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You know right away that "Casino Royale" isn't your
dad's Bond. With its visual references (and one characters
witty tip of the hat to "Reservoir Dogs") to any number
of Quentin Tarrantino's action/dramas this revisionist approach
to Bond (most notable during the opening fight sequence
and a torture sequence involving Bond)suits the film, the
times and, more importantly, actor Daniel Craig. Craig embodies
the best elements of what came before (the ruthlessness
of Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan and some of the corny
quips of Roger Moore with the pathos of George Lazenby thrown
in for good measure). Craig may not be the best Bond (that'll
be open to debate for years) but he embodies THIS Bond giving
a terrific steely eyed performance with just a hint of Bond's
lost humanity. ***
Bond films live and die by their tone and their action
sequences. This third adaptation of "Casino Royale" (Bond
purists know that the novel was first adapted for American
television with American actor Barry Nelson playing the
role of Jimmy Bond). Director Martin Campell ("The Mask
of Zorro", "Goldeneye", "Beyond Borders") creates a stunning
series of set pieces that rival those seen in a Jerry Bruckheimer
film but that work within the dark confines of the Bond
universe. Make no mistake this is a dark Bond film where
everyone plays in shades of gray rather than in the harsh
glare of black or white. The result is a richer, more ambitious
Bond than we've seen in years. ***
Rebooting the franchise by visiting how Bond became
Bond is a brilliant notion. The screenplay by Neal Purvis
("Die Another Day", "The World is Not Enough"), Robert Wade
("Die Another Day", "The World is Not Enough) and Paul Haggis
("Crash", "Flags of Our Fathers", "Million Dollar Baby")
may occasionally became entangled in its own convoluted
plot but the resort is refreshingly fascinating, fun and
a nice step away from the comic book plots that characterized
the 70's Bond films and threatened to pollute even the Brosnan
brand of Bond. ***
Spoilers Below! Bond (Craig) recently promoted to a
00 operative tries to track and trap a terrorist using the
stock market to increase his personal wealth at the cost
of human lives. When one of Bond's other agents blows an
undercover assignment Bond must track and capture his only
lead through the streets of Madagascar in a brilliantly
choreographed and photographed set piece. It's an explosive
opening for the film and despite the film's excessive running
time and a plot that threatens to go slack in the middle
of the film "Casino Royale" manages to succeed where some
previous Bond films have gone off the track.End of Spoilers!
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