Film Title: Casino Royale
Year: 2006
MPAA Rating: P-13
Length: 144 minutes
Film Genre: Action / Adventure / Thriller
Director: Martin Campbell
Producer: Barbara Brocolli
Writers: Neil Purvis, Robert Wade and Ian Flemming
Players:
Daniel Craig as James Bond/007
Ava Green as Vesper Lynn
Mads Mikkelson as Le Chiffre
Judi Dench as M
Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter
Plot: The very first assignment for MI6 agent James Bond. Bond's mission: To stop international banker/terrorist Le Chiffre from winning a high stakes poker tournament at the Casino Royale.
Acting: In my humble opinion Daniel Craig is the best Bond since Connery. I stated many months ago that this Bond movie was not going to be anything like the others, and that much like Batman Begins, was going to revitalize the dying Bond movie franchise, I was definately right (I love it when I'm right).
Cinematography This is Campbell's second Bond film (directed Goldeneye) and he does a fantastic job directing this one. This movie is not like Goldeneye or really any other Bond film for that matter. The first 10 minutes of the film are black and white, it really added to the feel that this movie was going to be dark. The movie is definately darker than any of the other movies (which is what I predicted), it has some of the comedic elements of the others films and carries the classic Bond elements but takes it up a notch. The darker feel in my opinion is the way it should be. Bond: "So you're telling me you want me to be half monk, half hitman". James Bond is a series about a spy with a license to kill, this movie is the first time you really see this played out to the extreme and it is awesome.
Visual: Awesome action, camera work is great, gritty, the black and white beginning is awesome.
Audio: Chris Cornell (Audioslave/Soundgarden) does the opening song.
When I watched it last: Last Night
What to watch for: If you like James Bond movies then this one is for you. It is not all gadgets and guns, there is a good deal of hand to hand combat. Watch for the random moments of classic Bond comedy.
What to watch out for: Hmm....torture scene...just wait for it...you'll understand. Pacing is slow at times and it is a little long.
IMDB Rating: 8.1 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 out of 4 stars
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.7 out of 10. This movie is just plain great. In high school I was a huge Bond fan, especially of the Connery and Moore ones. Goldeneye was alright, but after that the Bond franchise tanked. This movie is the re-invention of a cinematic icon, kinda cool they are starting at the characters beginning.
--Reviewed by Jason
