Casino Royale

Or: When James walks in Jason’s footsteps... The black-and-white prolog and the first scene after the opening credits sets the bar high, but unfortunately the creators didn’t manage even to come near it for the rest of the movie. The new Bond is not lacking atmosphere, a good technical side and ingenious action. But what it is lacking is a better screenplay to hold everything together better and more balanced pacing. (21/04/2022)

After some time, and after watching a rerun, I began to like this 21st Bond film. I also like Eva Green thanks to Dark Shadows and I'm taking more and more to Mads Mikkelsen thanks to A Royal Affair. They have a nice interchange at the Casino, Mads has a very tasty villain with a bleeding eye and Eva is a different kind of beauty than the ones James has been dating. The plot is good, the scenery pleasing to the eye, the action and humor just right, and of course the flawless final point. I certainly enjoyed that. (27/08/2012)

It was a terrible blow at the time. After four adventures with the elegant Brosnan, the tough guy Craig came, an uncompromising sharpshooter, a bleeding brawler, a tormented sarcastic, and a rough mountain of secret agent potential. In front of his charisma, out of respect, I almost hid under the seat, but he didn't fit my previous perception of the Bond brand. The dry lines remained, the technical toys gave way to dirty action, and it was only after a long 14 years since the premiere that I finally realized, during a specific "regeneration" revision, how perfectly balanced the Montenegrin card spectacle turned out to be. From the black and white intro to the Italian shot. (05/12/2006)

A smart, cleverly directed, and uncluttered action film that can boast an incredibly charismatic lead actor. The new Bond is in no way a polished charmer like Timothy Dalton or Pierce Brosnan, but an agent of the special service sharp as a razor, whose face is covered with scars from top to bottom and a drop of blood is also visible every moment. Although it is a Bond film, Casino Royale bears by far the fewest trademarks referring to that famous British spy. Instead, we can watch an excellent action film rather than a continuation of the legendary franchise. Martin Campbell, in addition to his assured direction, also did away with lot of legends, myths, and established Bond traditions (wisecracks, women, etc.), and the result? James Bond can fall in love. And the best part is, you can actually believe him. The opening action in Madagascar is exhilarating and I haven't seen anything so gripping in a long time. Eva Green? Stunning. One of the best and most original Bond films. (21/11/2006)

Casino Royale is a departure from the long-standing British tradition and in many ways differs from its older predecessors. It is less noble, and polished, and contains less (self) irony. It is much more of a modern, fast-paced action thriller, where James Bond's name might not even have to appear. However, that is not, in my view, detrimental, and in some respects, it is a pleasant change from familiar clichés. Daniel Craig is not immediately as likable, and he needs to earn the audience's favor differently. No Bond film has likely experienced such a good character actor who is also physically up to par. Eva Green is not only a beautiful girl in sexy dresses, but the same applies to her acting. She is primarily an excellent actress. The action scenes and chases are well-directed by Martin Campbell and are a highlight of this film. The script is average, but it also managed to avoid absurd sci-fi constructions and devilish inventions. All in all - a pleasant surprise in the action genre. Overall rating: 80%. (04/12/2007)