Daniel Craig as 007 James Bond in Casino Royale
November 28th, 2006
Written By: Adam Sussman
This past holiday weekend my wife and I saw the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale.
In case you’ve been stranded on a deserted island, after a ten year stretch of playing 007 Pierce Brosnan no longer has the rights to order his Martinis shaken, not stirred.
In this latest action adventure thriller we are introduced to a new double-o, Daniel Craig. If you’re scratching your head asking who in the hell is Daniel Craig, you’re not alone. He is most notable from the movies Munich and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
I’ve been meaning to see Munich but lost the NetFlix DVD and I have never seen Tomb Raider, so Casino Royale was the first movie I’ve seen Craig in.
I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews about this prequel / sequel / Batman Returns type flick so I was not sure what to expect.
Now being born in England I’ve grown up watching every Bond movie and chances are if TBS is running its 007 marathon, I’m watching it.
When I saw Die Another Day back in 2002, I felt the Bond franchise sold out. I was tired of looking at Brosnan, the gizmos were getting lame and the stunts were way beyond belief. Do you remember that ridiculous scene where Brosnan fall’s off the end of an iceberg and uses the parachute and some metal tube he broke off his jet car to windsurf the icy cold ocean???
Casino Royal started off leaving me a bit weary for the direction of the movie. Daniel Craig is immediately introduced as Bond and we are thrown into some unbelievable action. I was torn between watching good stunts which should have been left for Spiderman and the character James Bond.
Following the big intro scenes, I believe I witnessed the rebirth of a Bond I have not scene since Roger Moore.
Daniel Craig is not a pretty boy, which disturbed me with Brosnan. I’d watch Brosnan play Bond and feel like yelling at the screen “I get it, you’re a good looking dude now spy!” But with Craig, like Roger Moore, it was believable this guy was a spy and could handle the ladies.
The thing I liked most about this was the use of very little gizmos. At no time did Bond pull out a special weapon or tool that was made for the sole purpose of being in one specific situation.
I also enjoyed the fact Bond was a Texas Holdem expert. He knew how to count cards and play the game well. Although I hated how the big poker game ended. I found the final hand to be unbelievable and I don’t think any expert would have played it the way they did.
But incase your on the fence about seeing this movie I give Daniel Craig two thumbs up for not only filling some big shoes, but for bringing a new type of style and charm to 007.
March 4th, 2007 00:09
Disagree with your review in what you saw positive in the film. I do not feel Roger Moore is a good comparison to Daniel Craig, more so Sean Connery. Roger Moore was unbelievable at being a spy, he was strictly the ladies man and that got him the job. His age was bothersome and i do not recall him being able to get dirty and be an up-close, bloody assassin, as all the other Bonds have performed. Sean Connery’s mix of charm and grit made him a great bond, as does Daniel Craig’s. He is more on the side of grit, as this is a younger, not yet fully sophisticated Bond. Unbelievable Scenes? Something Bond fans have been dealing with for decades (invisible car was way over the limit), and impossible jumping from construction sites is nothing to be surprised about. Also, I feel Texas hold’em was this movie’s sellout, but necessary. If you are familiar with all previous bond movies and novels, as you seem to be, the game is baccarat. Of course, most people (at least, in the states) don’t understand the game and tension would have been lost during those scenes. Agree to disagree, thanks for the time.
August 8th, 2008 05:42
Can I ask though - how did you get this picked up and into google news?
Very impressive that this blog is syndicated through Google and is it something that is just up to Google or you actively created?
Obviously this is a popular blog with great data so well done on your seo success..
The Windsurfing greats you should write about next, my ex was a Windsurfing champ!
August 13th, 2008 23:02
the movie was really gr8
good stunts in it