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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Martin Campbell’s Casino
Royale (2006) is the 21st James Bond adventure in,
arguably, the most lucrative and successful of all
film franchises. An action laden/often emotionally
powerful adventure film – Casino Royale is both
faithful to the series’ roots and Ian Fleming’s
Bond debut novel. At the time that Daniel Craig
was announced as Pierce Brosnon’s successor there
was much debate over the validity and
acceptability of a ‘blonde Bond.’
This reviewer must admit that he shared something
in the disappointment of what then seemed a rather
awkward choice for the coveted role – but that was
before the film’s premiere. Craig is Bond, and
although this reviewer will stop short of Joshua
Rothkopf’s claim that “Craig is the best Bond in
the franchise’s history” (that god spot belongs to
only – Sean Connery), Craig is a very close #2
choice.
Chronology within the franchise is Casino Royale’s
biggest hurdle to overcome. This film predates Dr.
No (1962). Yet, the settings for Casino Royale are
contemporary. Therefore, as an audience, we are
asked to set aside the rest of the Bond legacy –
trading Bernard Lee’s ‘M’ for Judy Dench’s
reoccurring take; eschewing main staples Miss
Moneypenny and ‘Q,’ and tolerating the producer’s
alteration of the trademark ‘gun barrel’ opening
which has introduced Bond films to their audience
ever since Dr. No.
However, the biggest change to the overall Bond
franchise chemistry is Casino Royale’s shift in
body worship from ‘the Bond girl’ to Bond himself.
There are several deliberate scenes showcasing
Craig’s musculature and one overtly gratuitous
nude torture sequence that is more eye candy than
plot advancing.
Plot in totem: James Bond (Craig) has just been
awarded his ‘007’ license to kill status. However,
M (Dench) feels that the appointment may be a shay
premature. Bond, so M reasons, has ego without
restraint; an assessment proved positive when Bond
kills Ugandan terrorist, Mollaka (Sebastien
Foucan) under the watchful eye of embassy cameras.
The assassination creates a minor scandal.
Nevertheless, Bond next surfaces in the Bahamas to
keep a watchful eye on Alex Dimitrios (Simon
Abkarian) and his wife, Solange (Katarina Murino).
But he quickly migrates to Miami to stop the
terrorist bombing of a new plane. In Miami, Bond
learns that Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelson) has
gambled the world terrorist organization’s
bankroll on a dip in airline stocks that Bond has
averted by defusing the bomb.
Now Le Chiffre must raise the capital anew during
a high stakes poker game in Montenegro’s Le Casino
Royale. Enter the beguiling Vesper Lynd (Eva
Green), a double agent who appears to be working
with the CIA to thwart reinstatement of the
terrorist’s bankroll in this legitimate game of
chance.
There are several wonderful action sequences that
flesh out the narrative – beginning with Bond’s
relentless pursuit of Mollaka up the sides of an
incomplete hotel structure, and culminating with a
harrowing race against time in Venice as part of
the city begins to sink into the canal. The former
is the more impressive of the two sequences; an
exhibition in ‘free running’ – done live and
largely without stunt doubles on a full scale set
with safety restraints carefully concealed. The
latter sinking sequence - though exhilarating -
gives obvious signs of being largely a clever
manipulation and execution of computer generated
graphics. Nevertheless, Casino Royale is a film of
immense integrity and visual splendor. It’s a must
see experience and quite easily one of the best
Bond movies of all time.
Sony Home Entertainment’s DVD exhibits a reference
quality transfer. The image is razor sharp and
pristine; bold vibrant colors, ideally realized
contrast levels, superb blacks, brilliant whites,
and an astonishing amount of fine detail evident
even during the darkest scenes. Truly, there is
nothing to complain about with this transfer. The
audio is 5.1 Dolby Digital and delivers an
aggressive spread across all five channels.
Extras include ‘Becoming Bond’ – an all too brief
introduction to Craig that features mere truncated
snippets of a much longer interview we never get
to see; Bond Girls Are Forever – a documentary
(inexplicably divided into three parts) but
featuring interviews with only a scant selection
of the Bond women and hosted by largely forgotten
Bond girl, Maryam d’Abo (who played Kara Milovy in
The Living Daylights 1987); Bond For Real – a
brief assessment of the stunt work, and Chris
Cornell’s music video. Highly recommended! |
