Movie Review: Casino Royale Starring Daniel Craig

Casino Royale (2006) 

Directed by Martin Campbell 

Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis 

Starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Wright, Dame Judi Dench 

Release Date November 17rh, 2006 

Published November 16th, 2006 

I've never been a big James Bond fan. I have always perceived OO7 to be my fathers kind of hero not mine, I'm more Han Solo than Bond. So I didn't get all that worked up over the controversy that surrounded the selection of a new James Bond and the unceremonious ouster of Pierce Brosnan. The most recent Bond flicks had begun to devolve into kitschy exercises in gadgetry and snark.

The new James Bond is a little more my style. Grittier, more violent, darker in tone than any of the other Bond pictures, Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig, is an action packed, quickly paced thriller with more in common with Jason Bourne than James Bond.

In this version of Ian Fleming's legendary spy series, James Bond (Daniel Craig) is a rising star in British Intelligence. Having just attained his double-oh status, James is a prickly thorn in the side of his superior M (Dame Judi Dench). On a mission in Africa, Bond killed a government witness in full view of witnesses and a security camera and, though the death was justifiable in context, the tabloids want someone to blame.

Rather than feeding the junior spy to the media, M sends Bond on holiday; knowing full well that he is not finished with his current mission. Tracking a terror target to the Bahamas, James reveals his talent for hold'em poker and his charm with the ladies by showing up a terror suspect at cards and then seducing the man's wife.

Eventually this trail leads Bond to a high stakes poker game in Montenegro where the world's leader in funding terror groups, Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelson) is holding court. Le Chiffre is a highly competitive and seemingly unbeatable player. It is up to Bond and his government accountant Vesper Lind (Eva Green) to stop Le Chiffre from winning the money he needs to continue supporting terrorists.

That is a semblance of the plot of Casino Royale. The plot, of course, is superfluous to a movie so much more interested in looking cool. Director Martin Campbell and star Daniel Craig are the perfect combination of style and cool. With his cold blue eyes and chiseled physique, Craig is the most intimidating Bond in the franchise history. Director Martin Campbell makes great use of Craig's assets, placing him in more hand to hand combat than ever before and eliminating the series' stale reliance on gadgetry.

Danish actor Madds Mikkelson is a Bond villain not unlike Charles Gray's Blofeld, at least early in the film. Mikkelson's Le Chiffre is a hands off villain whose talent is moving money for far more dangerous villains. He's unlikely to get physically involved with Bond, especially one on one. As demonstration of his vulnerability, Le Chiffre cries blood when he's frustrated.

There is however, a torture scene where Le Chiffre shows a more sadistic side than any Bond villain has likely ever shown. I won't detail what happens in this scene, let's just say it involves that most sensitive part of the male anatomy. The torture scene along with some of the violent hand to hand combat left me wondering just how the MPAA gave Casino Royale a PG-13 rating. The hand to hand battles are brutal and bloody and the torture scene is nearly unbearable, not anything you want to take the kids to see or allow your young children to see on their own.

There is much that I enjoyed about Casino Royale; but, the film is not without noticeable flaws. At two hours and 20 minutes, Casino Royale desperately overstays its welcome. The movie ends atleast twice before finally resolving with a major sequel tease. Just as the film seems to be over for the first time, new villains are introduced out of the clear blue sky and with little to no connection to the main plot. That's irritating enough but when the film continues on with a second false ending, I nearly walked out in disgust.

There are a good 20 minutes, at least, that could be cut to make Casino Royale a leaner, more focused and far better film than it is.

The most exciting thing about Casino Royale is the absolutely extraordinary chase scene that opens the film immediately after the credits. As Bond and a fellow agent scope out an African bomb maker, Bond's partner accidentally tips off the bad guy and Bond is forced to give chase. The chase is one of the most mind blowing action sequences ever filmed as stuntman/actor Sebastein Foucan demonstrates a style of free running called Parkour that shows off his abilities as a human special effect. Foucan's leaps, jumps, dives and twists and his incredible speed make Jackie Chan look like Jackie Gleason.

I wanted more of Sebastien Foucan and would love to see him get together with Tom Tykwer for a Run Lola Run sequel. Foucan really steals the show in Casino Royale.

As always one of the most eye-catching things about a James Bond picture is the Bond babe and Eva Green, the sexpot star of Bertolucci's The Dreamers, really fits the bill. Though little is required of Green in terms of plot, character or action, she is terrific eye candy and that is the very least you can ask of a Bond babe. Yes, I know the term Bond babe is passe in this day and age, but what about Bond is not anachronistic in the age of the techno thriller.

