FILM CHALLENGE: 63) Casino Royale

63) Casino Royale

Director: Martin Campbell

Year: 2006

Plot Summary: Le Chiffre is a banker to the world's terrorists. He is participating in a poker game at Montenegro, where he must win back his money, in order to stay safe among the terrorist market. The boss of MI6, known simply as M sends Bond, along with Vesper Lynd to attend this game and prevent Le Chiffre from winning. Bond, using help from Felix Leiter, Mathis and having Vesper pose as his wife, enters the most important poker game in his already dangerous career. But if Bond defeats Le Chiffre, will he and Vesper Lynd remain safe?

Yeah, I know. Bond films aren't exactly 'cool' things to review on a movie blog. These kind of websites are usually reserved for the likes of Fellini, Hitchcock and Kubrick. But I felt like a bit of mindless blockbuster entertainment today so go swivel. Actually, please don't. I don't have that many readers.

Reader insulting aside, Casino Royale is without a doubt the best James Bond movie there is. Unlike all the other films that have been made, Casino Royale focusses on telling a story instead of simply ticking every cliche off a list. Sure, the likes of Goldfinger and From Russia With Love are decent enough action movies, but when you're watching them you can almost see the producers sat around their table during the pre-production stage making sure that every aspect of what is expected from a Bond film is present.

"At some point does someone uses the infamous 'The name is Bond, James Bond' catchphrase? No, then put it in, even if the dialogue feels forced! At some point Q will supply Bond with new gadgets? What do you mean Q isn't important to the story, he has to go in! At some point there will be a chase with an expensive car? The story doesn't have a car chase? Well, make it have one! At some point James will sleep with the gorgeous female character in the story? Of course there is room for a damsel in distress, even if she is pointless!"

Not here. Instead, the filmmakers set out to tell a thrilling, exciting story and never let these cliches stand in the way. Moreover, while rehashing the aforementioned things over and over again always felt like an insult to the intelligence of movie goers, Casino Royale is a fairly complex and clever narrative that, although packed with action, will keep you on your feet and keep you thinking for the entirety of its 2 hour running length.

Moreover, it has a villain without the usual, predictable, simple ideals of world-domination and has characters who actually develop and have an emotional core. This is a refreshing thing for a Bond movie, a franchise that has rarely had its characters evolve over the 40 years of its existence. After all, in Casino Royale we actually see James Bond fall in love and, as the movie reaches its climax, set out on a journey of revenge based on the loss of that love. Also, we witness the character slowly develop from a ruthless, cold-hearted, emotionless shell into a dedicated, intelligent and driven spy over the course of the movie.

Daniel Craig, who plays the iconic character, was met with scepticism when he was originally cast. However, he's a damn sight better than that embarrassing Welsh fella and that Irish bloke who sung in the ABBA movie. His acting, shock horror, isn't just made up of eyebrow raising and sex appeal. He actually gives James Bond a personality and a human side to him that has never been seen before. Sure, it was Sean Connery who perfected the traditional style and, therefore, he will always be the most memorable Bond, but Craig gives the character an extra layer that you wouldn't usually expect to find.

It's not a great film by any means, but after what I'd usually expect from James Bond, Casino Royale is a surprisingly good action movie that, at last, has the character, drama and emotion that all its predecessors lack.

4/5

By Daniel Sarath with 3 comments