Based on Ian Fleming's first novel in the James Bond series, Casino Royale introduces James Bond (Daniel Craig) before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to "00" status. Bond's first 007 mission takes him to Madagascar where he is to spy on a terrorist, Mollaka (Sebastien Foucan). Not everything goes to plan and Bond decides to investigate, independently of MI6, in order to track down the rest of the terrorist cell. Following a lead to the Bahamas, he encounters Dimitrios (Simon Abkarian) and his girlfriend, Solange (Caterina Murino). He learns that Dimitrios is involved with Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), banker to the world's terrorist organizations.
Special Agent Matti
Wow! James Bond 21: Casino Royale hits pay dirt. It's everything that an action-spy film should be. There's running around, there's more running around, there's hitting, there's shooting, there's killing, there's exploding, there's rooting, there's terrorism, there are fancy cars and exotic locales. The free-running opening sequence is awesome (see also Breaking and entering).
And then there's Daniel Craig. As an indie actor he's had plenty of dramatic roles; as an unconventional-looking man he's had sympathetic romantic roles; as James Bond he's gone all out. His body is outstanding: he looks like a recent military man (up to and including SAS: large, fast, strong, solid) and he even has a tan, no small feat for an Englishman. The fact that he doesn't look like Pierce Brosnan or Sean Connery just makes it all the more intriguing that he comes across as sexy. He has a magnetism that draws your eye, even when there's a hot chick in the same scene.
On top of that, he looks just like the blunt instrument of which Bond is so often accused of being.
Then there's Judi Dench's M. At last we get to see something of the reason why she's head of MI6. Previously, M has been a tough and competent woman; now, she's a fiercely effective spy-master whose piercing intelligence can cut through crap like a hot knife through butter. She's cool!
Casino Royale is one of the best Bond movies ever, even if it seems like the never-ending film from hell.
M (Moderate action violence)
144 minutes (2:24 hours)
Film: 7 December 2006
