(Logo Danjaq. All
Photos: Sony Pictures)
Daniel Craig as James Bond
007
Ivana Milicevic as Valenka
"Royale" without cheese: Big Bad Bloody Brutal Blond Bond
PopcornReel.com Movie Review: "Casino Royale"
By Omar P.L. Moore/November 17, 2006
"If you don't get bruised playing Bond,
you're not doing it properly."
Those words come from the mouth of actor Daniel Craig, from the film's
production notes. As the brand new James Bond 007 in the film version of
Ian Fleming's initial novel "Casino Royale", Craig is battered, beaten and
seconds from death. He survives just barely and Bond's trademark
unflappable persona is taken for a heck of a good hiding too, as the British
would say. Craig may be Bond, but he's a Bond that is bad to the bone,
brutal to the bite and bent on killing relentlessly and without justification.
Early on Bond is ruthless, cold and rugged. He cares little for life and
shows it very conclusively following an astounding, pulse-racing seven-minute
chase through the streets (and air) of Madagascar (really the Bahamas) in a
hair-raising sequence of stunts. As the very start of the film reveals,
this Bond is "darker" -- his face shot in silhouette and shades that allow us a
glimpse of just his face, the rest of him completely shrouded in black.
Anti-hero personified.
"Casino Royale" dispenses of several things that viewers have come to know and
love from prior Bond films. Gone are Miss Moneypenny and Q. Gone is
the wrist-watch-as-gadget. There is only reference to the fact (mentioned
tongue-in-cheek) by Bond, that his watch is an Omega. After that the only
gadget of choice is a high-tech cell phone and (temporarily) a mysterious
password dubbed "ellipsis". It turns out that this particular password is
more of a red herring than anything, to advance the story. Every single
device or action in "Casino Royale" does not need to make sense -- this film is
dedicated to a deeper look at the British super spy agent and what makes him
tick. The film, as written by Neal Wade, Robert Purvis, and Paul Haggis
(who seems to write every other Hollywood film these days) delves into a
character-driven film, not one laden with action. The action takes place
out of a need for it to do so; it is not borne out of rote formula.
With lines like "I have no armor left . . . whatever is left of me -- whatever I
am -- I'm yours" uttered by James Bond, you may forgive yourself for thinking
that you were watching a movie other than one on 007. These and other
lines he speaks to Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), a treasury official liaison to Bond,
make him more human and less of the rigid cardboard cut-out other actors have
portrayed him as, or at least how Ian Fleming's post-Royale novels portrayed
Bond. In the final analysis it turns out that casting Craig was the
shrewdest move of all, as his roughness, rugged handsomeness and forlorn but
piercing blue eyes give him a worn, blue collar look, a humanness, toughness and
physical presence that makes him real. And he looks like a regular
working-class stiff, even if Brioni has outfitted Mr. Craig in the best attire
money can buy.
Speaking of money, it is a big player in "Casino Royale" as the title would seem
to clearly indicate. Le Schiffre (brilliantly played by Mads Mikkelsen)
has lost over $100 million playing the stock market at huge risk following
9/11/01, we are told by Dame Judi Dench, who still has the choicest lines as M,
as she upbraids Bond for his un-Bond-like behavior: "this may be too much for a
blunt instrument to understand. Any thug can kill. I want you to
take your ego out of the equation."
Le Schiffre takes Bond out of the equation several times during an elaborate
scene of Black Jack and poker, which is broken up into several smaller scenes
that occur over a number of days. The scenes at the black jack table are
arguably the best in the film, with tension and suspense mounting after or in
anticipation of a move of a single card. Le Schiffre knows his life
expectancy is short and has to come up with the money for those whom he owes.
He is also a terrorist, who is looking to win his losses back so he can refuel
his aims to blow up Montenegro. In this high-stakes card game, if Bond
continues, the money La Schiffre wins can fund more terrorism. A flimsy
plot, but in a post-9/11/01 world, almost anything can be justified.
The voice of the card dealer (Daniel Andreas) at the table is distinctive,
lilting and familiar, providing an air of comfort before things go haywire.
Meanwhile Bond and Lynd are warming to each other following initial coldness.
Craig and Green's scenes together lend both a caution and a warm familiarity
between them. In one pivotal dinner scene, they share a smile on a key
occasion and look like they've been married for ever (Just don't tell Bond
that -- he may like married women (Catalina Murino) -- but he may not like
getting married.)) There are other stars who appear here, including
veteran Giancarlo Giannini but they lend less depth than an international cast
normally does. The depth of this Bond character has more than a little to
do with that. Jeffrey Wright appears as American Felix Leiter, the CIA man
who is undercover to supplement Bond's efforts. He delivers several
priceless lines in the 20 minutes or so of total screen time that he enjoys.
The Bond quips are still a strong staple of the longest-running super agent's
stick, though the lines are delivered with a prickliness and a curtness that
feels haughty and truncated.
And did I indicate that Bond bleeds a lot? More than many may care to see.
He seems to thrive off the blood, and Mr. Craig shows off his body a lot more
than any other Bond has. His physique is close to perfect, his mannerisms
imitated by none. He carves out this Bond territory very well thank you,
in a complex performance. He has the heft of Connery but not the suave or
the smooth that made Connery number one of the Bonds. It is helpful that
Craig is rough and tumble as James Bond in "Casino Royale" not only because that
is how the late Ian Fleming drew him, but because the Bond actors who came prior
would be progressively smoother in comparison -- and they are.
The cinematography by Phil Meheux is terrific, taking full advantage of the
beautiful, picturesque locations that Bond films are trademarked for.
Stuart Baird (director of "U.S. Marshals") edited. The opening credits are
designed perfectly and in tandem with Audioslave's lead
singer Chris Cornell, who belts out the great song "You Know My Name."
There's much more to this thrilling, visceral, death-defying two and a half
hours of film, and it is worth every penny. And there's character
development!
Keep one thing in mind: James Bond Will Return.
Copyright 2006. PopcornReel.com. All Rights Reserved.
"Casino Royale" is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America
for intense sequences of violent action, a scene of torture, sexual content and
nudity. The film plays more like an R in some cases. The film lasts
for two hours and 24 minutes.
You Know My Name