Let’s face facts; the last Bond film was a throwaway affair, bogged down by ropey CGI effects, ridiculous ideas and stupid gadgets (invisible car, anyone?). Fast becoming a franchise bloated with excess, it was inevitable that Bond would have to go back to his roots in order to survive in the 21st century. With Casino Royale, Bond goes back to his roots in more ways than one. Actually based on Ian Fleming’s original novel, Casino Royale reveals how Bond became a 00 agent and as such serves as a reboot for a the franchise in the same way Batman Begins (2005) was a revision after the neon mess that were the previous two movies.Bond’s birth is an unrelenting baptism of fire as he undergoes immense tests of physical and mental endurance. For the first time in the series, Bond is humanised more than ever. For this, full credit has to go to Daniel Craig, who has truly made the character his own. Any doubters or sceptics will instantly be silenced after witnessing Craig’s performance; his Bond is altogether relentlessly animalistic and cold-hearted yet perceptibly vulnerable: a complicated contradiction that makes Bond less easy to categorise as previous incarnations. As seemingly invincible and ruthless as The Terminator one minute (the runway sequence), exposed and lovelorn (“I have no armour left…You’ve stripped it from me”) the next, you’ll empathise with and root for Bond more than ever.
If you thought Bond suffered in the opening sequence of Die Another Day (2002), then the squirm inducing torture scene will leave you feeling queasy. Craig’s Bond actually convinces as an unfeeling killing machine, his craggy features making him the most unconventional yet, whilst at the same time being the most believable. When he beats the living crap out of a bad guy, there’s no doubt that he could snap him in two with his bare hands. Equally comfortable in a sharp tux playing cards and drinking martinis you’ll forget about the (in retrospect: ridiculous) furore over ‘blond Bond’ and embrace the reality that Daniel Craig is James Bond and he’s here to stay.
Ignore reviews criticising the pivotal card game at the titular casino as protracted. It’s not: it’s exactly as long as it needs to be, although the summarisations from Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini) at certain junctures aren’t needed. What you have is a tense sequence where the stakes are high and the drama is palpable. Mads Mikkelsen menaces as villainous card sharp and eccentric mathematical virtuoso Le Chiffre, his poker tell a sinister bloody tear. Minor gripes like the opening credit sequence (in keeping with the theme, but a bit cheap-looking) and a woefully misjudged accompanying song pail into insignificance after the first explosive, free-running action sequence has played out. And within the first ten minutes you’re hooked and then you realise, new Bond rocks. Still, all the important elements that make Bond, Bond are still all present and correct. There are moments of humour, quick-witted comments, cool cars, stunningly beautiful women (Eva Green and Caterina Murino are outstandingly sexy) and sun-kissed European locations. Therein lies the key to the success of Casino Royale. None of the tradition has been tampered with, it’s still familiar but it’s clearly been influenced by the Bourne movies, adopting a raw, spare, non-glitzy approach.
Casino Royale will take hold of you from the very beginning and won’t let go until the climactic scene, where that immortal line is finally uttered, that theme kicks in and Bond is officially reborn. Bring on the sequel.
****
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