Casino Royale

So...I saw two movies today. Casino Royale was the second. Doesn't the name of this movie just sound cool? Well, it is cool, surprisingly (to me) for James Bond.

Casino Royale has the trademarks of a Bond film: the iconic music, 60's graphics, fine suits, and beautiful bosoms on display. But the characters are anything but the cliche's I usually find them to be (and hate). It explores something before unseen: the human side of Bond. In fact, he doesn't say his cliched "the name is Bond, James Bond," but once, and he's earned it by then. For the rest of the story he's a very non-cliched, even flawed, human being who's learning to deal with his shortcomings (few that they are) and lack of respect from his colleagues, enemies, and superiors. This is a Bond who loses at poker, is saved by a woman, and is challenged by a woman who is his equal. However, it also shows why Bond is admired and why he achieves iconic status: he can do just about anything, from self-medical care to withstanding torture, to running great distances at top speed, to hacking into computer systems, to seducing beautiful women....and he only loses at poker once. As his boss, M, says, "I knew you were you...," and this film develops who that "you" is, unyielding and unable to let things drop, and able to beat just about any enemy.

It shows that even Bond has a heart (& a brain) and even to him, some things are more important than the spy game, even to the point that he's willing to give it up.

If you like smokin' hot actors and thinking while you're entertained, you'll like this movie. This could be the movie that turns me into a Bond fan, if they make more like this.