartbreaking. Eva Green may now be my favorite Bond girl.

Speaking of favorites - Daniel Craig was a great Bond. And yes, right now I'd say that he is my favorite Bond since Connery.

The movie is long. At 144 minutes, it is officially the longest Bond film ever. I can understand how that will be an issue for some, but as an obsessive Bond fan I was rooting for this long of a runtime. The more Bond the better. The movie never felt slow or overlong to me. It was more like an all-you-can-eat Bond buffet that I blissfully pigged out on.

So there's a whole lot of gushing. But the only negative thing this movie brought to mind for me was worry about the quality being kept up for Bond 22. They can't go back on auto pilot, and I hope they don't go right back to formula. Don't make stereotypical assembly line "Bond movies" - make good movies that star Bond.

And by the way, when I said that a rope was a wimpy replacement for a carpet beater - I was wrong.

Edited by Cody, 17 November 2006 - 11:57 PM.