Movies
Casino Royale
Taking the title from Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, the 007 franchise approaches the opportunity of a new James Bond as the opportunity of a new beginning. The new Bond, Daniel Craig, is not just another pretty face, in fact is a pretty craggy face (Craiggy face, perhaps that should be), and it can pretty well express itself in the bargain. Granted, noises were made about a similar rollback toward reality when Timothy Dalton came on board; and even in the midst of the reign of Pierce Brosnan, noises were made about toughening up his act. These proved to be only noises. The new noises are more. The obligatory pre-credits sequence, in black-and-white and sprinkled with flashbacks, shuns spectacle in favor of blunt brutality; and the action to follow seems to be under no compulsion to "top" all previous action. While Judi Dench reprises the role of "M," Bond himself has only just been promoted to double-0 status (a new beginning for sure) and has yet to earn his boss's trust. There is no equivalent of "Q" and his cute presentation of the gadgets du jour. There is no casual bedding of "Bond girls," and the one romantic relationship (with the enigmatic, darkly eyelined Eva Green) attains an emotional weight beyond even the all-the-way-to-the-altar affair of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The hero's lame quips and puns, meantime, have thoroughly been expunged from the script. And "I don't give a damn" is his response to the bartender's inquiry as to whether he'd like his vodka martini shaken or stirred. All these changes are definite improvements. And yet, and yet, and yet.... The action, even if somewhat scaled back under the one-time Bond director Martin Campbell (Goldeneye, the beginning of the Brosnan Bonds, but scarcely a new beginning), is still more than sufficiently cartoonish. The plotting is skimpy. The whole thing runs on far too long. And then there's the fundamental question: if you want to do an alternative to James Bond, why call him James Bond? Why not put him out to pasture where at his age he belongs? Mads Mikkelson, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini. 2006.
Reader Rating:
MPAA Rating: PG-13
There is casual bedding of one Bond girl: Solange Dimitrios. There are also more than James Bond, Vesper Lynd, and M-something. Were you paying attention?
By MarkScha 2:40 p.m., May 28, 2008 > Report it
I have to say that Daniel Craig made a fine, rough yet brooding character for this James Bond and has beaten back the previous two who I never much liked. Both Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton were too smooth and perfect though Timothy had a little wicked look that never quite reached his character. I say keep on with Daniel and see how it goes.
By a1cc 12:43 a.m., Jul 13, 2008 > Report it