Casino Royale (2006)
DVD, Somerville, MA
May 19, 2007
*** / ****
The great minds of Britain and The United States have finally concocted a plan to thwart terrorism once and for all: crash a high stakes poker game in Montenegro! And so begins James Bond Version 6.0…
The plot, of course, is mere window dressing in a Bond film, so let’s cut to the chase. Casino Royale dispenses with particulars of story and character development in favor of intense action, exotic locales, and feverish go, go, go sleuthing. Daniel Craig takes over the role of James Bond for the first time turning the suave ladies man with a penchant for gambling, martinis, and sexy women into a stern renegade who still enjoys the finer things in life. This version re-imagines the tuxedoed macho man as a rookie secret agent on the cusp of becoming the loose cannon we all know and love and the British movie icon of the last 40 years. Craig is good as Bond, cold and driven, and adds a level of athleticism that reinvigorates how far a chase or fight scene can be pushed. Craig is also stoic enough that when he does crack a smile or a joke we can believe that this is indeed James Bond, albeit slightly blonder than we may remember.
The key to the new Bond reincarnation, however, is not merely Craig but Director Martin Campbell’s and a trio of writers’ ability to allow Bond to grow while revering his long and familiar history. With an array of clever winks and nudges, Campbell explores and expounds on Bondian lore in revealing and entertaining ways. Some questions the movie smartly answers: How did Bond always manage to look so good in those tailored tuxedos? How did the infamous “vodka martini, shaken, not stirred” request take flight and become the drink to order? Was Bond really as good at Poker (albeit Texan Hold ‘Em in this version) as he always seems? And perhaps most importantly, how did James’ heart grow so cold preventing him from ever settling down with a lady? All of this and more gets the royal treatment in this 2 ½ hour epic and is enough to surely delight Bond obsessives past and present.
Though I recommend this movie as a well done spy effort and fine entry in the Bond oeuvre, it certainly is more hype than new heights. Sadly, other than Bond, himself, the characters in Casino Royale are rather bland. Maybe it’s just me or maybe Dr. No and Goldfinger are more interesting baddies than a Dane with a bleeding eye. While “Bond girl” Eva Green is curiously attractive and looks great in a purple evening gown, her gaudy make-up and know-it-all bickering seemed more cumbersome than alluring to the world’s greatest super spy. Sure, as the movie progresses Bond learns to care for his confidant, exposing her tender side and shedding his own armor piece by piece, but a clever end twist later he’s seemingly back to his detached, stoic philosophies and we’re left wondering why he put himself out for her in the first place. Why buy the cow when you can have the milk for free, especially if you’re James Bond?
The over-the-top end twist is perhaps the most curious part of this Bond experience. Both riveting and utterly preposterous it will have you on the edge of your seat, that is, until the buildings start sinking and things get just plain weird. But that’s what James Bond movies are all about, I suppose: a heaping dose of action, a smattering of sex appeal, and a whole lot of pleasing absurdities, always the right amount to keep the film teetering on the totter of entertaining ridiculousness.