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[DanMan]

When I walked into the lobby of my local theater with my CR ticket in my hand, I couldn't help but smile when an announcement came over the loudspeaker stating that all showings of Casino Royale for the night had been sold out. Bond was back.

The commercials and previews never seemed to end, the theater was packed, and the audience was getting rowdy. Finally the MGM Logo appeared on the screen, followed by the Columbia Logo, and I was ready for the experience.
I'd been a supporter of Craig since he was first announced, and I expected CR to be a great Bond film. But I never expected it to quite possibly be the best Bond film ever. It was the first Bond movie in a while that can be called a great movie and not just a good Bond movie.

The key to this movie was Daniel Craig. Never before has James Bond been so cool, but also down-to-earth at the same time. He seemed like a real person. We worried when he was in danger and we laughed along with him. Never before have I been able to relate to James Bond in such a way, I really couldn't believe what I was experiencing.

The action sequences were really top-notch. The "African Rundown" featured some of the best stuntwork I've ever seen before and the cinematography and direction was fantastic. The MIA Runway sequence was another gem. It was exciting and tense, featuring some terrific special effects, and Carlos' demise was a real crowd pleaser. We've never really seen anything like The Stairwell Fight before in a Bond movie, and it plays out brilliantly on screen. A lot of people have been complaining about the Venice Finale, but while it's not the best action scene in the movie, I still thought it was fantastic. Have we ever scene Bond kick so much before? I think not.

The supporting cast was terrific, with the two standouts being Mads Mikkelson as Le Chiffre and Eva Green as Vesper. Le Chiffre is the best villian in a long time, probably because he's a much more believable villian. Instead of trying to take over the world, he's trying to save his own skin, and the more desperate he gets, the more dangerous he becomes. I found Green to be one of the best Bond girls ever. She's certainly not the most attractive actress ever to appear in a Bond film, but her personality and wit are more important than anything, and it really makes her a memorable character.

And now to the torture scene. What can I say about it that hasn't already been said? This scene DEFINES Bond. You might see Bond as a suave secret agent who runs around in suits, picking up beautiful women in his latest luxury vehicle, but if you really want to know what Bond is about, look no further than this scene right here.

In conclusion, my faith in the series has been restored after viewing this future classic. It's definetly in my top 3, it'll probably occupy the number one spot. I'm positive that this film is going to be a hit because this Bond connects with the audience in a way that no actor portraying OO7 has ever accomplished, not even Sean Connery. I hope everyone enjoyed the film as much as I did, and roll on Bond 22.

-DanMan