Friday, November 24, 2006
Casino royale
Story
Casino Royale starts at the beginning, as James Bond (Craig) takes his first baby steps as a Double O agent. His first assignment is to track down a terrorist cell in Madagascar, but he's a bit of a loose cannon, and things quickly go awry. Bond's superior M is soon regretting giving the arrogant Bond the promotion. Nonetheless, Agent 007 takes it upon himself to follow a lead to the Bahamas and discovers that all nefarious dealings point to Le Chiffre, a nasty fellow who has money ties to terrorist organizations.
Le Chiffre is planning to raise money in a high-stakes poker game at the Le Casino Royale in Montenegro and Bond gets in to beat him at his own game. Along with a hefty bankroll, M also sends the beguiling accountant Vesper Lynd to keep Bond in check. They are skeptical of each other at first, but as the danger escalates, it becomes apparent there is a growing attraction and affection between them. Can these two crazy kids make it work immersed in the cutthroat world of international intrigue? Well, this is Bond after all and we know how he ends up.
DirectionCasino Royale, the first book in the Ian Fleming series, is basic Bond 101. Director Martin Campbell, who so successfully re-invented Bond with the introduction of Pierce Brosnan in 1995's, with the new Bond comes a new feel to the franchise.
Casino Royale is also rare in that it shows how Bond became THE James Bond, the one we've seen in countless movies over the years in the stylish tuxes, drinking the martinis, driving the Aston-Martins and bedding all the beautiful women. Casino Royale breathes new life into the franchise, and one can only hope they can keep up the good work without once again lapsing into the ridiculous.
FX's ReviewEven from the first few seconds of Casino Royale it's clear how things have changed. For a start it begins in black and white. There's Bond in the shadows, ready for the kill. It's moody film noir stuff, but an effective opening.
The new bond series attempts to deviate away from the age-old traditional Bond movies with all the far-fetched gadgets and over-the-top action sequences, leaving just good, clean action devoid of any fancy invisible cars, armored Russian tanks and the such.
Of course, there are action scenes aplenty in far-flung locations - Madagascar, Miami and Montenegro to name just three. The Bond girls are as stunning as ever.
Maybe the starkest change is Bond himself. Daniel Craig is undoubtedly the best-looking 007 yet with a well-built physique. At times he's like MI6's answer to The Terminator - crashing through walls and leaping from buildings with superhuman strength. During one scrape he pulls out a large nail that's embedded in his shoulder and tosses it nonchalantly aside.
But he bleeds too. Craig spends much of this film a bloodied and bruised mess. It really is hard to imagine any of the previous Bonds being quite this muscular and, well, bloody.
As for acting, Craig absolutely gets it. Whatever doubts people may have had when Craig was first announced as the new Bond are washed away in the first few minutes of the film.
This is a different Bond. The British actor plays him not as the icon we've come to know but as a flawed man, warts and all, who flies by the seat of his pants, isn't necessarily refined and yes, can even fall in love. The bad guy, Mikkelsen is quite effective as the main baddie, with a particularly gruesome physical malady.
There are several scenes that I liked about the show and several others that made me grimace. Firstly I really liked the wits! The mind games that Bond and Vesper Lynd on the train were addictive as they verbally tussled with each other and the tension at the poker table was like a dark atmosphere heavy with tension as Mikkelsen and Bond play high-stakes mind games with each other toying with tens of millions at stake on the table.
The first hour of the film is full-on action, including an exhilarating chase sequence across a building site where Bond chases a bomb-maker with full parkour scenes! Never-before seen in a Bond movie requiring Bond to use so much physical strength and agility. I doubt if Pierce Brosnan or Sean Connery could carry out those parkour moves. The bad-guy had some cool tricks! Like jumping off a crane, kong-vaulting across a table, tic-tac-ing down a lift-shaft. Horizontal-crossing a door-opening, reminding us of scenes from “Banlieu 13” and “Yamakasi”.
It was one scene after another as Bond raced around the world in slick, uninterrupted sequences. That's the typical bond for you as he pits his wits against his brawn, from Madagascar, he gets the bomb-makers phone, leading him to a stylish resort, then to Miami and more.
Then it was a non-stop explosive episode at Miami airport where bond thwarts a bomb heist to blow up a new plane prototype. (That plot was rather lame), but it brought it to the casino scenes, which are genuinely tense, with plenty of incident both on and away from the poker table. Le Chiffre has more to lose than Bond. He's blown someone else's millions and he has to win them back.
The show takes a few twists and turns, but all in all, it was a rather shallow plot with predictable outcomes. You have multiple-multiple betrayals and twists where he finds out he was betrayed by fellow agent in Montenegro and then again by Vesper Lynd as she transfers the 150million into another account which then leads him to Venice and shooting of Mr White.
The Venice finale is not the film's strongest act. Amid the predictable mayhem it's Bond's love for Vesper that is the real focus. He lamely writes a resignation letter and says he loves Vesper lynd?! (What was with that?) Loose ends are not neatly tied up as he shoots “Mr White”, - mysteries remain - we are left wanting more.
The redemption of the movie would be the action sequences, the mind-games played, the deviation from traditional Bond-gadgetry and commendable acting by Craig. Plot was shallow and predictable, though protagonist character development was exceptional, the other actors failed to get enough airtime.
Casino Royale, the latest installment to the 007 series. A worthy watch, 3.5 out of 5 stars.
FX
7:03 PM
