"Casino Royale" (2006) Review

     "Casino Royale" (2006)

        What differs this film from the abundant Bond films that have been laid out before and after this 2006 classic is that the villains in this film feel humanized. Le Chiffre, a terrorist financier is pressured by the Ugandans after short-selling stock and losing 100 million in the effort. There are many moments where we feel for both sides of the poker table Le Chiffre knows the people after him will not stop until they get their money back. James Bond knows that if he loses, terror will not only continue but will be refunded from this poker game. The stakes are set, and we see each party slowly close out the competition. Whether it is placing trackers or lacing drinks, each party plays to win.

But the film actualizes Le Chiffre’s desperation when we see the Ugandan terrorist a nearly chomping his girlfriend’s arm off. The audience sees that he is being pushed to his limits and that he needs this pot or it would mean his head. I don’t feel that urgency nor compassion towards any other villain in Bond’s rogue gallery. While other Bond films with Daniel Craig focus on villains from MI6’s past, focusing on revenge, "Casino Royale" chooses to have the villain’s main goal be survival. It’s something the viewer can relate to better than measly slow burn blast from the pasta that feels like they have to up the ante (pun intended) from the previous films.

Now about Craig’s Bond. As this is his first performance in this iconic role I can clearly say this is one of the best bonds, if not the second most memorable. The new wave of the bond franchise that was reborn after Mission Impossible 2 or Austin Powers, is a bond film that’s less cheesy, predictable, and darker. Craig is able to live in the world each film is set in and create a character that can be vulnerable without showing to much, like a man playing poker. While nothing compares nor will probably ever beat Sean Connery’s Bond; Craig, in my mind, gives the first bond films a run for their money. You fall for this guy with a fragile ego that gets heated over and over again and is still able to crack a joke or a pick up line before picking himself up. Craig’s Bond seems the most self-aware, at one put there’s a joke where he doesn’t give a damn whether his martini is shaken or stirred.

The direction in this film is stunning and sets itself apart from the earlier Bond films with the black and white opening that leaves an impact with the viewer as we see Bond shoot his gun and the screen turns red as if blood pouring from the bullet wound. It’s a nice homage to the tradition of seeing inside the barrel of one of Bond’s enemies as he quickly turns and pulls the trigger, yet this scene in the opening has so much gruesome action that it makes itself distinct. All of the handheld shots really shake the scenes up. I think more in particular, the scene when Bond needs to use a defibrillator on his heart. There’s intense action, skewed, dutch angles, it almost films like I’m watching a De Palma film.

The pacing of this film is beautifully set up as the heavy action is interlaced at just the right moments between slow intense card games. Each action piece serves a purpose and tells a little about each character, serving more than just a quick fight scene between the drama, each is filled with a purpose to layout the new franchise Daniel Craig will carry with him as Bond.

As I watch this film with my mother I hear her biggest complaint being that she wants to see more of the actual poker game.

But in fact, the whole film is one big poker match. All of the bluffs, the stakes, all of the reads, are all laid out outside of the poker table.

Until there are only two players left, Bond and Vesper. Bond is stripped away slowly throughout the film, lowering his guard towards Vesper as she slowly earns his trust and love. I used to think that "Casino Royale" was the pinnacle Bond film. There is no need for a sequel as it could be the last and final film. However, while this film does stand all on its own, I’ve realized that this Bond isn’t hardened yet. James Bond is still naive, able to be broken and betrayed. While ale Chiffre may have ave busted Bond’s balls, Vesper breaks his heart.

“Sometimes we pay so much attention to our enemies, we forget to watch our friends as well.” -M

“The job's done and the bitch is dead..” - Bond

With that line we see the cold Bond be reborn. His ego comes back in full-force. Angered that he fell for Vesper’s deceptions, he calls him a bitch, shielding any true feelings he had for her like some schoolboy whose girlfriend has dumped him.

In conclusion, it’s a beautiful film that I would suggest to any non-Bond fan like myself. If you favor more for Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission Impossible’ than perhaps this is the film that might open the door for you into an ageless franchise. "Casino Royale" will go down in the books as the shot of adrenaline that saved Bond from either being outdone by Jason Borne or Ethan Hunt or parodied by Johnny English or Austin Powers. It’s hard to find any flaws in this film, there’s so much I like from "Casino Royale" that I wish carried over into Sam Mendes’ work. Sadly, this is the one and only Daniel Craig film that I truly enjoy or recommend.