On November 17, 2006, the film franchise featuring everyone's favorite British secret agent was rejuvenated with the release of "Casino Royale," an adaptation of the very first James Bond novel by Ian Fleming. Not only was this the first official adaptation of the novel, but it was also a reboot that was free from the continuity of the 20 films that had come before it. Now, audiences were able to see an inexperienced and more human Bond in a more grounded and realistic film that, in addition to honoring the core of the character of James Bond, went above and beyond by being just a damn great film in its own right.
Prior to its release, the most recent Bond film had been 2002's absolutely ridiculous "Die Another Day," which took the series to a new level of over-the-top and silliness. It was the highest grossing Bond film at the time, but most people were soured by the film and could agree that it was time for a change in the Bond films. "Casino Royale" brought that change. From the gorgeously-filmed black-and-white opening scene alone, where Bond's brutal first kill and cold-blooded second kill are shown concurrently before transitioning into another unique Bond title sequence featuring Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name," it was clear that this Bond movie was a breath of fresh air. What follows is a riveting plot about Bond's first mission, in which he investigates an international terrorist financier, Le Chiffre, and must defeat him in a high-stakes game of poker at the titular Casino Royale. However, this only scratches the surface of the plot, with great action, betrayal, heartbreak, death, and twists layered throughout. Gone from this Bond movie are the silly gadgets, over the top villains, ludicrous plans, and some trademark characters & quotes. Even when asked how he wants his martini, Bond unconventionally retorts, "I don't give a damn". With its breaking of Bond conventions, the film functions as a grounded, mysterious, and tension-filled espionage tale with a strong grasp on character and plot, perfectly catering itself to the sensibilities of a modern audience.
While plot and character may dominate this film, the direction and action have to be addressed. Directed by Martin Campbell, who had resurrected the franchise before with the classic "Goldeneye," the film's action sequences are fantastic. The parkour chase at the film's beginning alone is worth the price of admission, but there's also a tense airport action scene midway through the movie, a number of well-choreographed fights throughout the film, and an impressive action set-piece set in a crumbling Venice building. The action isn't the only thing well directed as there are many quieter scenes packed with tension. The poker sequences in the film are some of the most uneasy ever filmed, but even they don't come close to the amount of nerve-wracking ache that's featured in a particular scene involving Bond, Le Chiffre, a bottomless chair, and a knotted rope.
In terms of adaptation, this film is also remarkably faithful to its source material. With previous Bond films based on the books, most were only loose adaptations, with "From Russia With Love" and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" being notable exceptions. While updating the material to a modern age and adding some additional action sequences throughout, this movie still captures the spirit and content that Ian Fleming created in 1953. The character of Bond, much like in the books, is a truly cold-blooded killer in this movie, although he shows incredible moments of vulnerability and tenderness in this film that serve to give him dimensions as a human character. We as the audience get to watch him develop and grow closer to becoming the cold, suave, and iconic 007 over the course of the film through the events that unfold, which are solidified at the end with his uttering of "Bond...James Bond." This is also fueled by fantastic supporting characters, like definitive Bond girl Vesper Lynd, layered villain Le Chiffre, tough MI6 chief M, helpful CIA agent Felix Leiter, the mysterious Mr. White, and other memorable side villains.
Bond in this film is played by Daniel Craig, who is now considered by many people to be the best Bond of all time. This is quite a reversal, as prior to the release of "Casino Royale," many were upset and outraged at his casting as he did not fit the typical dark-haired, smooth, and sophisticated archetype; Craig was blonde, rugged, and far more serious, although one needs only to watch "Layer Cake" to see just how good of a choice he was. But that was then, and now, Daniel Craig has more than proved that he has the charisma and acting chops, becoming synonymous with Bond and raising the bar for whoever succeeds him. Even after three additional films in which he has been absolutely stellar as Bond, Craig's performance in "Casino Royale" serves as both his best performance and one of the best singular performances of James Bond, ranking at the top along with Sean Connery in "From Russia With Love," Pierce Brosnan in "Goldeneye," and Timothy Dalton in "Licence to Kill."
Upon release, "Casino Royale" became the highest grossing Bond film, and would keep that record until "Skyfall" in 2012. It also received critical acclaim, and continues to do so to this day, ranking as one of the greatest Bond movies along with the likes of "From Russia With Love," "Goldfinger," "The Spy Who Loved Me," and "Goldeneye." Besides being a modern-day classic Bond movie, "Casino Royale" stands as one of the defining action movies of the 2000's, ranking with films like the "Bourne" series and the "The Dark Knight." Every subsequent Bond movie released has had to measure up to "Casino Royale," and it's been difficult due to it being a straight-up masterpiece of cinema (although "Skyfall" came close).
It's odd to think that the movie is already ten years old, but it is still, and always will be, a damn fine movie.
