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MattFini · 11-18-2006, 12:07 PM

Saw it tonight. Absolutely fantastic film....through and through.

As a lifelong Bond fan, I was worried sick about this one from its inception. From the casting of Craig (who seemed wrong to me) to the loose variations on all of the Bond traditions. I felt like the filmmakers were going to shake things up to a point where the things that make 007 films 007 films would be unrecognizable.

Thankfully I was wrong.

From the stylishly quick and vicious pre-credits sequence to the brilliant ending, I COULD NOT have been any happier with this one. Not only is Casino Royale one of the very best 007 films in the entire canon, but in my eyes this is the best film of the year.

The script by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade is phenomenally tight. The plot has been expanded considerably from Ian Fleming's novel, but it hits all the necessary notes. In my opinion, this is far more important in weighing this adaptation's successes against its literary counterpart. So several things have been omitted from the film: the terrorist bombing that nearly kills Bond, the paranoid 007 who subtly traps his hotel room before leaving it, etc. It still gives us the right notes that take the James Bond character on the necessary arc to get him to where he needs to be at the end of the film. I liked the expansions to the story and while I was slightly disappointed that the film didn't end in the same setting that the novel did, the climax was rousing and suspenseful. To the point: it worked just as well even if different.

Martin Campbell helms his second James Bond film and does a tremendous job at it. There is no question that this is the best Bond film since GoldenEye-it may even be superior (though I'd like to see it again before I start saying how it stacks up against my favorites). The action is GRITTY and VIOLENT. Gone are all of the CGI effects that littered the last few films, the action here is effective, exciting and refreshingly old school.

Even with a length of almost 2 hours and 30 minutes, Campbell keeps Casino Royale moving along at a furious pace. The action comes at satisfying intervals and produces dollops of suspense. Honestly, this is the first time since From Russia With Love that a James Bond film has been suspenseful. I was thrilled to have that element back...it's been missed for a long while.

Daniel Craig fills the shoes of Bond flawlessly...as the film started I had NO trouble accepting him as the character. Casino Royale allows for our hero to have an emotional arc and Craig brings him to life effortlessly. This Bond is a real man who feels regret, sorrow, anger, pity...in short, he's effortlessly human.

As Le Chiffre, Mads Mikkelsen is one of 007's greatest enemies in a long while. He's not the archetypal Bond villain, true, but he oozes venom with little more than a nasty gaze. The scenes where he and Craig face off at a poker table are among the best in the film because of their abilities to say so much without speaking.

The rest of the cast does an amiable job. I'm not the biggest fan of Eva Green but her performance is good. I personally would've liked to have seen someone attractive play the part but I digress...

It was great seeing Giancarlo Gianinni back on the screen as well...more of him is always a good thing.

If there was one thing I didn't like (and it's minor), it was the implication that 'M' is more than an official title given to the head of MI6 and that it was actually part of the Judi Dench character's name. It was the only thing that truly disrupts the continuity of the other films but I'm willing to overlook such a minor quibble.

Casino Royale is a homerun in my eyes. It was everything I hoped it would be and much more. A wonderful experience at the movies that delivers thrills, action, suspense, drama....all in a film with a good script and great performances. In short: a great film!

You don't have to be a Bond fan to love this one!

Highly recommended.

11-18-2006, 12:07 PM	#8 of 18
MattFini Member Location: Massachusetts Join Date: May 2004 Local Time: 01:32 AM Local Date: 09-07-2008 Posts: 247	Re: * Official CASINO ROYALE Review Thread** Saw it tonight. Absolutely fantastic film....through and through. As a lifelong Bond fan, I was worried sick about this one from its inception. From the casting of Craig (who seemed wrong to me) to the loose variations on all of the Bond traditions. I felt like the filmmakers were going to shake things up to a point where the things that make 007 films 007 films would be unrecognizable. Thankfully I was wrong. From the stylishly quick and vicious pre-credits sequence to the brilliant ending, I COULD NOT have been any happier with this one. Not only is Casino Royale one of the very best 007 films in the entire canon, but in my eyes this is the best film of the year. The script by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade is phenomenally tight. The plot has been expanded considerably from Ian Fleming's novel, but it hits all the necessary notes. In my opinion, this is far more important in weighing this adaptation's successes against its literary counterpart. So several things have been omitted from the film: the terrorist bombing that nearly kills Bond, the paranoid 007 who subtly traps his hotel room before leaving it, etc. It still gives us the right notes that take the James Bond character on the necessary arc to get him to where he needs to be at the end of the film. I liked the expansions to the story and while I was slightly disappointed that the film didn't end in the same setting that the novel did, the climax was rousing and suspenseful. To the point: it worked just as well even if different. Martin Campbell helms his second James Bond film and does a tremendous job at it. There is no question that this is the best Bond film since GoldenEye-it may even be superior (though I'd like to see it again before I start saying how it stacks up against my favorites). The action is GRITTY and VIOLENT. Gone are all of the CGI effects that littered the last few films, the action here is effective, exciting and refreshingly old school. Even with a length of almost 2 hours and 30 minutes, Campbell keeps Casino Royale moving along at a furious pace. The action comes at satisfying intervals and produces dollops of suspense. Honestly, this is the first time since From Russia With Love that a James Bond film has been suspenseful. I was thrilled to have that element back...it's been missed for a long while. Daniel Craig fills the shoes of Bond flawlessly...as the film started I had NO trouble accepting him as the character. Casino Royale allows for our hero to have an emotional arc and Craig brings him to life effortlessly. This Bond is a real man who feels regret, sorrow, anger, pity...in short, he's effortlessly human. As Le Chiffre, Mads Mikkelsen is one of 007's greatest enemies in a long while. He's not the archetypal Bond villain, true, but he oozes venom with little more than a nasty gaze. The scenes where he and Craig face off at a poker table are among the best in the film because of their abilities to say so much without speaking. The rest of the cast does an amiable job. I'm not the biggest fan of Eva Green but her performance is good. I personally would've liked to have seen someone attractive play the part but I digress... It was great seeing Giancarlo Gianinni back on the screen as well...more of him is always a good thing. If there was one thing I didn't like (and it's minor), it was the implication that 'M' is more than an official title given to the head of MI6 and that it was actually part of the Judi Dench character's name. It was the only thing that truly disrupts the continuity of the other films but I'm willing to overlook such a minor quibble. Casino Royale is a homerun in my eyes. It was everything I hoped it would be and much more. A wonderful experience at the movies that delivers thrills, action, suspense, drama....all in a film with a good script and great performances. In short: a great film! You don't have to be a Bond fan to love this one! Highly recommended.