New James Bond 007 CASINO ROYAL Film Critique

[Jmouse007]

I just returned from Casino Royal, all I can say is

O U T S T A N D I N G! Don't miss seeing this on the silver screen.

It was nice for the franchise to get back to basics after all of the gimmicks, bad one liners and predictable plots/scripts. The action is intense, Bond gets "shaken not stirred". He actually bleeds and has scars for quite a while after his encounters with people bent on his destruction (I don't even want to tell you what the other guys look like) and there are enough twists and turns in the story to keep the audience captivated. The writers did an excellent job

Mr. Craig has a tremendously lethal yet sexy screen presence and he nails Mr. Flemings Bond to a tee. All I can say is with this performance he will have the role for as long as he wants it.

Sony took a tremendous gamble rebooting the series and they came up with a Royal Flush!

I went into the film not wanting to like it because of Craig's gaffs with not knowing how to drive a stick and "hating guns", all of the critics and bad pre publicity but everything works, and I mean everything, except the opening title song. It lacks that certain "something" that makes for an outstanding song like Goldfinger or Goldeneye. Some people may also be let down by the opening titles because they are not the usual bill of fare, but they work with the title of the film and it's main theme/location.

Mr. Craig brings a certain ruggedness, killer survival instinct and yet a hint of vulnerability (that is soon quashed by the end of reel three)to the screen and character that has been unseen for decades.

This is a vanity thread and I am just a paying customer like everyone else here on FR but I just have one word of advice; don't listen to the naysayers! Give Daniel Craig a chance and go see Casino Royal for yourself. Not only will you be surprised and entertained, you will get to see Flemings Bond in action! Something few actors have nailed and many would say has not been seen since Sean Connery first brought him to life and gave us something special to look forward to every two or three years.

If you have SEEN IT, feel free to post your opinion on this thread. For "professional" critique check out what the critics have to say about CASINO ROYAL on

www.rottentomatoes.com

[SaltyJoe]

"M actually has a HUSBAND.."

But we know from previous films that M has children. I think it was in Golden Eye where she snaps at an analyst for his sarcasm.

Bond may have to guard the Queen's & County's own in the next or future mission considering what M said to him at the film's close.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Mr. Craig brings a certain ruggedness, killer survival instinct and yet a hint of vulnerability...

The shorthand version of this quality is called JackBauerosity.

[SaltyJoe]

Yes, Chris Cornell is the same Soundgarden dude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Cornell

[Jmouse007]

Great obserrvations. Since they are starting fresh from square one and are not going to reproduce/rehash any of the previous films or books it is going to be interesting to see how Mr. Craig and the studio develop the character and plot line. That said, they are off to a solid start.

[Armedanddangerous]

I'm interested in where this whole Mr. White thing is going. Bond 22 is going to be a continuation of this same story, basically, sort of like Diamonds are Forever was a continuation of OHMSS.

It would be interesting if they brought SPECTRE and Ersnt Stavro Blofeld back. Its still unclear to me whether they can do that legally, what with the lawsuit with Kevin McClory and the whole Thunderball ownership issue.

I also predict that Mr. White is just small potatoes compared to what is coming up. I imagine it will turn out to be one of those world threatening Bond films, where they are planning something like a global pandemic or something.

And I remember now the whole GoldenEye reference from M.."If I want sarcasm, I'll talk to my children."

Forgive me, I don't remember what M said to him at the end of Casino Royale..what was it?

I'm going to see it for the second time tomorrow evening or friday..

[SaltyJoe]

I can only paraphrase M, "It seems that we become so fixated on our enemies that we forget to protect our own."

The message is very timely.

I would hope that the creators continue with psychological thrillers. One of the aspects that enhance such stories is to pack them with many clues and details. It's easy to become bored with big explosions, but action bodes well with the cunning.

One of the little quirks in most of these bigger than life (or more outrageous than real life) spy films are how cartoonish the bad guys are. Perhaps that can be explored in depth. What makes the bad man so "bad". A parallel telling of plots would make this interesting again. Real life authority figures get twisted in morals, like wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party or carrying on in extra marital affairs. So, there must be an underlying respect that a real hero must cling to that is stronger than the real weaknesses of our leaders and the society we swear to defend.

Yes, Mr. White is small potatoes. We know this because he's leading the torture sessions and doing the executions, himself. His organization isn't small potatoes, though--one that values trust more than the money it won't recover from bloody tears.

"Terrorism" is a scare word that sells well for big money contracts from well funded democracies. I hope our heroes go after the true parent of terror. Crime. It starts small, but it's just as deadly to society. The "true believer" may be what MI6 wants to hunt because it's gives our hero the sexiest job description. But, it's the down and dirty police work of finding the gun for hire and no-name bomb makers lead us to the devil. And we all know that the devil would rather believe in nothing but himself. So, our hero will continue to battle the war of Selflessness vs. Selfishness. Perhaps that's why this new Bond is a welcome relief: poor enough to need a benefactor, scar ugly that only a woman could love, but rich in resourcefulness, and blindly in love with a loyalty and in a way that men would want to love.

The mother son relationship of M and Bond will work well for future missions. I wonder if Vesper Lynd's kidnapped boyfriend could be useful in the next film (if he wasn't murdered already). The knot work Vesper wore may be telling of the next mission's genre.

[Jmouse007]

Let us know of any new observations etc that strike you with your second viewing.

[L.A.Justice]

Maybe the Bond producers could use one of Bond novels written by John Gardner...Some of them were interesting...

CASINO ROYALE reminded me of ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Those films did not feature "fantastic" machines.
Someone, who thought that DIE ANOTHER DAY was the best Bond film ever made, would like neither CASINO ROYALE nor OHMSS. (I did like DAD...But, it was not the best Bond film ever made.)

[Mr. Blonde]

Yeah, and he is in Audioslave now. And since barring divine intervention I'm never going to have a voice like his, I just hope I can look like him at 42 and 20 years of living the rock & roll lifestyle.

[Callahan]

I loved this movie and so did my Bond-loving brother. My only complaints:

1. I would have liked the pre-credits scenes better if it played out sequentially instead of using flashbacks.

2. Theme song and titles could have been better IMO.

3. M played by woman still gets on my nerves. Also, they should have had a scene in M's office with the upholstered door instead of at her apartment to remind us we were watching a Bond.

4. Product placements have been the bane of the last 5 movies but at least they toned it down a little bit.

[Callahan]

I would posit that the biggest flaw in Casino Royale is the lack of a memorable theme. Saving the Bond motif for the end made for a great finally, but it meant the rest of the movie really needed a good score to hold you over. Think how much the music played a role in previous Bonds.

[Armedanddangerous]

I don't know...

I DO know that YOU KNOW MY NAME has been playing over and over in a continuous loop in my brain for the last 4 days.

[L.A.Justice]

The theme song of CASINO ROYALE did not make a big impression on me...I will listen to it again. Maybe I will change my mind.

Other Bond theme songs impressed me first time I heard them...A VIEW TO A KILL, SPY WHO LOVED ME, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, TOMORROW NEVER DIES, LIVE AND LET DIE...

[L.A.Justice]

M played by a woman...Fine. I've learned to accept it. At least, Judi Dench is good at it...

I wouldn't complain if she is nominated as the BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS for the Oscar awards next year...

[Pajamajan]

I've been wanting to see this. Thanks for posting the review.

From what I've read- I can be assured that I don't have to worry about being disappointed with the film
(What a refreshing change-Too many movies are junk, and make me sorry I wasted money on them.)

[Jmouse007]

Bump anyone else seen CASINO ROYAL who would like to add their opinion of the film and Mr. Craigs performance?