There's a new James Bond in town. Not just a new actor playing the famous character - a whole new character. Pre-Bond, as it were. And, despite months of silly speculation to the contrary, Daniel Craig's bonding with 007 is solid. And more than that, right. CASINO ROYALE, the third filmed version of Ian Fleming's first Bond book, is more faithful to the plot than its predecessors (see below). The film gives us the British spy in 2006, but as a licensed-to-kill frosh, but notably absent are a world domination scheme (the villain just wants money), silly gadgets (the only ones are cell phones and laptops - oh, and a mini-defribulater), the usual Bond-mots, even the familiar musical themes (until the end). There’s also less Bond than Bond-in-the-making - and if in this first Craig film we only begin to get acquainted with him, we are assured after hearing him utter for the first time the final three words in the movie - "Bond, James Bond" - that he will be back. (Trivia note: CASINO ROYALE first appeared as a teleplay in 1954, with Barry Nelson playing "Jimmy Bond," an Americanized 007; and as a movie spoof in 1967, with several actors playing 007, including David Niven and Woody Allen.)
CASINO ROYALE (2006)
Craig, Daniel Craig.
There's a new James Bond in town. Not just a new actor playing the famous character - a whole new character. Pre-Bond, as it were. And, despite months of silly speculation to the contrary, Daniel Craig's bonding with 007 is solid. And more than that, right. CASINO ROYALE, the third filmed version of Ian Fleming's first Bond book, is more faithful to the plot than its predecessors (see below). The film gives us the British spy in 2006, but as a licensed-to-kill frosh, but notably absent are a world domination scheme (the villain just wants money), silly gadgets (the only ones are cell phones and laptops - oh, and a mini-defribulater), the usual Bond-mots, even the familiar musical themes (until the end). There’s also less Bond than Bond-in-the-making - and if in this first Craig film we only begin to get acquainted with him, we are assured after hearing him utter for the first time the final three words in the movie - "Bond, James Bond" - that he will be back. (Trivia note: CASINO ROYALE first appeared as a teleplay in 1954, with Barry Nelson playing "Jimmy Bond," an Americanized 007; and as a movie spoof in 1967, with several actors playing 007, including David Niven and Woody Allen.)
