Meet James Bond the sixth. He’s blond, British and buff, and he’s not the kind of guy you’d want to meet in a dark alley. Daniel Craig’s badass Bond is tough as nails and always ready for a good brawl. In Casino Royale, Craig shows all those naysayers that this fair-haired lad has more than enough grit to take on the legendary role.
Casino Royale (EON Productions), released Nov. 17, is the 21st Bond flick, and it had a pretty decent formula to fall back on from its score of predecessors.
Everyone knows the drill by now: A dapper and immortal hero with loads of high tech gadgetry meets a swarthy villain with loads of explosives. Throw in a couple of saucy vixens in bikinis, and there you have it: 80 minutes of summer escapism, care of 007. But the best part is the lack of gadgets-the film is more of a character study.
Craig and his supporting cast shake Bond out of his formulaic rut and infuse some excitement in this outing. That’s not to say that Casino Royale ignores its iconic legacy; there are still explosions, chases and beautiful women. The difference is that in Casino Royale, Bond is still new to the game. The film is an adaptation of Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, published in 1952 (although the film is grounded firmly in the modern time), so the Bond we see still has to prove his worth as an agent.
When the movie opens, we see a young Bond making his first two kills before being promoted to double-o status. As Craig puts it, “[Bond] has a lot of rough edges. He’s a loner.” He is impulsive and ever-ready to leap into danger’s way. His antics worry his stoic superior M (Dame Judi Dench), who is concerned that Bond may not be cut out of the double-o cloth.
Bond’s first mission centers around a shady character named Le Chiffre (Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen) who launders money for the world’s top terrorists. Le Chiffre organizes a high stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro, and is poised to take the pot of hundreds of millions for his clients-until Bond steps in, that is.
Bond is dealt into the poker game, and the two are engaged in a swirling battle of skill. Fleming’s first Bond girl, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), is sent by the British Treasury to baby-sit Bond as he gambles with Britain’s money. The tension builds as the card game wears on, and Mikkelsen ups his inherent creepiness.
From there, the plot leads everywhere, from deep dungeons to the European countryside and, finally, to the canals of Venice. Craig bursts through each situation with a smoldering energy that goes further to suggest the man behind the tux than Pierce Brosnan ever did.
Bond films are notorious for plots that are constructed simply as excuses for special effects wizardry and sex appeal. I must confess that trying to understand the plot for the first half of Casino Royale left me dazed and confused. But, as Bond reminds us, it’s not about the cards themselves, it’s all about how the game is played. This game is played with considerable verve.
Director Martin Campbell crafts a slick, action-ready environment, but it is a pulsing energy permeating the film that truly earns it a place among the best of Bond. Craig echoes this sentiment, saying, “You obviously need that level of energy in the action sequences, but [Campell makes it] equally valuable in quieter, dramatic scenes.”
The script, written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, along with Oscar favorite Paul Haggis, sparkles. Sure, more than a few minutes in the film favor action over dialogue, but the characters’ conversations are the meat and potatoes of the story. It is refreshing to see Bond at the beginning of his career, before catchphrases and martinis were an established part of his repertoire.
Craig himself is the film’s fuel. His Bond is brooding and unsure-a character, not an icon. Predictably, critics and crewmembers alike sing Craig’s praises for bringing the larger-than-life Bond back to the ground. Campell calls him “a revelation.” He said, “This is a much more character-driven story, [and Craig’s] depth and gravitas are a perfect match for the role.”
And then there’s Vesper, who stands out from all of the other girls in Bond’s life because she stole his heart. “Vesper is not the classic, iconic Bond girl,” Green said. “She is the first woman Ian Fleming wrote about and she has a great impact on Bond’s life.” Green’s sad eyes give Vesper a mysterious quality that makes her a worthy, if vexing, partner for the perennial ladies’ man.
If the added emotional depth or traditional action sequences aren’t enough to draw you into Bond’s first adventure, the cinematography by Phil Meheux will be. Filming took place in the Bahamas and multiple locations in Europe, including the Czech Republic and Italy. The sweeping views of Lake Como or the canals of Venice will be eye-candy for any lover of Europe.
An alternative title for the film could have been Bond: Back to Basics. Casino Royale doesn’t set out to reinvent the wheels of Bond’s classic Aston Martin; it simply serves as a re-introduction to the man behind the wheel. Craig’s turn as Bond will make many audience members anxious for his next spin around the block.