James Bond: Casino Royale Gets the Job Done Posted by: Joe Tracy, Publisher

A lot of people were worried about the release of James Bond: Casino Royale. After all, a new Bond (Daniel Craig) was taking center court after the filmmakers had a falling out with Pierce Brosnan. Then there was word that there would be few “gadgets” and no “Q”. Bond without gadgets? What’s going on?

Whatever it is, it must have worked because James Bond: Casino Royale became one of the best-reviewed Bond movies ever. But I’m not always one to side with the majority of critics (who also heaped praise on The Inconvenient Truth, which was dull and poorly produced).

I found James Bond: Casino Royale to be an adequate addition to the James Bond franchise. It’s not the best Bond movie out there, but neither is it the worst. Craig, as the new Bond, gets the job done yet is neither the best Bond actor, or the worst. He’s believable in the role and that’s what counts the most.

To understand this Bond movie, you have to understand that the filmmakers wanted to reinvent the franchise with this newest installment. To accomplish this reinvention, the filmmakers took Bond back to his roots in Casino Royale (Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel) where we get to see the “birth” of Bond.

Some have referred to Casino Royale as a prequel, but when you watch the film, where there are several references to 9/11, you have to accept that this Bond has no relation to the others. Like Batman Begins, it’s a reinvention of the franchise.

So how does this reinvention rate? Let’s break it down:

Character Development: A+
When it comes to character development, Casino Royale gets an A+. The movie digs a lot deeper into the soul of James Bond and really helps the audience understand how he came to be the Bond we have known for years. The character development is especially strong as it relates to Bonds new love interest, a woman he really falls for.

Story: B-
There’s nothing revolutionary about the story. In a nutshell, it’s about a villain who gambles away terrorist money and seeks to win it back in a card game with Bond trying to outplay him. What improves the story is the balance of drama, action, romance, and humor. The humor really picks up in a scene where a nude James Bond is being tortured. But it’s not campy – it’s realistic humor, which makes the movie more believable and entertaining. But still, a movie which has a card game as the focus of the main climax can only get an average grade.

Villain: C
One thing the best James Bond movies have been known for are very strong villains. However, Casino Royal simply delivers an adequate villain who won’t ever go down as a “Top 10 Villain”. He’s not threatening enough and is constantly vulnerable to other bad guys. He’s not feared and a villain who doesn’t instill fear in you probably shouldn’t be present in a Bond film.

Action: B+
There’s not as much action in this Bond movie (which balances action with drama and romance) as others, but when the action picks up, it’s pretty good. The opening foot chase scene is the best flawlessly executed action moment in the movie as you really get an eye for the determination of this Bond in the face of a bad guy who looks like he walked out of the TV series Heroes with top training credentials from Trinity and Neo of Matrix fame. This opening scene alone provides us with a first-rate glimpse at the intellect, physical determination, and quick thinking reactions of this new era Bond.

Other action elements are done well, but lack the same flawlessness as the opening. For example, in a truck chase scene we see the tires of a truck shot out, but just a minute later we see the truck with all the tires fully inflated.

Gadgets: D+
One of the cool things about past Bond movies have been the nifty gadgets that he uses; gadgets that required some imagination to create and gadgets that wowed audiences. Because this is a “gentler” Bond movie, it lacks cool gadgets to assist Bond on his quest. The movie lacks the equivalent of a “Q” to add that “ohhhh cooool” aspect to the film.

Realism: A+
Like Batman Begins, the new James Bond: Casino Royale movie seeks to be believable. You won’t find a single campy moment in this Bond movie as it is all about making the audience believe in the story, romance, action, and execution. It works.

Conclusion
This Bond movie, like most, is entertaining and gets the job done. In many areas the execution doesn’t rise above other Bond movies. But when it comes to character development and believability, there is no better Bond movie out there.