Popcorn, Soda, and Goobers - Movie and DVD Reviews and Film Commentary

Casino Royale (imdb | get tickets now)

Everyone has been talking about whether Daniel Craig will make a good Bond. I’ll tell you right now that he does. He’s perfect. He fits the role, and he’s a tough guy - seriously, he’s been hitting the gym. He’s got wit, he’s got physique, and he’s got that English accent down pretty well.

Casino Royale is the newest Bond flick, and it revives the long running franchise with a breath of fresh (and serious) air. As a prequel, we see James Bond acquire his double-O status and begin his first mission. The flick’s opening is action-packed, and 007 is again off to various locales such as Venice, Miami, and the casino in Montenegro to stir up some trouble and catch a man financing terrorism.

Let’s start with the good: The opening was exciting and filled with action, and the credit sequence and the song by Chris Cornell was very fresh. In the rest of the movie, we see James Bond in action like we’ve never seen him before. The action in Casino Royale is rough and raw; James does some really ridiculous stunts and his combat depends a lot more on brute force. The hand to hand combat feels much more rough around the edges a la Bourne Identity and it works pretty well. It’s not quite Bourne, but it wasn’t exactly the normal Bond. The new Bond is still suave, but he’s a bit tougher and darker. This change works pretty well, and Bond seems more grounded, more human, and more vulnerable. He is no longer the invincible man, but still possesses the same charm, wit, and strength. Casino Royale is Bond without his dependency on gadgets; instead, he uses smarts and his fists a lot.

The not-so-good of the new 007 comes with this new “serious, dark” Bond. Although he is now a serious bad-ass, he also falls in love. Certain romantic moments felt pretty forced and in the end extraneous and unneeded. The new Bond - although more human - is still James Bond; his relationships are plot devices rather than serious developments, and the weight of his relationship with Bond girl, Vesper Lynd, does not transcend the theater screen. Although, the movie is fairly consistent in its action and its plot development, it begins to get muddled near the conclusion with these romantic developments, and also I found the climax to be less than thrilling when compared to earlier action sequences.

All in all, the new Bond film is a hit, though it missteps on a few occasions. After leaving the theater I had a general sense of satisfaction though the final act left me questioning the plot and the new emotional yet cold Bond. I’m interested in seeing where the new darker Bond will take us, and I think this new Bond sans gadgets (but with guts and girls) has huge potential in revamping the timeless franchise.

3.5 silenced pistols out of 5