An excellent debut for new Bond Daniel Craig, Casino Royale is a rollicking, old school action flick that could have ranked amongst the best action pictures of the decade with a little more work in the editing room. At nearly150 minutes Casino Royale is a chore to sit through, especially the irritating triple ending.  Still, Casino Royale contains just enough action and sex appeal to make for some terrific popcorn entertainment.

The film received a PG-13 rating but I do not recommend the film for kids under 18 years of age. The film is darkly violent with a callousness and brutality that belies the teen friendly rating. Parents use your discretion.

Movie Review: Die Another Day

Die Another Day (2002) 

Directed by Lee Tamahori 

Written by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade 

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Rick Yune, Judi Dench

Release Date November 22nd, 2002 

Published November 21st, 2002 

I've wondered recently as I awaited the release of the latest in the James Bond series, whether it's the character I like or a perception of the character that I've built in my own mind. I've always thought I liked James Bond, but I don't seek out the films. In fact, I haven't seen any of the Bond movies all the way through since the last one was in theaters. I have my own preconceptions of what Bond should be based on vague memories of movies I haven't seen in years. Maybe that is why Die Another Day is so disappointing, because it doesn't match my memory. It may be quite faithful to the legend as it actually exists but for my notion of James Bond, it doesn't work.

Pierce Brosnan takes on the role of 007 for the 4th time, still in the shadow of Sean Connery and not likely to escape it being that this is likely his last go around with the character. In the opening scenes Bond surfs onto the shores of North Korea and kidnaps a diamond dealer who is on his way to sell diamonds to a corrupt North Korean General. Bond takes the dealer’s place with the intent of killing the General, however his cover is blown during the deal and Bond is captured. 

A flash forward during the credits shows us Bond being tortured for several months ‘til he is freed in a prisoner exchange with South Korea. Under normal circumstances a double 0 agent would be left to die but Bond's bosses fear he may have cracked and before he can give up any important information they trade a most dangerous prisoner, Zao played by The Fast & the Furious star Rick Yune, for Bond.

Now suspected of treachery, Bond must escape his own people and find the people who blew his cover. Along the way, Bond makes the acquaintance of an American operative named Jinx (Halle Berry). The only person who knows who set Bond up is Zao, who Bond tracks to Cuba and finally to Iceland and the part time home of a megalomaniacal diamond broker named Gustav Graves. The connection between Zao and Graves is a good one and typical of the franchise, anyone with a vague understanding of the legend will see through it immediately.

SPOILER ALERT – YOU’VE BEEN WARNED

Indeed throughout Die Another Day, Director Lee Tamohori and screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, tip their hand with a sly wink to the audience. There is not one twist or surprise in Die Another Day save for a terrific cameo by Madonna. If you have seen any of the previous Bond films then you know everything that will happen in Die Another Day, including the agent that turns on Bond, the true identity of Gustav Graves, and where Jinx's loyalty lies. Here is a hint, she is getting her own spin off film so safe to say she isn't the bad guy.

SPOILER ALERT OVER

Director Lee Tamohori is to be commended for the film’s action, which is very well staged. The special effects and stunts in Die Another Day are spectacular. If the only reason your seeing the film is for the action and special effects you will be very pleased. Die Another Day is a well-oiled machine of a movie. Think of it like a perfectly running car engine. It's quite brilliant but do you want to watch an engine run for 2 hours?

Ultimately, Die Another Day has no heart, no soul and no passion. And accuse me if you like of asking too much of a Hollywood popcorn film, I don't care. I need characters and story. Die Another Day has neither. It has paper-thin caricatures going through the motions of special effect and action. And as for Bond, the character is now skating entirely on past glory. That past is quite glorious even in my fuzzy memory but reputation can only carry you so far and Pierce Brosnan, since taking over the role, has brought nothing new to the character. 

In fact, he lacks the qualities that made Bond so glorious before him. Much like his immediate predecessor Timothy Dalton, Brosnan's Bond is wooden and charmless attempting to pass solely on looks and legend. Both Connery and Roger Moore brought unique characteristics to their Bond. Connery's Bond was charming and dangerous and just so cool. Moore's Bond lacked Connery's charisma, but he too was cool and he brought a new humor to the character that wasn't a part of Connery's Bond.

The next in the series is likely to bring a new actor to the role of Bond, and my hope is he can bring something new to the character, but he will need the help of a director with vision and a writer with the wit enough not to fall back on effects and stunts and provide real suspense and, heaven forbid, dialogue. Not too much though, I wouldn't want to take away from the effects too much. Just enough to allow an actor to act.

As a technical feat, Die Another Day is flawless. As a movie, it’s lacking.