arghyle

Last night I took my girlfriend to see Casino Royale. Let me just say: wow.

I’m a Bond fan, but over the years there has been a dramatic decline in the quality of the movies. This is most apparent in the last few Pierce Brosnan movies- everything after Goldeneye has been just plain bad. I think it was clear to everyone that sooner or later Bond needed to be refreshed otherwise the series was not going to be able to sustain itself for much longer. Thanfully Daniel Craig and company did just that.

In Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale we see a number of techniques employed to reinvigorate the Bond series. This does not only mean return it to its former glory but also to make a few critical changes that are brand new to the series. The biggest change is the new Bond- Daniel Craig- who is much grittier than any Bond before him. In this movie Bond is new to the double-O game and is not only inexperienced, but is less slick, less witty, and considerably more thuggish than before. As such, the movie does not run through like the old movies where Bond goes from one clever one-liner to another just as easily as he jumps from one beautiful woman’s bed to another. This Bond has a serious relationship with one woman, has difficultly finding a witty retort, and gets his ass kicked unlike ever before.

Personally I am really happy with the move to a Bond movie that is more violent and less polished than they have been. The movie much more satisfying than before because Bond and the other characters are allow to develop and there is even a hint of a backstory at points. The movie is not overshadowed with Bond cliches, ridiculous gadgets, and a overly elaborate plot- Craig flouts almost every Bond cliches, the gadgets are kept to a minimum, and the plot is not for anything overarching but rather just to stop one man from financing terrorists.

The movie was excellent and it was able to hold my interest for the entire length, which is impressive because this is the longest Bond movie yet. The end of the movie dragged on, but it gives some insight into how Bond is developing as a man and a spy and why James is the way he is. Even if you get bored by the end, there are some great locations shots in Venice and a few jaw-dropping ones from Lake Como to keep you interested.

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