Few would have believed that Daniel Craig would be the next Bond a few years back. When he did get selected, die hard fans of the series and movie critics started screaming hoarse, “Too short, too blond, lacks the charm, looks like a killer, his eyes are blue”; such vociferous statements made the headlines then. Some were surprised by the choice, some were disappointed.
But, one look at Casino Royale and you will understand that the producers did make the right choice. Daniel Craig a fine actor(starred in Steven Spielberg’s Munich) would be given his due with Casino Royale and his entire career would possibly be defined by this single role he has played.
Casino Royale is a reboot of the Bond franchise, meaning that the series starts from scratch. James Bond has been short-listed to become a part of MI6 for which he has to commit 2 kills. The opening sequence (shot exquisitely in Black and White ) shows how he goes about it, culminating into the famed gun-barrel shot. In his first mission as 007, Bond has to play a Poker game at Casino Royale in Montenegro against a man called Le Chiffre., who acts as a banker for a world terror network.
Le Chiffre has just lost close to 100 million dollars due to some unwise investment moves and under compulsion to recover this loss from the poker table. Bond is financed by the treasury and is assisted by the vivacious Vesper Lynd. As the story goes on, Bond falls in love with Vesper and is even shoots off his resignation from the 007 job and plans to settle down with his love.. But, the sensitive Bond, towards the end discovers something which scars him inside out transforming him into the Bond which we all know and have grown to love with his mission dollar intro-line “My name is Bond…James Bond”
On paper at least, Casino Royale appears to be a no-frills, no nonsense style script. This is the case in most of the movie, but there are some wonderful chases here and there, so that action junkies are not disappointed. Fortunately, the director handles the casino sequences with utmost care. This part could have turned out into an endless drag, but Martin Campbell ensures that the audience isn’t bored to death by intertwining the poker game with some spine chilling interludes which nearly kills Bond.
The Bond of Casino Royale is intriguingly different than the one we all anticipate. He has no gadgets, he hates suits, he falls in love; stuff which you don’t associate with him. But, that is where Casino Royale scores. Instead of showcasing the same old clichéd Bond, this movie tries to shows how he evolves into the Bond we all know. Why does Bond like Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred? Where did he get his immaculate sense of style? Casino Royale answers these questions which has defined Bond for the last 3 decades.
The cinematography and the action scenes are par excellence. Bond’s preferred weapon happens to be his fist, so we do get to see a lot of Hong Kong style of action with lots of blood and gore. The opening chase sequence is simply amazing and has to possibly qualify as the best chase shown in any bond movie. The exotic locales further add to the appeal of Casino Royale. This movie is arguably the most violent Bond movie ever made.
For the first time in many years, a James Bond has actually acted. The script of Casino Royale is such that Bond has to show a lot of vulnerability, be it physical, or emotional and Daniel Craig does it immaculately. Comparing him to other Bonds would be incorrect at this stage, because for most of the movie he is very much unlike Bond. Eva green, Judi Dench and Mads Mikkelsen(Le Chiffre) are perfect for their roles. But, in the end it is Craig who stands tall with a tour-de-force performance.
Casino Royale is not the quintessential Bond movie. Except for the opening credits which tell you that it is a bond movie, there is nothing else which gives you that indication. Towards the end, just when people start complaining that this isn’t a bond movie, Daniel Craig utters those three words of introduction which has defined James Bond for all this while. The classic Bond title plays and the end credits roll and you know that Bond is back. Daniel Craig has arrived by baptism by fire. He and we alike are ready for the next Bond flick.
Craig wins hands down with all aces up his sleeve and Casino Royale gets 3.5 out of 5, blindly !!!