A Better Bond
"It's too early to tell yet, but Daniel Craig may just be the best James Bond."
That's what my friend Mike said after a screening of Casino Royale at Seattle's Cinerama.
As they progressed, the Bond movies -- as good as many of them were -- began less and less to resemble the novels and stories upon which they were based. Though set in the present, and not in the early 1950's era in which the novel was set, the movie keeps close to the actions and themes of the book. When the action moves to Casino Royale, pitting Bond against a menacing but very flawed and human villain, Le Chiffre, the film stays faithful to the novel.
The script, co-written by Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash) is taut, layered and avoids the tiresome quips that have plagued too many action movies, the Bonds included. Craig is intense, menacing and vulnerable as Bond, and in my mind plays the character closer to creator Ian Fleming's vision that any other actor who has filled those shoes. This Bond avoids the camp, gadgetry and cheesy quips that have, in my mind, grown a bit tired, and brings 007 back down to earth.
After the brief prologue the precedes the opening credit sequence -- a bond tradition -- in which we learn how bond acquired his double-oh status, I was convinced that this one would go where no Bond had gone before.
And it did.
That's what my friend Mike said after a screening of Casino Royale at Seattle's Cinerama.
As they progressed, the Bond movies -- as good as many of them were -- began less and less to resemble the novels and stories upon which they were based. Though set in the present, and not in the early 1950's era in which the novel was set, the movie keeps close to the actions and themes of the book. When the action moves to Casino Royale, pitting Bond against a menacing but very flawed and human villain, Le Chiffre, the film stays faithful to the novel.
The script, co-written by Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash) is taut, layered and avoids the tiresome quips that have plagued too many action movies, the Bonds included. Craig is intense, menacing and vulnerable as Bond, and in my mind plays the character closer to creator Ian Fleming's vision that any other actor who has filled those shoes. This Bond avoids the camp, gadgetry and cheesy quips that have, in my mind, grown a bit tired, and brings 007 back down to earth.
After the brief prologue the precedes the opening credit sequence -- a bond tradition -- in which we learn how bond acquired his double-oh status, I was convinced that this one would go where no Bond had gone before.
And it did.
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