January 02, 2007
Casino Royale
An entertaining re-imagining of an iconic franchise
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green
Rating: 9/10
Directed By: Martin Campbell
Runtime: 144 minutes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green
Rating: 9/10
Directed By: Martin Campbell
Runtime: 144 minutes
I begin the article with a disclaimer. If you consider yourself a true Bondephile then you should probably stop reading this review immediately as I am about to make a statement that while not as controversial as Lennon saying The Beatles "were bigger than God" may seem just as sacrilegious to you. Okay. Here goes:
James Bond is overrated.
I now await your vitriolic hate mail (assuming anyone is actually reading these damn reviews, you can email me right here). But, the truth is, I've always found Bond films entertaining but I've never understood their cultural significance or how they've endured for as long as they have. Especially in this day in age where cinema has born (pun intended) us a slew of spy films filled with muscle and consequence, the Bond films have never felt like more than cinematic fluff.
Now that I have finished belittling a "sacred" franchise, let me finish by saying that there hasn't been a movie all year that carried as much cocksure swagger and pure unadulterated fun as Casino Royale. Gone are the silly gadgets and the unrealistic action and, in its place, are incredible stunts grounded in reality and fascinating villains played with menacing aplomb instead of strange accents and gold covered appendages.
A huge factor in the success of the new film is the filmmakers' willingness to cast real actors instead of people that looked and sounded the part. Daniel Craig is far and away the best Bond since Sean Connery and may, in fact, be better than the old man himself. While other Bond's may have been larger in stature, none have seemed as dangerous, both physically and emotionally. Craig's Bond is a damaged man whose cocky attitude isn't so much a product of self-confidence but a mask to hide the hurt and insecurity he harbors. The rest of the cast add a solid foundation to Craig's performance with Eva Green and Mads Mikkelson proving standouts. Green's Vesper Lynd is beautiful yet stately, almost enough to make us forget that this franchise once tried to pawn Denise Richards off on us as a rocket scientist. Almost. Mikkelson's Le Chiffre is intimidating with a wonderful physical impairment (he cries blood) that Mikkelson uses to humanize the character instead of building him into a caricature.
I've never understood the overwhelming appeal of the Bond franchise but I've continued to go back year after year to be entertained. For once, though, in the history of this franchise, I can actually say that I can't wait until the next film hits theaters.
James Bond is overrated.
I now await your vitriolic hate mail (assuming anyone is actually reading these damn reviews, you can email me right here). But, the truth is, I've always found Bond films entertaining but I've never understood their cultural significance or how they've endured for as long as they have. Especially in this day in age where cinema has born (pun intended) us a slew of spy films filled with muscle and consequence, the Bond films have never felt like more than cinematic fluff.
Now that I have finished belittling a "sacred" franchise, let me finish by saying that there hasn't been a movie all year that carried as much cocksure swagger and pure unadulterated fun as Casino Royale. Gone are the silly gadgets and the unrealistic action and, in its place, are incredible stunts grounded in reality and fascinating villains played with menacing aplomb instead of strange accents and gold covered appendages.
A huge factor in the success of the new film is the filmmakers' willingness to cast real actors instead of people that looked and sounded the part. Daniel Craig is far and away the best Bond since Sean Connery and may, in fact, be better than the old man himself. While other Bond's may have been larger in stature, none have seemed as dangerous, both physically and emotionally. Craig's Bond is a damaged man whose cocky attitude isn't so much a product of self-confidence but a mask to hide the hurt and insecurity he harbors. The rest of the cast add a solid foundation to Craig's performance with Eva Green and Mads Mikkelson proving standouts. Green's Vesper Lynd is beautiful yet stately, almost enough to make us forget that this franchise once tried to pawn Denise Richards off on us as a rocket scientist. Almost. Mikkelson's Le Chiffre is intimidating with a wonderful physical impairment (he cries blood) that Mikkelson uses to humanize the character instead of building him into a caricature.
I've never understood the overwhelming appeal of the Bond franchise but I've continued to go back year after year to be entertained. For once, though, in the history of this franchise, I can actually say that I can't wait until the next film hits theaters.