Despite all the complaints that blonde Daniel Craig is a poor choice for the new Bond, Craig breathes new life to the 007 franchise by showing that a good actor makes a difference.  Known previously for his roles of characters with a disturbed mind (SOME VOICES, LAYER CAKE and the gay killer in INFAMOUS), Craig plays a less likeable Bond with a bigger ego and pectorals and a nastier personality.

Even his boss M (Judi Dench) admonishes him calling him a blunt instrument that needs to take the ego out of the equation.  Director Martin Campbell (who directed one 007 feature previously, the forgettable GOLDENEYE), plays the tactic to the hilt and to good effect.  At the film’s start, Bond disposes of a bad guy by drowning him in the water of a restroom sink.  The opening credits dispenses with the usual dancing female images, replacing them instead, with figures of Bond fighting an enemy.

Based on Ian Fleming’s CASINO ROYALE - not that it matters as most Bond films take lots of liberties with the material - the story concerns Bond becoming 007 and undertaking his first mission.  He has to prevent master gambler Le Chiffre (Dane Mads Mikkelsen) from winning as Le Chiffre supplies money funding terrorism.  If Bond is successful, Le Chiffre’s creditors will dispose of him themselves.  The big game will take place at CASINO ROYALE in Montenegro.

CASINO ROYALE is also interesting when compared to the 1967 version, the spy spoof which featured an all star cast including Peter Sellers, David Niven, well known real gambler, Orson Welles (as Le Chiffre), Ursula Andress, and even Woody Allen.  Identical characters exist but that is as far as similarity goes.  Everyone dies and goes to heaven (except Woody Allen the villain) in the end to the tune of the Burt Bacharach soundtrack.

The 2006 CASINO ROYALE is truer to the general spirit of Bond.  With international locations that include Madagascar, Prague, Uganda and Montenegro, CASINO ROYALE contains exciting car chases, fights, sexual scenes (lots of sexual innuendo by means of close-ups) with a little torture thrown in for good measure.  Good old fashioned action with minimal CGI effects makes a difference.  But gadgetry and the character Q are noticeably missing.  Mobiles though play a big part in the film.  As in certain Bond films, the love interest is well developed.  The tender moment between Bond and Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) in the shower works well.  And to have the audience feel sympathy one again for a somewhat arrogant Bond, what better way to go about it then to have him put so close to the point of death by poison?  Film cineastes will also be pleased with the film giving a nod to old classics like FROM HERE TO ETERNITY - the kissing scene on the beach.

Director Campbell and the scriptwriters (including Oscar winner Paul Haggis) inject more story into this entry.  With a twist at the end,
CASINO ROYALE succeeds as both an action flick (excitement from start to finish) and an adventure with a good story.  Bond and Daniel Craig as Bond are both here to stay.